Stop Adjusting The Action On Your Guitar

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[benjaminlin]

This is spot-on. The neck relief is what I always check first. I also like a neck that is almost dead straight. If the relief is how I like it, i know that I won’t have to do much with anything else.

[pinkster]

Right on man it's absolutely ridiculous how much media influences people into thinking that they need stuff or need to do stuff that they don't need to do

[edwinstovall]

I got a Bullfighter neck-through off Amazon recently and fully expected the setup blues. I got it into the house and let it sit for a few days while playing it, then adjusted the truss rod a tad bit to flatten the fretboard. Suudenly, she played like a dream -- did NOTHING else. You just told me why that worked. Thanks!

[jerseyrednek]

I have to adjust all my guitars relief twice a year. Everything else was adjusted once. Spot on video.

[howardmaryon]

Best. Advice. Ever. I now understand the relationship between intonation and neck relief. Thank you so much.

[SteveSterlacci]

I just went through this with a new to me Knaggs. I was going crazy chasing intonation and action height and one saddle was maxed out in one direction and wasn't in tune. I wound up adjusting the neck and normalizing the bridge height and it's now perfectly intonation and plays better than ever. Spent 2 days on a 2 minute fix. Thanks for sharing Dylan!

[dexterkouzmanoff]

Theres a reason they come with an allen wrench

[VincentPeer]

I did, in fact, wear out nickel frets on a guitar. I played probably 3-5 hrs every day for a good 5 years. Some days I definitely got more than 5 hours. And I noticed after about 5 years I could see 6 indentations in most of the frets (right where the strings sit). I could feel them too.

[kristopherk]

Dylan, I have a Heritage H-575 from 2005 that has not once needed a neck adjustment or re-setup. Super high-quality woods.

[kengoodman]

Dude, I live in the Phoenix, AZ area, and my necks have been moving all over the place! I wish I saw this about a week earlier. It has been VERY humid out here lately - unusually so. I did not realize necks could move so much, because here, necks are pretty stable.

God Bless!

[Kazwell]

I agree, for years I had heard, don't adjust your action via changing your neck relief. Then I watched a highly respected luthier in my town do just that for my vintage LP. He also didn't stick to the commonly echoed technique of turning the tension rod only a quarter turn at a time for days on end. He said you only do that for very old and valuable guitars as a precaution For all guitars, if it is not easily moving then proceed with caution but within reason. You should always be careful not to strip the nut, but in most cases the" quarter turn at a time, wait a day repeat rule" isn't necessary .

[leer.]

PRS is known for processing their necks to make them more ridged. There's a great factory video in Maryland where they focus on that. If I find the link I'll post it 😊

[curtisnorris]

I can't eyeball 1/100th of an inch so what I do is capo the first fret and fret the low E at around the 16th fret. Then adjust the neck relief while tapping the string at the 8th fret. No relief or convex you won't hear the string tap on the fret. I just adjust it untill I get the slightest tap so the neck will be as straight as it can be but still have a tiny bit of relief.

[markn]

Very good point about wood quality and stability. I have a 1998 PRS McCarty Model that I bought new in 1998 which is an excellent guitar. I remember doing the initial set-up after having it home for a while and I cannot recall doing any kind of adjustments to it since then. It is the most stable guitar I've ever owned. Gibson USA guitars almost always need 2 neck relief adjustments per year. Gibson Custom Shop guitars rarely ever need a neck relief adjustment. This is after the initial set-up, of course. Better Fender guitars' necks are usually pretty stable because they are maple. I've found most maple necks to be more stable than most mahogany necks.

[rickycompton]

Great video Dylan, most guitar usually just need a Truss Rod adjustment, especially if you live where you have all 4 seasons, A humidifier is your best friend, ever since a started to run a humidifier in my music room in the winter months I find almost all my guitars need way fewer adjustments.

[lawrenceglenn]

Great info; Much appreciated! As a guitar player that suffers from GAD(guitar acquisition disorder), i know what it’s like to play a guitar after it's sat in the case a while. First thing i do after i free it from the case is….nothing! I let it acclimate for a day or two out in the open before i adjust anything. Sometimes they settle back all by themselves. If there is an adjustment, you’re spot on…. It’s usually a minor neck relief tweak. Thanks for your video! —LA

[lone-wolf-]

Dylan, you are perfectly right! 👍
As a beginner I adjusted every seasonal change of neck relief and action on ny 3 guitars to the lowest possible (E about 1, 2mm-1, 4mm) and had to constantly adjust a tiny bit in between.
Stopped doing this after 3 years, letting it settle ones for good.
After (7 y. later) I don't have to adjust absolutely nothing (on meanwhile 9 guitars), accepting the little 0, 2 mm differences of action height, and have peace of mind.😊

[livefromadive]

A great point in this video. Thanks for making it. As neck relief changes you may also hear a difference as the strings move away from the pickups. I have also found that bridges don't move, except, for Fender offset style bridges. The string down force on the two screws takes its toll over time. I have found multiple Squier Jazzmasters and Jaguars that strings hitting pickups just from hanging on a guitar shop wall too long. Locktite can help fight this

[TheFRiNgEguitars]

spot on! In some cases, the strings can slightly oxidize, which also changes intonation. Used strings as well will change intonation. In both instances, simply change the strings with the same gauge and brand!

[johnboehr]

I have a PRS Custom 24 with a torrified maple neck/fingboard. This is an SE model and was made in Korea. I have owned this guiitar for about 5 years or so and have not had to adjust the neck until just last week. Incredible.