truss rod adjustment problems

[HanSoo417]

I've had some trouble adjusting the truss rod to raise the action and read some of the threads on it. I need a frew thing cleared up.

1. I think some people said the larrivee truss rod only goes one way. is this true? does this mean i can't raise the action.
2. If there's no tension i read i might have loosened the truss rod all the way and i should turn it back. wouldn't that just make the action lower and bend the neck in the direction i don't want it to.?

maybe im just not getting the truss rod in right. or do i have the wrong truss rod? i have the square J shaped one and my Lv-09e is from '99

[Steve]

1. I think some people said the larrivee truss rod only goes one way. is this true? does this mean i can't raise the action.

First off you DON'T use the the truss rod to adjust your action.  String height is adjust by raising or lowering the saddle.  If you loosen the truss rod the string tension will pull more neck relief in, the strings will come up off the fret board (higher action) but you will also be adding neck relief which you may NOT need.

2. If there's no tension i read i might have loosened the truss rod all the way and i should turn it back. wouldn't that just make the action lower and bend the neck in the direction i don't want it to.?

Unless your guitar has a double action truss rod, you will have a nut on the end of it.  Thats what you are loosening, the nut.  If you back the nut all the way off with no tension at all on it, it may come loose while playing and fall into your guitar.  You must keep the nut slightly tight or it could possibly un-screw itself.  If you have backed the nut off all the way and still require more neck relief, put some medium strings on it and try again.  Or see below**

***If you don't understand proper truss rod adjustment, then take you guitar to a shop and have a pro do a setup on it!

[Ratishna]

***If you don't understand proper truss rod adjustment, then take you guitar to a shop and have a pro do a setup on it!"



Ditto.


E. Shoaf

[NotRevGDavis]

Adjusting the truss rod is not a replacement for a correct set-up.

[HanSoo417]

There's buzzing cuz the meck has a bit of back bow. I'm trying to fix the back bow, not just raise the action. I shoulda made it more clear. lol

but i went back and tried to turn the truss rod in the other direction and still no tension. I think i'm either missing the hole or my truss rod in unadjustable. I may just end up taking into the shop but since i don't have a car it might take awhile.

[jwieties]

Place a mirror inside your guitar to make sure you are getting in there.  Sometimes the wrench can wedge into the setting where the nut is held and you feel like you are making an adjustment when you really are not.  Poki had some great pictures not to long ago that he took with a mirror. 

The medium strings is also a good idea.

-josh

[HanSoo417]

So i would have to remove the strings i guess.

[poki]

Do not remove the strings, keep them in tune before making adjustments.

Note that larrivee had a different truss rod hex size (and wrench) up to somewhere around 2000 or so.  The wrench you describe is the newer version.  the older one was dark colored and had rounded edges and as mention a different hex size than the current silver wrench with squared edges.  Which means you may have the older truss rod system in your guitar which your new silver wrench won't fit so you need to find this out first.

Larrivee uses one way truss rods in their guitars (this was told to me by someone at larrivee in Cal.) therefore you will need to allow string tension to pull the neck up over time or send it to larrivee to do the work or contact unclrob to guide you.  i'm not a guitar tech by any means, just a certified general purpose geek with an interest in guitars and many odd but facinating (to me) subjects.

[NotRevGDavis]

Do not remove the strings BUT if you let a bit of tension off the 3rd(G) and 4th(D) the process will be much easier

[HanSoo417]

I sent customer service an e-mail. Hopefully they can send me the older truss rod tool and that's fiz the issue.

[poki]

better find out if your guitar has the older or newer truss rod first, then go from there.  i'm not sure when larrivee changed truss rods so it's possible you have the correct wrench but the truss rod has no tension on it so it may feel like nothing is happening when you adjust the rod.