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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Shade-tree Mechanic needs HELP.
I just got an old 1121... (I don't think there are any NEW 1121's)
And the action is a bit high at the 12th fret.
The neck looks like it has alittle warp to it.
Question is--- Since this guitar is three decades old, Does anyone have any warnings?
Should I oil the bolt/nut before I try to turn it?
(saw someone on eBay who tried to adjust a truss-rod, and it BROKE! I don't wanna do that)
Anyway... I will be changing the strings, and looking for shims, cleaning-out dust bunnies... seeing if I can just remove some shims, before I get out the socket set!
By the time I decide if I really need to adjust this thing, I hope that I have some advice :D
Thanx Folks! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Back the nut off first.
Lubricate it and then proceed with patience and sensitivity.
Check out the Stewmac Trade Secrets! |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | To get rid of 'warp' (bowing forward) I will be loosening the nut anyway...
Am I correct? |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Yup. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Thank ya' kindly... I still ain't started, and I still hope that the shim-trick will work... |
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Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
To get rid of 'warp' (bowing forward) I will be loosening the nut anyway...
Am I correct? I don't think so. My understanding is that the truss rod counteracts the tendency of the tension in the strings to bend the neck. Since the truss rod is at the back of the neck, to straighten the neck and decrease action, you need to tighten the truss rod.
Am I wrong? |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | No, you are right. The truss rod pulls in opposition to the tension of the strings. If the neck is bowed forward, then you need to tighten the truss rod.
As mentioned, remove the nut first and put a drop of oil on it. Also, go really slow. A tiny bit goes a long way on this stuff. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | Look at the Ovation website. It shows a picture and tell you what to do in a Manual. I always have trouble remembering which is a bow and which is a warp. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Thanx Mark... Bow is back. Warp is forward.
But in my case, I don't believe that is really the problem.
I just changed strings and cleaned the dust out...
One problem was that the saddle was in backward, and it just falls-out without the strings. So I'm guessing that it fell out or the previous owner, and he/she guessed when putting it back. Put it in the opposite direction and it looks alittle better. Put on EJ15's. But it is still 1/8" at the 12th fret, sixth string.
BUT! The real problem seems to be that the whole neck needs to be reset!!
But this poor thing has had a rough life... :(
Oh well, 'nother campfire geetar. I need to go camping sometime. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | SUCCESS! Well, at least I didn't break anything.
Any amateur who wants to try this... Be Warned... I was scared to death!
I have seen enough destroyed guitars on eBay because someone over-tightened.
What I did was loosen the nut a bit, dumped some oil in there and let it sit for awhile.
Then I tighten the nut, and waited... Then repeat, and repeat, etc.
The end result is still a bit high, but I tightened it as much as I felt comfortable with.
I left the TRC off, cuz I may decide to tighten it up a bit more once it settles in.
But it is an awful lot better than it was. :) |
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Old Style Truss Rod Warnings?