Learn how to adjust the truss rod on a Fender Strat. In this demonstration, I use a Mexican Strat, but this is the way it is for most Stratocasters and Squiers. Learn more at: kickassriffs.com/how-to-adjust...
Thanks Doc! Your video was the most insightful on understanding and procedure to adjust the truss rod on the Fender strat. I am still struggling to detect the impact of tiny turns on the bow extent..on my 93 Strat Plus. Will try the capo 1st and 12th fret fretted..tapping the 10th fret. I completely understand now that loosening the truss rod takes time for the neck wood to settle into a bow in a couple of days, while tightening a truss rod the straightening impact is immediate.
sir thank so much it was easy to understand i will try this without being afraid 😀 as a guitarist i need to know how to do this and you explained very well 👍🏼👌👌👌👌👌
Very good explanation. My Tech has retired so now its up to me and this helps. From many viseos my understanding is press down and hold where the neck meets the body? Thank You
Notes:Capo on 1st fret, finger holds down 12th, test 10th fret. If bouncy, then forward bow, action is high, turn right to tighten. Retune before and after each adjustment.
Nice video but keep in mind you allways let rest the neck for at least 2 minutes! and then check the relief before you make any further tiny turns. Wood has a slower response to react to tension.
After each adjustment of your trussrod make sure you retune it then check it, if you have to adjust it more repeat the process. The rest he explains is 100 percent right.
if you're going to explain adjusting/correcting neck relief on any stringed instrument with a truss rod to those who don't know, then it's a good idea to start by noting that the strings themselves need to be, at least, slackened considerably before tightening or loosening anything. Like that you aren't fighting with the nut when turning it. If not, then unnecessary pressure on the nut and rod can result in a damaged neck
How much neck adjustment does my 93 mexi strat need going from 9-46 hybrid slinkys to 11-52 pure nickel rockers. My strat came with 9-42 and installed hybrid set then I got a free ghs 11-52.
Great explanation. Didn't know the STRINGS need time to pull the neck. TOO tight for the card to fit. Loosen a 1/4 today, check and do more tomorrow if it still grabs the card ( capo on neck finger on 12 fret. Thanks
So with single action truss rods you can STILL turn it counterclockwise? So by loosening the truss rod (counterclockwise) the neck doesn't pull back as strong so now you let the strings pull the neck giving more relief, and you have to wait a day or so for it it to finalize. Whereas with a double action truss rod you can loosen the rod and it will immediately give relief because an active rod (instead of the strings) will apply an immediate force to give relief?? Am I correct?
The truss rod nut on my Strat takes a 5mm Allen wrench. It's a perfect fit. A 3/16" (4.7 mm) wrench will work, but it's a little loose. If you don't want to risk eventually ruining the nex nut, I suggest going with a 5 mm wrench. My bet is the nut is metric, not imperial.
I have fret buzz on my high E string - particularly when I play down the neck. Is this more of a back or front bow symptom? The action isn't terribly low or high, but feels right down the middle.
First step should be: with full string tension, loosen the bridge side of the neck screws slightly, then loosen the neck side screws; string tension will pull the neck into the pocket. Reset the tuning and intonation. This will set the neck into the pocket for better sustain. Big gains with the mim fenders,exceptional fit and finnish , in most cases, afterwards.
1.) Does the guitar have to be tuned to E standard before you begin? 2.) When you place your finger on the 12th fret and bounce your finger on the 10th fret, what exactly is the IDEAL action height and how do you measure that (with what tool)?....In your vid, you seem to be looking for that "just right" action--not too boucy, not too dead flat.
The "tool" is called a relief gauge. I make my own with popsicle sticks and snip-off-ends of guitar strings. The common measurement aimed for is .010" (Hundreth or ten-thousanth of an inch)... That would be the High E-string from a set of "10's". .
I need relief in the neck so i loosened the truss rod all the way but it made no difference. What do you recommend? Tighten the strings up pretty good and let it sit a couple days and see what happens?
That sounds more like an intonation issue. Truss rod adjustment deals with string "action" or "relief", or.. the distance between your strings and the frets/fretboard.
Hi there! Can I know the size of the allen key that fits to the truss rod of my Strat? I really need to buy allen for it but I didn't know the size. I need the mm and inch size, thank you!🙂
@@backwoods6050 This dude claims 3/16, but some are 1/8" .... however, I thinkhe misquoted. It seems to me it would be maybe 1/4" But, different manufacturers at different time periods used different sized truss rod nuts. ESP/LTD are all 4mm, for example
3/16 and 1/8. Is not standard for all strats. I have a 2005 American Deluxe SSH and the closest fit Allen is 7/64. Every model can be different. When you say turn to the right or turn to the left depends on if you are standing near the body or near the top of the neck.
That a front bow would cause fret buzz makes no logical sense to me. It should be the opposite, the more the neck bends forward, the less buzz - that it would mess up intonation does make sense.
Exactly. Front bow moves the frets away from the strings. A certain amount of front bow is usually desired. Since the max string vibration is in the middle, you tend to get fret buzz in the middle if you have too little front bow. I've heard this normal amount of front bow referred to as "relief." Fender's set up FAQ says: "Affix a capo at the first fret and depress the sixth string at the last fret. With a feeler gauge, check the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 8th fret..." They want .01" or .25mm at the 8th fret. Most people don't want a flat fretboard. This tends to result in buzz for anything other than very high action.
It makes complete since because the strings are only far away in the middle to last frets. I gotta forward bow and it buzzes on the first fret, about to fix it though gladly.
Buzz can be caused by a bunch of things, but having a neck that’s not properly set doesn’t help the situation. Regardless of front or back bow. To be fair, my neck needed a slightly tightening after I adjusted saddle height (action essentially) and intonation. I turned the Allen key to the right about an 8th turn, checked my measurements and all was well. Funny thing was, I had less fret buzz on the treble strings from the 12th fret on. Just goes to show that the truss rod adjustment is essential and cause any number of issues regardless of front bow or back bow’d.
@@forester057 no sir, it will depend on which end of the neck on which you have access to the truss rod. (if guitar is in playing position, up toward the ceiling will be tightening).... but that is a "righty: tighty" (clockwise) ONLY if you are accessing the adjustment nut from the headstoack. Not so if you have an old style, from the heel end of the neck as do many vintage Fenders or perhaps a truss rod wheel; i.e. Music Man or New Charvel. In these cases. (again, in playing position) you turn the allen wrench upward toward the ceiling still to tighten the truss rod, however it would be a left-hand (counter-clockwise turn). See?
at least not that idiotic design where you have to dismount the neck. some idiots pay 4 grands for fuc.in "custom shop" which you cannot adjust just like that.
LMAO you missed the most important aspect there!!! The SCALE OF THE NECK to the Guitar Saddle. This happens on cheap guitars the Necks are not properly scaled to the Body of the Guitars. Intonation is impossible as you have to bring the saddle screws all the way to the back and run out of room. Had this happen to 2 guitars someone asked me to take a look at. I ordered 2 proper necks based on the length to the Saddle Location ( Max middle of screws to the back max) so that I could then Intone the guitars properly. Get out a measuring tape and look at all cheap guitars . Divide the back of the Saddle to the Nut length and you will see at least 1 fret off to the middle position which is the 12th fret. This is why measuring a guitar before buying it is important. I do not need to do 10 tests to figure it out, all I do is measure to the middle 12th from the Saddle and Nut and that is the starting point to let you know if proper intonation will be possible. Had an old fender from the early 90's that had this problem, slap a new proper sized neck and no more problems.
