Trussrod is loose inside of neck

[GladToBeBack]

Epi Lp Standard

 

I understand the caution and finesse required when adjusting the trussrod. My main concern is that I did not notice it was loose until a week ago, I do not know how long it has been loose. I play through headphones 90% of the time and it took someone else to point out they heard a 'knocking' when my guitar moved. I shook the body and could hear and feel it inside the neck. I'm aasuming it it the trussrod, I don't know what else it could be. I am worried that if it has been loose for some time, could permanent damage have been done to the neck? Also, I have not touched the trussrod on this guitar at all. I do not know how it could have come loose. Has anyone ever experienced it loosening on its own? Is this an indicator that something else is wrong?

[vomer]

It's not necessarily a sign of anything wrong, but you'll likely get an intermittent buzz or rattle playing plugged in. Have a look, and see if you can get it 'finger' tight. If you have too much relief (bow) in your neck you could tighten it further. There's lots of guidelines on the web about what constitutes ideal relief. It's one of the jobs you can learn to do for yourself without fear of damaging the guitar if you're careful.

 

For now, seeing if it will go finger tight, remember clockwise = tight, straightening the neck. Repeat after me in a loud voice and stand up staight: righty-tighty! Now slump a bit: lefty-loosy! Do this in public where someone can see you and I guarantee you'll never forget it .

[Gunner]

First make sure it's not one of the tuners. A loose tuner can feel like it is inside the neck when you shake it.

[GladToBeBack]

None of the tuners seem to be loose. I loosened the strings and the knock is still there but not as hard. The guitar is also about a year old, going from the date in the serial. I've had it about 5 months.

[brianh]

Keep in mind a truss rod is designed to counteract the pull of the strings on the neck. If you use light gauge strings, or the neck is straight enough without any correction, then it's not necessary unless/untill the neck starts to bow up.

 

When you loosened the strings, the neck may have bowed back enough to lessen the rattle. So as Vomer says, tune it up and tighten the TR enough to keep it from rattling around and you're fine. A 1/4 clockwise turn should be plenty.

[GladToBeBack]

So after reading a few documents online about Truss Rod adjustments I mustered up the courage to attempt it myself, after about a quarter turn it was tight and the knock was gone. So feel free to yell NEWB at me in a big Ogre from Revenge of The Nerds-esk voice.

[Chemurgy]

There is nothing wrong with your guitar, your trus rod was too straigt. Here is an extract of an e-mai lI got when I had a similar problem with a G-400 guitar:

 

"Yes..this is normal ...Epiphone uses a self contained bi-flex neck reinforcement...it is not anchored or glued ..just sits in the

channel....if you do accidentally pull it out, push it all the way back in & put some tension on it"

 

This is from Yorkville which is the Gibson/Epiphone distributor in Canada.

 

Enjoy!

[vomer]

So feel free to yell NEWB at me in a big Ogre from Revenge of The Nerds-esk voice.

 

No way! We all learned somehow, I'm still learning. Glad to hear you got it sorted out.

[KX36]

If it's new and you think something's wrong with it, why not have it repaired under warranty or take it to be checked out? I've never heard of something like this being normal on any guitar, regardless of if Chemurgy's guitar dealer says it's normal because Epiphone have biflex rods. (Do they really? Would this be normal if they did?)

[brianh]

So after reading a few documents online about Truss Rod adjustments I mustered up the courage to attempt it myself' date=' after about a quarter turn it was tight and the knock was gone. So feel free to yell NEWB at me in a big Ogre from Revenge of The Nerds-esk voice.[/quote']

Next step, build a Les Paul Black Beauty out of a discarded shipping pallet...

 

 

[animalfarm]

Next step' date=' build a Les Paul Black Beauty out of a discarded shipping pallet...

 

[img']http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac267/brianh19426/wooden-pallet.jpg[/img]

 

 

I keep seeing that "ZEBRAWOOD" Les Paul in my mind... Just look at the

variety of wood colors and grains, the knotholes, the discoloration from the

nails... mmmmmmmmm. Glue it up and start cutting!

[ctguy1955]

http://s968.photobucket.com/albums/ae168/CTguy1955/gibsonandepinuts.jpg

 

 

I received my new studio on May 1st and it could not be played as the setup was bad

and I was told the truss rod needed to be loosened. The metal frets were sticking

out of the fretboard and hurt your fingers and I did not notice the spots on the

neck. The authorized luther had my guitar for over 4 weeks and when I got it back

it played well, but the metal frets were still sharp, and he fixed the blemish

on the neck. He was also kind enough to modify my new guitar by putting a dent

in the body near the tone knob. I had to send it back to him. He filled the hole

he put in the guitar but could not fix the "light bending" produced by his fix on

the finish, so he sent it back to nashville. Nashville re-did the body finish and

did a really fantastic job, but now I notice a huge dent near the jack plate !!!

I sent it back to nashville. Now Ive owned the guitar for months and months and

have only held it for 25 days. I get the guitar back and again Nashville did a

really wonderful job on my body and its the way it should have been when I got

the guitar on May 1st. The guitar has a lot of buzz, I took off the Gibson strings

and put D'Addario 10's on it with a earnie ball wound G string, the way I like it.

I wanted to add some relief to the neck, and when I took off the truss rod cover

the nut was only hand tight. I have not gone from 420 to 480 in hopes of it slowly

being able to get the neck to where it will meet the nut. I have now gone hand tight

and then loosened it up one full turn, and I will let it sit. I read where I should

put 12's on the guitar instead to get it to gently bow the way I would like so that

the nut would at least be able to give me some relief. I would appreciate any advice

but I will NOT bring this guitar back to the AUTHORIZED Gibson luther who dented it

twice now, and his workshop is NOT heat controlled and got over 100 degrees this summer

where he could not work in his own shop. The conditions of his shop probably made my

wood shrink and the metal frets stick out....... after he supposedly sanded em down and

gibson paid him to do it. I want to know if my Studio nut is suppose to look like my

2007 EPI nut.....are the strings suppose to ride up on the nut and not sit all the

way down in the slot. I put thinner strings then what it came with too !!!

 

Thanks for any advice !!!!