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Truss Rod Adjustment.


Andre S

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So the 12 gauge strings on my acoustic were pissing me off a bit because they were hurting my fingers a bit.

 

So I bought some 11 Gauge today, is it likely my acoustic would need a TR adjustment? Or would I only know after I change the strings.

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So the 12 gauge strings on my acoustic were pissing me off a bit because they were hurting my fingers a bit.

 

So I bought some 11 Gauge today, is it likely my acoustic would need a TR adjustment? Or would I only know after I change the strings.

 

 

You'll know pretty quick when you put the strings on. Since you are going with lighter strings you will relieve some of the Fore Bow on the neck and it will back bow now to some degree because of the tension relief. If it doesn't start buzzing especially around the 3rd to 5th fret and the action feels fine then you are OK. If it buzzes or if the action is a bit low for you then you will need to relieve (Loosen the truss rod) some to compensate for the lighter gauge string.

 

 

Andy

 

 

 

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Twenty minutes at standard tuning, so far by sighting down the neck it appears straight. A long straight edge would aid this, but I don't have one.

 

It plays a lot nicer...a lot easier to do string bends and a lot more comfortable. On the low E string, I notice the difference, usually I am accustomed to pressing down very hard to get the note clear, but with the 11's I don't need to now, its great!

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Twenty minutes at standard tuning, so far by sighting down the neck it appears straight. A long straight edge would aid this, but I don't have one.

 

It plays a lot nicer...a lot easier to do string bends and a lot more comfortable. On the low E string, I notice the difference, usually I am accustomed to pressing down very hard to get the note clear, but with the 11's I don't need to now, its great!

 

Cool always good to have something that plays nice. By the way you don't really need a straight edge as the strings themselves are straight edges. Generally I set my truss rod so that if I fret the D string at the 1st fret and the 12th fret or last fret (on an electric ) that their is about half the diameter of the string's worth of space between the bottom of the D string around the 5th to 7th fret. If I get any buzz around the 3rd to 5th fret I will give it just enough relief to get rid of the buzz...

 

The neck shouldn't be perfectly straight because the strings vibrates in an arching motion. A little bit of relief in the neck gives the string enough room to vibarte completely and fully.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Andy

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I have a friend, a very good and accomplished guitar player who uses 9's for electric on his acoustics... You wouldn't believe how well they play and sound...

 

Really? Well thats something to consider if the 11's don't work out.

 

I think the next time I change strings, a month or so, I will get 11's for my electric as well.....

 

I don't really have a problem with the 10's but it would be nice to try something different.

New strings through my JCA20H sound heavenly!

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I play with a very, very light touch. My electrics are mostly 9-42 except one runs 8-38.

 

I've been using 10s on the old A-E Ovation Electric Legend but it doesn't let me do some of the stuff I can do on the electrics - so it's been sitting in its case for years. I put some Zebra A-E 9-42s on a little Epi I picked up very, very inexpensively early this fall and loved 'em - except for a damaged fret when it got bashed a bit at a kiddie concert I did with it. The strength to the Epi and weakness to the Legend is that the mid 1970s Ovation A-E lacked a tone control and the Epi has one.

 

Bottom line is I'm figuring on putting either the light Zebras or a set of my Elixir electric polywebs 9-42 on the Ovation and starting to play her again. A lot cheaper than buying yet another A-E.

 

Dave, thanks for your comment too.

 

Andy... Now the problem is finding time. The past cupla weeks I've had almost exactly an hour to play and it looks as if the next two won't be much better. No time even to look at the Epi that's in another location from my house.

 

m

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I have a friend, a very good and accomplished guitar player who uses 9's for electric on his acoustics... You wouldn't believe how well they play and sound...

 

 

Wow, I was JUST about to try that, as I don't get out much.........Guess I will.....need new acoustic strings...

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I have a friend, a very good and accomplished guitar player who uses 9's for electric on his acoustics... You wouldn't believe how well they play and sound...

 

Hmmmm.... Nickel wound electric strings? I used to do this for the kids I taught that had acoustics until their fingers got stronger. Never heard any that actually ever sounded good though.... What kind of guitar is he playing? I've tried a mix of Electric nickel wound and phos bronze acoustic strings on my acoustic dobro.

 

 

 

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