I've read through the instructions, but never having done this before I am a bit hesitant. I have had an issue with string height at the higher frets for a long time, but never really realized the issue until recently. Having some 4 years of experience now, I am (finally!) able to discern minute differences in string action, and how it affects my playing(poorly!). Adjusting the truss rod (countless times) I have realized that all 12 strings are fine at the nut and I have much better playability frets 1-7, but as I go towards the bridge, the melody side strings (1-6) are just too high. I have a much more difficult time and find I am pressing the strings so much I lose notes as I try to transition note to note... mostly going down scale.

I can adjust the double truss rod so my neck is perfectly straight and I have great action low as mentioned, but as I go up the melody strings just feel too high after fret 7, noticeably different from frets 1-7. The bass strings (7-12) are fine all the way through. This leads me to believe I need to adjust the bridge screws on the melody side. Do I need to take the strings off completely, or just loosen and turn the screw 1/2 turn at a time, then retune and check?

Advice from someone who has experienced this situation before would be appreciated! Having been a drummer for over 50 years, I can tell when the drum heads are not right, but I can't wait another 50 years to figure out this string 'thang'

NOTE: see below for an addendum.

as an addendum: I actually had more adjustment that could be made to lower the strings at the higher frets, but then my truss rod adjustment nut at the nut of the fretboard goes really loose and isn't doing much, while the nut at the bridge side truss rod gets excessively tight.
Now I am left wondering if that is my problem... is there a way to put each adjustment nut at each end of the truss rod in a "neutral" position, ie: where I have more room to adjust the truss rod in either direction. Sort of like starting all over I guess?

Thanks for any insight.

Brother, I've actually been doing set up work on my own instruments for many years, but you lost me with your part II...

Dumb question: does it have the correct strings on it ??
*Meaning correct gauges so proper tension is there for the note[s] being tuned to ??

I think this is something either Emmett or Greg needs to chime in on....

*But keep in mind that the whole thing about action is personal preference.

What might work for me could be dreadful to you and vice versa.....

There isn’t really a “standard neutral setting. Railboard will usually have a slight push at each end, and wooden and bamboo will have a slight pull on the truss at each end. The truss nuts should not be spinning freely.

Once you have the board straight, the best way to sett the string heights is to loosen the string is to lower the screw by half turns until it just starts to fret out, and then raise it up a half turn.

You don’t need to completely remover the string, just loosen it up until you can gently pull it off the string, then after you make your adjustments put it back on to tension and test.

I hope that helps.


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Greg, thank you for that info. I suspected that, just from looking at it, but I was really hesitant to mess with that since I know Emmett adjusts all instruments before they leave him, and I am sure he set this up properly. I didn't want to mess it up. But that is what I thought, and so will have a go at it, unless you can suggest how to get the truss rod to be equal at both ends and that might be my issue.

I probably wasn't very clear on my Part II Addendum. What it boils down to, is when I am adjusting the truss rod, and using the nut at both ends in the manner of your wonderful youtube instructional, I reach a point where the bridge adjustment nut gets really really tight and doesn't want to tighten any more, whereas the nut at the "nut" end gets very very loose. It doesn't really spin freely, but it is at the very end of where adjusting it seems fruitless.

My thought was, is there a way to get both nuts somewhat in the middle range of their adjustment travel, such that I have some 'headroom' to adjust both nuts to get the board straight, and then I might be able to tell that the screws at the bridge end actually do need correction in order to get lower action.

I would guess that when the truss rod is installed, the 2 adjustment nuts must have some degree of travel in both directions, to allow both ends of the fretboard to be adjusted without losing some adjustment range on the other nut.
Any additional insight is appreciated, thanks.

Big George, thanks for the input. Yes the strings are correct, and it is personal preference, but after 4 years I am ...finally!.. getting a feel for when the action is too high, and that's my current issue Iam sure. I just don't know exactly how to fix that, with the truss rod end nuts perhaps not in the right working order. But I'll get this eventually!!