Truss rod nut tight/still more relief than wanted

[Ky Slim]

My neck has a little more relief than I like but the truss rod nut is as tight as I can turn it. I prefer as straight and flat as possible. I found this stew-mac repair article and it seems to address my problem exactly but it's on a guitar.

Has anyone encountered this on mandolin truss rods? Any advice and/or suggestions beyond or in addition to the link would be great. It's a 2003 Bitterroot. Thanks!

[Ray(T)]

I think Frank Ford's suggestion would be start by taking it off and lubricating it. I asked a luthier to adjust the one on my Clark GBOM several years ago but he reported back that it was tight and he was afraid of breaking something. Austin advised that he was unlikely to and to use more force. He did and all has since been well. You might like to email Weber for advice.

[Mandoplumb]

Is the rod bottoming out on threads. The first guitar I bought was a Yamaha 180 that neck looked like a bow. Dad told me to take off strings lay guitar on my lap in such a way that I could apply pressure to neck give the rod a quarter turn or less put guitar up until tomarrow and do it again each day till neck was straight. That’s the way I have adjusted all the rods I’ve worked on. May be too cautious but I’ve never broke a rod. If the nut hasn’t bottomed out on rod then a little at a time easy should pull neck straight whatever instrument you are working on.

[pops1]

You could be out of threads, I have taken the nut off and put a small washer or two for a shim under the nut and was able to adjust the rod again.

[Nevin]

My aproach would be to take the nut off, clean and lubricate the threads, and try again. If that didn't work, adding a washer can give more ability to adjust. Be aware that most mandolin truss rods are compression rods that don't have a curve like guitar rods and thus are somewhat less effective. If cleaning, lube and a spacer don't work it is time to talk to a pro about options.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have exactly the same 'problem' as Ky. Bruce Weber told me that all Webers were sent out with a flat fingerboard = no relief. Mine does have some relief,maybe a tad more than i'd like. Several years back,i had my local luthier adjust the truss rod & there was hardly a 1/4 turn in it. The mandolin is perfectly playable all the way up the neck,but, i would like to get rid of some of the relief,so maybe adding a 'thin' washer or 2 might do the trick !,
Ivan

[rcc56]

Be careful, folks!! Don't force anything or you'll have a broken rod and a $500 + repair bill.

If you have any doubts, take it to a highly experienced pro [not the guy at Guitar Center].

[Nevin]

Be careful, folks!! Don't force anything or you'll have a broken rod and a $500 + repair bill.

If you have any doubts, take it to a highly experienced pro [not the guy at Guitar Center].

Truss rods are not that difficult. I agree you shouldn't force anything. If you take the nut off and clean and lubricate the threads you know when it gets hard to turn it is because you are running out of thread. So you stop. a washer or two used as a spacer can do the trick. BTW I wouldn't take anything to Guitar center.

[Willie Poole]

Doesn`t tightening the truss rod give the neck more bow?

Willie

[Ray(T)]

No - slackening it allows the strings to pull the neck forward thereby increasing the bow/relief.

[pops1]

A double action truss rod is different than a compression truss rod. A double action truss rod will add bow one way and can actually create back bow the other way.