Truss Rod Adjustment (Epiphone SG Doubleneck)

[ghetto3jon]

i have an epiphone sg doubleneck. the 6 string side was set up nicely for 10s, but i play 11s...so i put on 11s, and the neck bowed slightly forward because of the higher string tension. i've performed truss rod adjustments before on my les paul, epiphone dot, and strat, so i figured it wouldn't be a big deal.

so i turned the truss rod adjustment on the headstock clockwise (righty-tighty), and was surprised to find there as very little resistance. so i turned it a little more, and noticed even less resistence...it was like i was loosening it. then i turn it back (counter-clockwise) and noticed that the resistance was increasing as if it was tightening. so what i'm wondering is this: is the truss rod adjustment on an SG reverse threaded? so counter-clockwise (into the resistance) will straightne the neck? in the past, i thought i'd used "right-tighty" to straigten out a neck that had a bow from string tension.

now i know a truss rod adjustment is not something that should be screwed around with too much, so i wanted to ask for help before i did any more turning of the wrench. thanks!

[Light]

It should work like any other, but it may have already been loose when you got the guitar (not uncommon on a Gibson). If some of the threads beyond the nut where a little dinged up, that could cause it to get more difficult to turn.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[ghetto3jon]

so i should ignore the resistance and turn clockwise to straighten the neck...is there any chance it could be reverse threaded or something? because not only did i feel resistance when i went counter-clockwise (which could be damaged threads, you're right) but it definitely felt like it was loosening and becoming less and less resistance everytime i turned it clockwise...strange. but thanks for the feedback! i really appreciate it.

[Light]

Originally Posted by ghetto3jon

so i should ignore the resistance and turn clockwise to straighten the neck...is there any chance it could be reverse threaded or something? because not only did i feel resistance when i went counter-clockwise (which could be damaged threads, you're right) but it definitely felt like it was loosening and becoming less and less resistance everytime i turned it clockwise...strange. but thanks for the feedback! i really appreciate it.

Gibson wouldn't reverse thread a truss rod. Beyond that, I haven't seen the guitar, so I just don't know what could be going on. If your at all worried about it, take it to a good repair shop.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[ghetto3jon]

a friend told me this theory: it was very loose, and turning clockwise didn't find any resistance because it was so loose...and i was feeling resistance counterclockwise because of the silicon on the nut. so it was silicon resistance that made me think it was tightening. i thought that was a good theory.

[Milnoque]

Look at the end of the rod as it sticks out of the nut. If you turn the nut in the direction of decreasing resistance you should be able to tell which direction the threads are working.

[ghetto3jon]

Milnoque, it's an allen wrench so the threads are not visable. but good thought.

[muttley600]

Reverse thread single truss rods are extremely rare I would be doubtful that Epiphone or Gibson would ever use one. They are paranoid about instruments being returned and a change like that would result in a lot of problems. I agree with light if you are at all unsure seek the opinion of an experienced tech. They shouldn't charge you much if at all for an assessment. I would be very careful of over tightening the rod. The result of getting it wrong is a very expensive repair. At best stripping the hex nut at worst stripping the thread on the rod.

If you do decide to proceed go real slow and measure any change in neck relief as you go.

[ghetto3jon]

now that i know it's not reverse threaded (most likely), i think i'll try a few small turns clockwise to see if i run into some resistance. i'll post what happens.

[ghetto3jon]

i turned it a few more times clockwise, and eventually felt resistance and the neck straightened out nicely. it was just very loose, and i think i may have been hitting silicon or something by going counterclockwise...which gave the impression of tightening. problem solved. thanks.