The creep and the rod

[skipclone 1]

Well I bet that got your attention

The neck on my acoustic has been creeping-I'm sure it's the brutal climate changes and lack of temp

control in this country. Anyway it got to the point where the F and C notes on the first and second strings are buzzing.

Today I took it to the shop.The truss rod has always been tough to adjust. it doesn't want to turn easily. Mr. guitar shop guy

suggested a few drops of oil, I presume this is inside the cavity. I think something like lemon oil would have unwanted side effects, I'm trying grapeseed oil. Hope it works.

[Larryz]

Skip, my guy(s) would adjust the truss rod for me. So if your "guitar shop guy" doesn't want to try adjusting it there might be a risk in trying to tighten or loosen it yourself. I think Kuru will chime in and give you some good ideas if you are going to adjust it yourself. He's a tech and has some good know how techniques. I would try a drop of penetrating oil (used on freeing rusted bolts and nuts). Let it sit overnight. Loosen the strings (tuning down a half step) and try to turn the truss counter clockwise no more than a 1/4 turn. If it doesn't move, repeat with another drop and try again the next day. Or you can find a new guitar guy that will tackle the problem for you. I'm assuming it's not a fret buzz or nut problem. Good luck with it and keep us posted!

[desertbluesman]

Geez it is the simplest thing to do, buy yourself a luthiers straight edge at Amazon, place it on the neck and tighten or loosen the truss rod until you get the neck almost straight, allowing the ends of the neck to be a tiny bit closer to the strings than the center. You just adjust it in tiny amounts until you get the drift of how it is done.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Graduated-Stainless-Steel-Straight-Edge/dp/B07488LFYV/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyqKM5pe67wIVRR-tBh28AAMlEAAYASAAEgLCiPD_BwE&hvadid=178320399044&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9030160&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6356151251236104794&hvtargid=kwd-29744211311&hydadcr=29645_10190482&keywords=guitar+straight+edge&qid=1616082347&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGWjlBVTRYWjI4VFEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA4MDQ2MjgxWUFGUDVYS0xTSkhRJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4MzkyNzMzTFAyNVRTTTRFT1BLJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[KuruPrionz]

OK, I'll give it a whirl. I've seen all sorts of disasters.

 

It sounds like the rod is overtightened, that would cause the fret buzz in the notes near the nut. If the wood of the neck expanded due to higher humidity, that would cause the truss rod to be tighter without adjusting it. It sounds like this could have happened. Where was the guitar before you took it to Japan and for how long? A dry neck in a humid climate could to that as wood is hydroscopic and will expand as it absorbs moisture.

 

Is the truss rod nut rounded on the edges? Sometimes they get stripped out, especially the brass ones. That isn't fun. I had one once where I had to take a Dremel with a small bit and cut down to the truss rod threads all the way across the nut. Then I managed to wedge the nut open a little using a flat head screwdriver and work it off the end of the truss rod with very thin needle nose pliers. That was fun.

 

If the nut isn't rounded, can you get a truss rod wrench on it far enough to turn the nut? I had a guitar where the nut was tightened so tight that it bent the rod downwards and I could not get a wrench onto the nut.

It wasn't an expensive guitar - COREVOI - Cost Of Repair Exceeds Value Of Instrument. No joy...

 

I've fixed a few guitars where something gave way somewhere, could be the joint at the body end of the truss rod or it could be the wood that the nut drove the washer into had been pressed in. There was no more thread on the rod the adjust it, it was sticking out of the other end of the nut. Often those are easy, just add another small washer or two until there is enough thread to adjust the rod.That's if the rod is still too loose, it doesn't sound like the problem here

 

Larryz's suggestion to use a drop of penetrating oil can be useful if there is corrosion on the threads and the nut is "frozen" in place. Care must be taken not to round off the corners of the truss rod nut. If you do and you can get it off the rod, replacement nuts are not terribly expensive.

 

It doesn't sound like the rod has been snapped off at the base of the opening for adjustment, that's good news.

Sentiment aside, consideration needs to be made as to the cost of replacement. Or you could ship that guitar back home to dry out and buy a used guitar in Japan, then sell it again when you leave.

 

Good luck! I'll check back in when you've had a chance to answer. Good luck, Skipclone!!! Cheers, Kuru

[skipclone 1]

Hi all, thanks for the feedback.

For Kuru-this is my main acoustic. It is not cheap and probably not replaceable, not for one just like it.

Japan is one of the best places on Earth to buy an instrument-and unfortunately, one of the worst places to have work done on them.

The bench guys don't even get the idea of a basic setup, not if it includes checking tone and volume pots. My guess is, that mister guitar shop guy

didn't want to take the chance of breaking something and owing me a guitar. I did ask him about a correctly sized wrench, which he pointed me to and

considering that was my only charge for the visit, it could have been worse. I bought one of my main electrics at this shop, I've been going to them for quite a while.

The guitar was in N.Y. for a long time. Every time I checked it, it was perfect. But i was in Japan, playing live and my acoustic was sitting in N.Y. I knew it was going to cause issues but

eventually I decided to bring it here. Sure enough, that has happened. I have a nylon string from Philippines. It's nice the way it is now. It's in N.Y. and that's exactly where it's going to stay.

II don't need to get hit by a car twice. Anyway the wrench is good. I tweaked the rod once and it was the wrong way, waiting for results from t he opposite direction now.

I'll check back later.

[KuruPrionz]

Thanks skipclone, and - understood.

 

Many years ago, I had a custom acoustic guitar made to my specs. The builder is a friend I knew in Fresno who got a job in San Diego at Taylor Guitars building the bodies.

A flamed maple jumbo with spruce top, all solid woods. Ebony fretboard, 25.5" scale length and one of non-adjustable steel truss bars identical to the ones that Martin used for decades (they sound better than adjustable rods).

 

I took delivery in Fresno and I loved it there. From fairly dry climate to dryer climate. I moved up to northwest Washington near the coast and within a year the guitar was unplayable. Much higher humidity overall and often some rapid transitions (snow converts available water in the air into unavailable ice, humidity drips rapidly). I sold it to a friend in Fresno, who carefully allowed it to dry out slowly. It's fine now.

 

My beloved 1970 Martin D-35 got a bit wonky too. Eventually, I had an opportunity to purchase a Rainsong OM 1000 and that has been a joy. It sounds great, plays great and humidity is not a factor. 100% graphite construction. After realizing that I never played my D-35 since getting the Rainsong, I sold it too and got a Rainsong 12 string - WS 3000.

 

I'm glad you've got a proper wrench and can adjust the guitar. Slow is the way to go, be patient and your baby should be good to go soon. I like to keep truss rod wrenches in the plastic pouches that strings come in, in the goodie pocket of the guitar case so they are handy. My Rainsongs don't have truss rods and never move at all.

 

Please \let us know when you'e got your guitar dialed back in!

[skipclone 1]

UPDATE;

Hey everyone

Well that took a LOT of tweaking. But I think I have it where, if it's even close to pitch it sounds fine. I'm not willing

to go any further, since it seems to be raising the overall action.

It also has the side benefit of making me aware, that I haven't changed the internal battery since i bought the guitar.

Can't wait to hear it plugged in now.

BTW I've never seen Rainsongs on the shelves here but have heard good things about them. If and when things get better I might consider

getting one and shipping the Seagull back to U.S.-maybe. Despite the headaches it's nice having it here.

Anyway thanks for the assistance.