How to Replace an Epiphone 12-String Acoustic Guitar Neck Truss Rod
The truss rod allows you to make any necessary adjustments to the neck of a guitar or bass. On acoustic guitars, the truss rod can be accessed by removing the fret board from the neck itself. Once you have replaced the broken truss rod, you can successfully make any adjustments necessary to make the guitar more playable for your style. Many like minimal relief on the neck while others like a curve to get a fuller, deeper sound.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Putty knife
- Screwdriver
- Clothes iron
- Truss rod
- Wood glue
- Clamps
- Wood blocks
Instructions
-
-
1
Remove the binding on the sides of the neck to access the fret board for removal. Pry the end loose near the top of the head stock with a putty knife and gently work your way down the neck, being careful not to break the binding or scratch the neck or fret board. Repeat this process on both sides of the neck. This will uncover the joint between the neck and the glued on fret board.
-
2
Pry up the nut of the 12-string guitar. The nut is attached with wood glue or epoxy, so you can use a small flat head screwdriver to carefully pry it up so that you can access the end of the fret board to get to the truss rod for replacement.
-
-
3
Heat up the fret board by placing a clothes iron (set to the lowest setting) on top of the frets. Start with the first few frets nearest the head stock. Leave the iron on for approximately 10 minutes. This will warm up the glue and allow you to pry up the fret board in order to access the truss rod, which is placed in a channel just below the fret board.
-
4
Slide a thin putty knife under the fret board where the fret board and guitar neck meet at the nut. Slowly move the putty knife back and forth to lift the fret board up. Continue down the neck to completely remove the fret board to access the truss rod in its channel. Set the fret board aside.
-
5
Pull the old truss rode out of its channel. The truss rod may be anchored in the channel and you may have to unscrew it to remove it. Place the new truss rod in the channel and, if necessary, slide it into the retention nut and screw it into place. If not, line it up in the channel and then glue the neck in place. Place five to eight clamps on the neck with small wood blocks under each clamp to protect the fret board wood and allow to dry overnight.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
