Flight959 Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Howdie!! I decided To get my Les Paul Goddess out for a dust up with my new amp! However!.... There seem's to be an issue with her! When I strum the strings OPEN, the E B G and D strings sound muted and on closer inspection looks like they are catching around the fourth fret. The E string doesn't play at all when the forth fret is held down. In fact it's the same sound when a string is stuck under a fret end.... Playing anything above the fourth fret is fine providing none of the strings are open... Is this a Truss Rod issue? Looking down the neck the string height is the same the length of the fretboard. (No relief?) Any help would be great. The guitar has not been exposed to adverse conditions. Kind Regard Merry Christmas all!! FlIgHt959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share Posted December 20, 2015 Meant to say, None of the fret's are raised.... Regards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 I think you are right. My experience, it isn't all that unusual for truss rod adjustments to change for seemingly no reason. It's less common than not, but still, doesn't have to mean there is something wrong going on with it. In case it isn't obvious, the thing to do would be to back off the truss rod a bit and see if that don't fix it. If it doesn't, and/or you don't feel comfortable, then take it in to someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I use a long straight edge to check truss rod adjustment. However, you can pretty easily check to see if the truss rod is too tight by fretting the low E string at both the 1st and 22nd fret simultaneously. There should be a small (very small) gap between the string and the frets. The string should vibrate if you pluck it while holding down those fretted positions (a third hand would be handy here, but it can be done without). If the string does not vibrate freely, it is resting on the frets. This means you have a bit of back bow and should loosen the truss rod. Loosen it slightly (half a turn is normal) and then re-tune and recheck the height. I bang on the back of the neck with the heel of my hand to stimulate the wood and truss rod after adjusting it. You want everything to rest in its natural position/inclination as per the forces that are acting upon it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 surfpup has given you the best answer you are ever going to get. He also didn't tell you to "let it settle for <fill in the time>". Guitars don't settle, you adjust the truss, smack the neck a few times, tune it up, walk around banging on it just like you will on Saturday night, and it is done. Lather, rinse, repeat as needed until it works right. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thanks. Which way is loosening the truss? Anticlockwise? I did the test mentioned. Doesn't play when 1 st and 22nd are fretted. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I fret at the first and the 17th, lightly. The string becomes the straight edge. Given the description here it's almost certainly just a quick adjustment. Anticlockwise to loosen it. Put the wrench in at one extreme of the pocket and turn it to the other extreme. Like RTC said, knock the neck all along firmly but not to break anything and it should be done. Alternatively, bring it round on Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thanks.... I did what you guys suggested.... 1 Turn and its fixed the issue! Sounds amazing again! [thumbup] The turn I made was the one Farns suggested... Is that considered a BIG adjustment? Regards FlIgHt959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 ... The turn I made was the one Farns suggested... Is that considered a BIG adjustment? Regards FlIgHt959 Hello! That is a quarter-turn. Usually, that's the maximum per adjustment. Beyond that, is way too much. In most cases, - for me - an eighth of a turn is enough. Best wishes... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 ... Guitars don't settle, you adjust the truss, smack the neck a few times, tune it up, walk around banging on it just like you will on Saturday night, and it is done. Lather, rinse, repeat as needed until it works right. rct They do settle. In my opinion, the state of the Les Paul Goddess neck in question is a result of settling under the given conditions. I don't think it has been adjusted that way on purpose. Applying banging or bending may help in speeding up the adjustment to take effect, but the final result will always be a question of time. How long it may take is hard to predict. Achieving a steady state often is a matter of patience. Nearly twenty years after its previous adjustment, the neck of a Peavey Rudy Sarzo Bass owned by a bandmate of mine was severely overstretched, and it took about eight months until it was fine again. The neck of my then brand-new Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus, overstretched from the factory, took several weeks to passable stability, and called for subtle corrections later. Since more than two years it is fine though. I think that regular, careful monitoring of the neck for a longer period is a good idea after a large change of truss rod adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 They do settle. In my opinion, the state of the Les Paul Goddess neck in question is a result of settling under the given conditions. I don't think it has been adjusted that way on purpose. Applying banging or bending may help in speeding up the adjustment to take effect, but the final result will always be a question of time. How long it may take is hard to predict. Achieving a steady state often is a matter of patience. Nearly twenty years after its previous adjustment, the neck of a Peavey Rudy Sarzo Bass owned by a bandmate of mine was severely overstretched, and it took about eight months until it was fine again. The neck of my then brand-new Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus, overstretched from the factory, took several weeks to passable stability, and called for subtle corrections later. Since more than two years it is fine though. I think that regular, careful monitoring of the neck for a longer period is a good idea after a large change of truss rod adjustment. I suppose that is one way. Another way is to take it out for four sets and a few drinks. It'll be just fine. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I think the point here is, rather than wait for it to settle, go ahead and adjust it to where you need to be. If it settles, adjust again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I think the point here is, rather than wait for it to settle, go ahead and adjust it to where you need to be. If it settles, adjust again. Exactly what I said to F959 yesterday on the phone. It might still settle, if anything changes noticeably then adjust it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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