If i attempt to adjust a truss rod on an acoustic, will deaths follow?

  • Thread starter Thread starter romanianreaper
  • Start date Start date
Smash said:
Also, when you chang strings, if the saddle falls out, then you can sand it down if the action being high is related to that. It is simple and you can do a little at a time
Click to expand...
Yes, but it needs to be done completely evenly and as Lisa pointed out it will most likely alter the intonation.
 
Ok here are some photos. The bridge doesn't seem adjustable to me unless I'm missing something. With the measurement tool on the 12th fret, it appears med high to high to me.
20250217_202054.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20250217_201918.jpg
    20250217_201918.jpg
    421.5 KB · Views: 10
VonBonfire said:
IME the best set up guitars are those with no buzzing and a very low action with little or no relief.
Click to expand...
My 4001 likes the neck dead flat and the action is crazy low. Most of the other ones like a smidge of relief, as I described above. At least if you want the action as low as I like it.
 
romanianreaper said:
Ok here are some photos. The bridge doesn't seem adjustable to me unless I'm missing something. With the measurement tool on the 12th fret, it appears med high to high to me.
View attachment 389811
Click to expand...
You're kinda on your own with that thing bro. I never use specific measurements for action. ( I would describe how I do it, but it mostly involves radius gauges and adjustable bridge saddles and doesn't really apply to acoustics) The action looks pretty damn high to me though.
 
Floyd Eye said:
You're kinda on your own with that thing bro. I never use specific measurements for action. ( I would describe how I do it, but it mostly involves radius gauges and adjustable bridge saddles and doesn't really apply to acoustics) The action looks pretty damn high to me though.
Click to expand...
Yeah my electrics, I definitely have it down pretty good with setup and intonation, etc. My Les Pauls are cake with the thumb wheel, saddles, etc. Acoustics are unchartered water.
 
NowYou'rePlayingWithPower said:
It's an important distinction. Especially when communicating with others and trying to understand exactly what is occurring, imo. Action can only be changed by the saddle and nut. Relief can cause too high of action. String gauge changes can affect action, but to actually adjust action you can only do it from modifications to the nut and/or saddle. In this case it's an acoustic so not only are they not on the fly adjustable, but the intonation will also be off when not set to "factory" standards.
Click to expand...
I do all my own repairs, just fret dressed a guitar to 2/64” action last week. If you read what he said, he had a humidity issue and described as best he understood. You know how doctors talk differently to patients than one another?
 
Smash said:
I will check mine to compare. I bet mine is every bit that high or more.
Click to expand...
I got sick of "Properly set up" acoustics awhile back. The ones I use for recording or playing out or with other people I set up right, but the one I play around here most of the time is the easiest playing acoustic in the world. I set it up with low action and Slinkys. :cool:
 
njshred said:
I do all my own repairs, just fret dressed a guitar to 2/64” action last week. If you read what he said, he had a humidity issue and described as best he understood. You know how doctors talk differently to patients than one another?
Click to expand...
You are the only one who mentioned humidity in this thread brother. Just sayin'.
 
So, @romanianreaper I think your action is maybe even a bit lower than mine. Like I said, Martin sends the guitar out without shaving the saddle. It is a weird fucking thing to do, since they have that expensive of a guitar, not to give it a setup. However, we all play differently, and my last acoustic was a very low action, and tbh, it pissed me off. I hate fret buzz and if you strum the fuck out of one that is low, you are going to buzz. A martin will put out a lot of volume, and with cowboy chords and singing, you can't hardly beat a taylor or martin for tone, but the projection out of a d18 or 28 is gorgeous.

If you want to work on the action, I would check the relief first. Then if it is good, work on the saddle a bit. Anything you do is going to lower it, so don't go crazy. You can check your string height at the 3rd fret and get an idea of how the nut is set up. I wouldn't worry a ton about intonation. I am crazy about intonation when setting up an electric. But an acoustic is a shorter scale and is going to have strange intonation to begin with. When you drop the strings, i am betting the intonation gets more accurate anyway.
 
Ideally you’d have a notched straight edge and feeler gauges to set the relief at the fifth fret, then you’d know instantly if the bridge or nut were too high. Without that experience or tools, I’d do the 1/4 turn, wait 20 mins, retune and use your gauge to check. Play every note on the guitar to check for buzzing, if none presents, try another 1/8 turn. Repeat. When it starts to buzz you went too far, give back that last 1/8. That would be as good as it gets for a novice.
 
For some reason, I am having trouble imbedding the photo right now, but here is an attachment of my string height. I tried to replicate where you put your guage so that you can get an idea.
 

Attachments

  • string height.jpeg
    string height.jpeg
    536.1 KB · Views: 17
Smash said:
I hate fret buzz and if you strum the fuck out of one that is low, you are going to buzz. A martin will put out a lot of volume, and with cowboy chords and singing, you can't hardly beat a taylor or martin for tone, but the projection out of a d18 or 28 is gorgeous.
Click to expand...
Wife has a D18, I can confirm. She had a Guild D-50 bluegrass for a while. Had shred player level action. You could hit the strings as hard as you wanted, it just got louder louder until you were breaking strings and never buzzed. Had a real thin neck though and she let it go. I advised against it, but she has had MANY acoustics. More guitars than I have purchased by 2 or 3 times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top