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I'm too stupid to work on my guitars


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I recently started trying what i thought were minor adjustments on my guitar. I've been trying to adjust my truss rod and action. I watch videos and it looks so easy.  When I try myself I feel like an idiot because it doesn't go as well as those stupid videos.

Long story short... I ended up ruining a $3,000 LP by messing up the truss rod. It turns with no resistance and doesn't adjust neck at all. So it's off to  pay for a $1,000 repair.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm just not smart enough to work on my own guitars. I have a deep seeded resentment towards those people in the videos that make it look like a good idea to try.

I guess I'm destined to always cough up the cash to have a pro do it for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Michael Mars
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Not to jump to conclusions here, but consider that the truss rod is steel and the adjustment nut is brass, there is a chance that all you did was ruin the nut.  I’m not a betting man, but there’s a strong chance I’m right. 
 

And don’t ever be discouraged about working on your own guitars. There’s just a learning curve. And using this narrowly defined scenario, it would have been good if someone told you that Gibson truss rods are the most dependable on the planet and they almost never need as much as 1/4 turn. If that doesn’t correct the worst of bows, then there’s more going on. 

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  • 1 month later...

So I got my guitar back from repair and it turns out that it was just the nut that I had loosened too much I guess. They charged nothing to set it right for me. Cheers to SW shop guys.

So 1/4 of a turn is all I should ever need to do? I know I turned it more than that and I guess once it reached a certain point it just turned with no resistance which led me to think I had destroyed my guitar. 

I'm still not sure if I will ever try adjustments again on my own. 

 

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Gibson truss rods usually work VERY well and I don’t remember the last time I ever turned one more than that. 
 

Don’t be discouraged by one minor mess up. Everyone trips when they’re learning to walk. 

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