Things You'll Need:
- Socket wrench
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Step 1
Check the truss rod setup by looking down the neck of the guitar. Flip it over to check the curvature on the other side as well. Most guitar technicians shoot for a completely flat neck, although players like Stevie Ray Vaughn had his action set high.
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Step 2
Loosen the string closest to the nut on the truss rod and move it to the side. This gives you room to make the adjustment.
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Step 3
Tighten or loosen the truss rod with a socket wrench. Tightening forces the neck backward and lowers the action, while loosening increases the curve and raises the action on the guitar.
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Step 4
Adjust only a quarter of a turn at a time. Overtightening a truss rod can set your action out of whack and break the truss rod.
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Step 5
Sight down the neck again after making the adjustment. Adjust the truss rod another quarter of a turn if the action is not raised or lowered enough. When you are finished adjusting, put the moved string back in place and tune your guitar.
