lower action - truss rod adustment - help

[hdi]

I want to lower the action on my steel string acoustic. To do so, do I adjust the truss rod clockwise or counter clockwise?

Thanks

 

[64Firebird]

When adjusting your guitars truss rod, do it VERY SLOWLY, just a little bit at a time.

The first thing you should do is put a capo on the first fret. Next, press down the big E string at the last fret. At around the 12th fret you will see that there is a little gap between the string and the top of the frets. This gap is called "relief" and most guitars need some to avoid fret buzz.

If your guitar has a lot of relief you can remove some of it by tightening (turning it clockwise) your truss adjuster. Sometimes it takes a while for your adjustment to show, so if you think it needs more than a half turn let it sit over night and se if it's any better.

 

[Lopp]

Also,

Adjusting your truss rod clockwise will tighten it and bow the neck away from the strings.

Adjusting your truss rod counterclockwise will losen it and bow the neck toward the strings.

 

[Major Tom]

IF your truss rod is NOTadjusted correctly and is not countering the string pressure enough; it's too loose, your action will be lowered a little by properly adjusting the rod. BUT if it has the right tension for the strings you are using, you will have to lower the action by removing the saddle and sanding it down to the right height. Overtightening a truss rod can ruin yer guitar, it doesn't take much to strip the threads.

 

[Hankel]

I like a really low action on my acoustics, so assuming that the truss rod is adjusted correctly, here's how I adjust my saddle: First, slowly loosen all of the strings until they are so loose that the saddle can be taken out. Next, take a pen and draw a line across the saddle where it meets the bridge. This will give a reference point when trying to determine how much of the bottom of the saddle needs to be removed. Remove the saddle. Using the line you drew as a reference point, start sanding the bottom of the saddle. I use an electric orbital sander to get off most of the material and then sand the rest by hand. Put a piece of sandpaper ( medium works well) on a flat surface such as a kitchen table. (Your mom or wife will really appreciate it if you protect the top of the table with something.) Hold the saddle with your fingers and using a back and forth movement (going lengthwise), sand it, checking frequently to make sure that your work is "square" and even on both ends and on the edges. The crucial thing is to make sure you don't sand off too much, because then your strings will buzz, and you'll have to get another saddle. It's like cutting hair: You can always go back and take off more, but you can't put it back on! You'll be surprised how easy this is if you have patience and go a little at a time. I usually can do the whole process in one or two shots. You'll be able to also once you've done it a few times. If one of the neighbor kids has an old guitar he/she isn't using, maybe you could practice on that! Hope this helps.

 

[hdi]

relief

Thanks, guys. I've already cut down the saddle as far as it will go and the relief is pretty high still. The only thing I see to do is to adjust the truss. The last alternative is to fool with the nut but that seems like a luthier kind of business.

 

[Tom Hicks]

Warning,the truss rod will not directly affect the "action" or height of the strings above the board,but rather only indirectly by controlling the STRAIGHTNESS OR CURVE of the neck.
As far as cutting the saddle,better to notch individual string contact points from the top than removing material from the bottom.The advantage is that you can somewhat intonate each individual string that way by filing from the front or back of the saddle toward the center line and so move the contact point.

 

[64Firebird]

Thanks, guys. I've already cut down the saddle as far as it will go and the relief is pretty high still. The only thing I see to do is to adjust the truss. The last alternative is to fool with the nut but that seems like a luthier kind of business.

After adjusting everything else, if you still feel that the action is too high you can lower the nut slots by using an old guitar string as a file. That way it'll still fit your strings.