What is the truss rod?
A truss rod is a long metal bar that is inside the neck of a guitar, it extends from the nut to the end of the neck. On some guitars, they can be seen in the small hole behind the nut. Their function is to change the relief of the neck, allowing for better playing comfort.
How does the truss rod work?
Guitar necks tend to bend slightly inward into a bow as time passes due to string strain and environment changes. The truss rod counteracts that to balance out the string tension.
They can be adjusted using an Allen key or a specific tool that is provided with the guitar by the manufacturer. However, you need to be careful when adjusting a truss rod. Only adjust a maximum of a quarter turn at a time, then retune the guitar and see what difference it has made to the action. If it needs further adjustment, do another quarter turn. If the action is worse than before you made any adjustments, you are turning the truss rod in the wrong direction.
Warning
Over-adjusting your truss rod can cause the finish of your neck to crack or, worse still, break the truss rod or even completely ruin your neck. If you are not 100% confident in your ability to adjust the truss rod, take it to a professional luthier who will do the job for you.
