How to Adjust the Truss Rod on a Fender Strat Guitar
The Fender Stratocaster, or "Strat," is an electric guitar model produced by Fender Guitars since the mid-1950s. Among other things, they are known for their ease of maintenance, including truss rod adjustment. The truss rod is a long metal screw running through the neck of the guitar. Its function is to counteract the tension of the strings, while allowing a small degree of inward-bowing in the neck, called "relief." Perfectly straight and over-bowed necks do not play well. In these cases, the truss rod must be adjusted to increase or decrease the neck relief.
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Instructions
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1
Determine the relief level of the neck. Sit in a chair and place the Stratocaster headstock-up and facing away from you between your knees. Fender recommends that you look directly down the surface of the neck towards the body of the guitar for the most accurate visual determination of relief level.
If the neck is over-bowed, you will be able to easily see the curve in the neck from this angle. If under-bowed, the neck will appear perfectly straight or even bulged outward. Generally, the correct relief will be a slight inward bow that is barely noticeable from this perspective.
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2
Insert the Allen key into the truss rod bolt head. The bolt head is found in a recess at the base of the headstock, directly above the nut.
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3
Turn the Allen key one quarter turn to the right if the neck is over-bowed. Repeat Step 1 to determine the relief level after this adjustment. If the guitar is new, the neck may not fully adjust to its new relief level immediately. In this case, wait an hour before checking the relief level again and making any further adjustments.
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4
Turn the Allen key one quarter turn to the left if the neck is under-bowed. Check the relief level again as described in Step 1.
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5
Make any fine adjustments necessary. Turn the Allen key in small increments to the left or right as necessary. Check the relief level after each adjustment and play the guitar to determine if the current relief level suits your playing style.
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Tips & Warnings
Fender Stratocasters come with a dedicated Allen key for truss rod adjustment. If you have misplaced yours, it is not recommended that you attempt to use a third-party Allen key. If it is not the correct size, you risk stripping the truss rod's bolt head, making it impossible to adjust or remove the truss rod. Contact a local luthier or Fender Support for information on obtaining a replacement Allen key.
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