Neck Bows Down

[swinnall]

Hi Pitbulls

I have just purchased the ES-5V as my first build so very inexperienced.

Looking at the neck it is straight across frets 22-14 but bows down a bit (say 3 mm) towards the nut. The truss rod is loose.

I am pretty sure it will need some fret levelling but the neck is not straight?? How do I do it?

I read in the instructions that the neck may well straighten up with string tension but I believe I need a straight neck to do the fret levelling. I can't get the bow out as the truss rod is loose.

Any suggestions appreciated. Maybe I'm worried about nothing.

Cheers

Steve W

[Simon Barden]

It does sound like the truss rod simply needs tightening. Fret levelling won't fix this. Put the hex-key in the truss rod nut and turn it clockwise/to the right. It may take several full turns, but eventually the nut should start to provide resistance and the neck should start to lose it's convex bow (I assume the neck is rather like the bottom diagram at the moment).



If the truss rod nut doesn't tighten up after say 20 full turns, then get back to us, as the truss rod is probably defective.

[Fretworn]

Just take it slow with the truss rod adjustment. If it doesn't want to want budge don't force it, you can snap the truss rod and then the neck is useless. It's better to make a lot of 1/4 turns than overdo it.

[swinnall]

Happy I have managed to fix the problem. By chance I was talking to a guitar tech in Allens Melbourne whilst buying a new guitar (Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II). He said most Chinese truss rods are in fact 2 way and I should wind it anticlockwise.

After about 1 turn the fretboard was quite straight.

Very happy now (but surprised)!