Well, yes, the action (Figure 2) gets reduced in part of the neck. Despite the fact there is information around the web telling readers to adjust their truss rod to raise or lower action, a truss rod is not for adjusting action. Thanks a lot. what not to do when you lower an acoustic guitar’s action.Don’t mess with the truss rodIt used to be when I first started playing guitar a couple decades ago that adjusting the truss rod was a smart move Imagine a neck with some bow in it like our exaggerated Figure 1 below. It’s far more controllable to first set the neck relief using the truss rod and only then set the action. I’ll save an attempt at it for another day as it might entail my rambling a bit. Adjusting The Truss Rod. Let’s tweak that truss rod! Not anymore. However, in order to comply with privacy regulations, I also need you to provide consent to store and process the information you've entered. Locate your guitar's truss rod. For the purposes of our illustration, picture a neck that we’ve already set relief on (straight in this example). Don’t use the truss rod to change action. A truss rod is an interior metal bar running the entire length of a guitar's neck. First of all, I want to start with a quick note about what not to do when you lower an acoustic guitar’s action. Press on 1st fret then press down on 15th fret and we’ll use the straight string as a guide to see how bent forward the neck is. When tightened, it counteracts the tension created by the strings (the strings pull the neck forward; the truss rod pulls the … More often than not the factory settings on your truss rod … Change the string to low gauge or light gauge strings - It will leave lesser tension to your guitar. A truss rod is NOT for adjusting action. OK. I’m going to rant a little this week. There are generally three steps involved when you adjust the action on an acoustic guitar, which include checking and possibly adjusting three separate areas of your guitar, namely the truss rod, nut, and bridge. It might take a few minutes to come through so, don't worry if it's not there immediately. In the real world, relief and action (and nut slot height) are interactive. Set relief first. There will be a larger change in the middle of the truss rod’s length (not necessarily the exact middle of the neck) and the action towards the higher end of the neck may not change significantly, if at all. There tends to be a good reason we address setup stages in distinct steps. Let’s tweak that truss rod! There are generally three steps involved when you adjust the action on an acoustic guitar, which include checking and possibly adjusting three separate areas of your guitar, namely the truss rod, nut, and bridge. Ever hear someone say: "I'll do anything else with my guitar but I won't touch the truss rod."? The feeler gauge is put over the 8th or 9th fret underneath the string; .007” is the magic clearance. The side-effect is why this poor practice has perpetrated. What you’ve done in this example is correct the neck relief, not lower the action. I don’t like inconsistency. The truss rod of an acoustic guitar is a threaded metal rod that is inlaid within the guitar’s neck. It’s an excellent … The side-effect is the problem. Don't adjust action with a truss rod. During the ‘fine-tuning’ of a setup, you may (probably will) go back and revisit one or more steps but the initial order is that way for a reason. The feeler gauge is put over the 8th or 9th fret underneath the string; .007” is the magic clearance. You can read more in my, Like this? That's to say nothing of the fact that many reading the truss-rod-action advice may already have an instrument with optimum relief. The truss rod of an acoustic guitar is a threaded metal rod that is inlaid within the guitar… Download Truss Rods Made Easy for free. Inconsistency is hard to work with for consistent results — the clue’s in the name. You are signing up for my email newsletter so the understanding that you'll receive emails is pretty explicit. Now, it’s important for me to mention that things are slightly more complicated in the real world. For now, suffice it to say, that a good setup usually involves a balance of adjustments to relief and action (at the nut and bridge). Taylor 114E. OK, now we tighten the truss rod and straighten that neck. The truss rod is a slim, steel rod inside the neck of your guitar. Straightening a bowed neck with a truss rod can have the side-effect of reducing action. In turn, adjusting the nut will affect the action at the saddle. Despite the fact that, until recently, a major instrument manufacturing company included information to the contrary in their support materials, a truss rod is not for adjusting action.