Truss rod question for a guitar that's had a neck reset

[chazmo]

I only let qualified professionals adjust my guitars. I am not a qualified professional, ergo.... :0)

Janine, don't be afraid of it, but if you do have a professional who can look over your setup before you buy it then definitely do it.

Keep us posted, and good luck!

 

[WC_Guitarist]

No, not cosmetic. The dual-action truss rod in the M-20 is functional. Unlike compression rods, which must be secured into the wood at one end, held in a hole at the other, and “pinned” in place in a bowed position beneath the fretboard, a dual-action truss rod is a fully independent machine. It sits comfortably in a slot in the neck, is not “fixed” to anything, and it is the builder’s choice whether to provide access to the adjusting nut on the headstock end or through the soundhole. Twist the nut one direction and the rod bows forward, twist the nut in the opposite direction and the rod bows backward. The dual-action truss rod lets you “force" the neck to bow in either direction, whereas the compression rod only permits you to “force" the neck to bow backward (you simply loosen the nut to let the neck bow forward again, and hope the neck hasn’t warped permanently in a back bowed position).

Compression rods have fallen out of favor, and dual-action truss rods have been all the rage for some time now. Many builders choose to access these truss rods through the soundhole for aesthetic purposes (they don't need to add a truss rod cover to the headstock). But it makes no difference to the guitar; adjustment via either soundhole or headstock works just fine.



“Vintage” has a certain appeal, no doubt. But there is also a cost involved, especially with regards to maintenance. As you say so well, "buying a vintage guitar might be more fun than actually owning one.” Of course, every now and then, someone here on the forum might add, “the only thing more fun than buying a vintage guitar is selling one!"

I feel like I dodged a bullet.

 

[WC_Guitarist]

Janine, don't be afraid of it, but if you do have a professional who can look over your setup before you buy it then definitely do it.

Keep us posted, and good luck!

Unfortunately, I did not have that option so the guitar went back to the shop.

 

[chazmo]

Unfortunately, I did not have that option so the guitar went back to the shop.

wise decision, Janine. Post up quickly next time if we can be of help. Adjusting a truss rod is not something to be afraid of, it's easy to do, and it can often help with string buzz. It's not usually a savior for a high action though... Again, good decision.

 

[WC_Guitarist]

Thanks, Chazmo. It was really a valuable learning experience. I have no complaints, and I am probably being overly cautious. But since it was a "buy as is" and "all sales are final" situation, I felt like I had to take the more conservative route. How many times have I not done that in the past, but wish I had???

I wasn't thinking of the truss rod for adjusting the action; but during the set up process the tech might need to be able to set the relief before or after lowering the action. I didn't want to find out after the fact that the guitar could not be adjusted properly b/c the action definitely needed to come down a little for me.

Anyway.... Maybe I am finally getting a little smarter in my old age?