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Loose truss rod nut - still not enough relief. What's up?

mikeyrsmith

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Feb 11, 2003
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[I started this thread in Dan's Guitar Shop, but figure it makes more sense here. Sorry for the double post!]

Help! I wanted to dial a little bit more relief into my new (to me) '74 Les Paul Custom (the neck was nearly ramrod straight when I got it). But after less than half of a counterclockwise turn (total) of the truss rod nut, it went completely loose on the threads. I didn't unscrew it completely, but I could have, with no resistance whatsoever.

It's not stripped...it tightened back up just fine. And I was able to get roughly the amount of relief I wanted (but no more). So what's up? Should I be worried? Or is it just that this neck, on this guitar, now has as much relief in it as it ever will? Someone also suggested loosening the nut completely, putting a 2" dowel under the strings at the 6th fret or so, and leaving it there for a few days. Make sense? Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Mikey

Thanks!

Mike in Baltimore
 

dwagar

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How much relief are you trying to get? 1/2 turn seems quite a bit.
And did the neck settle overnight to the new spot?
 

LesterP

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When you say not enough relief, you mean that once you have loosened the truss rod nut, the neck will not move any more with the tension of the strings???
(You said the neck was straight when you got it, I'm assuming you DO NOT want the neck to back bow by tightening the truss rod).

Let me know exactly as I might have an anwser for you.
 

mikeyrsmith

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LesterP said:
When you say not enough relief, you mean that once you have loosened the truss rod nut, the neck will not move any more with the tension of the strings???
(You said the neck was straight when you got it, I'm assuming you DO NOT want the neck to back bow by tightening the truss rod).

Let me know exactly as I might have an anwser for you.

Yes, thanks. That's it exactly: with the nut completely loose on the threads, the neck is still too straight for my playing. When I got the guitar, the nut was already snug and the neck was even more straight than it is now.
 

Gold Tone

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Sounds like it may have had the string tension relaxed for a long, long time. Was it in storage for an extended period? If the strings are loosend and the truss rod was left as it was adjusted for the strings tuned to pitch there is a good chance the neck is now settled in that new position.

A guitar in storage for extended periods is best left tuned to pitch (shipping is different....loosen strings). This way as the neck hardens over time it is in relatively the correct shape/position.

Why don't you ask the previous owner about it's history?

I'm sorry I don't have a solution for you but that is my guess as to what is going on there.

Good luck, I'm sure that some knowledgable luthier could easily set it right for you.
 

LesterP

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I have the answer...

Well, Gold Tone beat me to it, and I think he is 100% correct.

Same exact thing happened to my '74 Custom. I put the guitar away in its case for over two years... with no string tension whatsoever (actually, no strings on the guitar. The neck needed a slight refin and I didn't want to deal with it. Trust me guys on this one, most guitars you want to leave original, this neck really needed some lacquer).

When I decided to start playing it again, I strung it up and tuned it low, gradually bringing it up to standard tuning over the course of a week (didn't want to shock the neck). The guitar would not adjust properly. Even with the truss rod loosened all the way, it STILL HAD SOME BACK BOW.

Long story short, I left the truss rod loose while the guitar was tuned to standard, making sure to check the guitar often (few times a week). After about a month, the neck was settling in fine. I could apply light pressure to the nut to bring it back straight. Another few weeks went buy and a little more forward bow occured. Basically a tug o war between finding the right setting on the nut while letting the strings undo the back bow from lack of tension for two years.

After about two months (no kidding) the neck has the perfect amount of relief. The truss rod can be adjusted either way without issue, and is not very loose. (though it still doesn't need to be very tight, it certainly is tight enough).

I also think that part of the problem (which actually is a good thing) is the strength of these three piece necks. Even though I consider this neck on the thin side, it's strong as hell.

You should be fine, though it might take a little adjustment here and there.

Good Luck :)
 
Last edited:

mikeyrsmith

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Thanks, guys!!! That makes A LOT of sense. I don't know much about the history of the guitar, but the heavy finish checking may very well indicate that it was improperly stored for some time. It also made a 3-day trip in a UPS truck from New Jersey to Maryland, with the strings loosened, during a stretch of VERY cold weather...so who knows?

I've had it for 3 days now, and with 10-gauge strings tuned to pitch and the truss rod nut completely loose, I can already feel the neck getting better. For instance, the massive buzz I was getting on the "D" string when fretting it at the 4th has all but disappeared.

Once again, this Forum proves itself to be invaluable for shared information, but also for peace of mind!

You guys are the best!

-Mikey
 

dwagar

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The heavy checking is probably normal, mine is really checked and chipped. Over the years, I'm sure it saw a lot more work than I did!

Rather than being improperly stored, may I suggest that it's probably spent the last 32 years with close to a dead flat neck? With these strong-as-a-brick-shithouse necks, it'll probably take a while for it to figure out what you're trying to do to it :)
 

mikeyrsmith

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dwagar said:
Rather than being improperly stored, may I suggest that it's probably spent the last 32 years with close to a dead flat neck? With these strong-as-a-brick-shithouse necks, it'll probably take a while for it to figure out what you're trying to do to it :)

Good call...flat neck w/lower action = faster runs, right? Ah...the '70s and '80s!
 

Litcrit

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May 9, 2002
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If only my old Jazz bass necks had THIS problem (Neck is TOO STRONG,won't "relieve")!

No one has mentioned string guage. Put some 13's on there. See if that doesn't loosen up the neck a bit.
 
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