How to Adjust an Acoustic Guitar Truss Rod (Excerpt)

When a quality guitar leaves the factory, the truss rod is adjusted according to the maker’s taste in setup specs. But a change in string gauges, climate (especially a change in humidity), or simply the player’s taste may require an adjustment, even on a new guitar. If you have a guitar that played great when you got it, but has developed a higher, stiffer action over time, it may be time to learn how to adjust your truss rod so you can keep the action just the way you like it.

Two primary signs tell you that your truss rod needs adjusting:

1. There’s a noticeable change in the action; the height of the strings over the frets has become either too high or too low. The most common scenario is that the strings get higher as the neck upbows from the string pull.
2. Some strings buzz on the frets between the nut and the fifth fret. This indicates that the neck is either too straight or it is backbowed from the truss rod’s slow, constant pressure over time.

Excerpted from Acoustic Guitar Care and Maintenance

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