Truss rod question

[Cynical1]

I was wondering, after a truss rod adjustment, how long should I wait for the neck to settle in? Thanks for the help.

[Dred]

Well, a 24 hour period is recommended. However, depending on just how stable the climate is, and how much moisture the wood is going to hold, it could all depend.

I personally don't wait. Tune up, adjust if need be, then play. If I'll need to make an adjustment, then I'll adjust, if not, I won't waste time not playing. That's just what I do.

I would imagine that if you judge that you need to wait, half a day will generally be a safe enough bet if the seasons changed or you got a period of heavy rain or draught. However, if your guitar just flew in from across the seas, from a land far, far away, definitely wait a day or two before you even tune up- can't be too safe. Hope that answers any! If not, shoot another question!

[Cynical1]

Thanks. I'm playing it. I'll just give it a day befor I decide if I should give it another quarter-turn. I have a little bit of buzz on the high frets.

[Dred]

If so, I'd try adjusting at the bridge. The very top frets aren't affected by truss rod adjustments, as that's where the neck is 'embedded', if you will, in the body. Try the bridge, mate!

[leftybob]

If so, I'd try adjusting at the bridge. The very top frets aren't affected by truss rod adjustments, as that's where the neck is 'embedded', if you will, in the body. Try the bridge, mate!

+1 ... saddle adjust to no buzz frets 9,10 on up then check action at lower frets that then determins the truss adjust ... keep in mind if you changed string guages recenly that can affect everything

[warlok]

Hadn't thought about it before but i now assume that's why you check relief by fretting at the 1st and 17th and checking at the 8th... hmmm... learn something new everyday..

[Mr.Shreddy]

i thought is was 1st, 22nd and then check at 12th?

[leftybob]

Hadn't thought about it before but i now assume that's why you check relief by fretting at the 1st and 17th and checking at the 8th... hmmm... learn something new everyday..

The way the truss works it either bends your neck straighter by tightening it or loosening it allows it to bow with the string tension; but the part that bows is not high up on your frets.
It's like a golf swing, you learn new things about it all the time, and there's many variables ... and knowlegde is power; I am Tiger Woods !

[Dred]

i thought is was 1st, 22nd and then check at 12th?

Such solid rules are no more than general guidelines. A similar, yet somewhat more accurate way to judge this is 1st and where the neck meets the body, checked somewhere halfway.

The way I personally check relief is by simply checking the 12th unfretted. I'll note the height of the string at the 12th fret unfretted when the guitar plays comfortably around the middle point on the neck. Then, that will be my new point of reference, and I will simply check that the next time. This has to do with various guitars having necks meeting their bodies at varying places, different frets, etc. You could try that and see what comes about for you.

[Grandturk]

I've never had a neck move on me after adjusting the truss rod. Changes due to climate are gradual - its not going to happen overnight. You might notice it overnight, but its been happening for weeks.