[zkinard]

I'm looking to do some basic setup on the Eastwood Wolf that I own, and wanting to learn more about adjusting dual truss rod guitar before I undertake this. Any good resources (youtube or otherwise) out there --or-- any pointers from personal experience?

[TI4-1009]

Most guitars these days have a dual truss rod, not a biggie. Make sure the allen wrench is seated firmly in the socket, you don't want to start rounding it out this early in its life. Go slow, like 1/4 turn at a time and recheck your neck relief. If it has already been adjusted you shouldn't have to turn it more than 1/4 to 1/2 turn to start seeing changes. If it hasn't been touched it might take a turn or more to take out the slack and start meeting resistance and getting results.

Clockwise (looking from the headstock) to tighten and remove relief, counterclockwise to back off the rod and add relief.

Dan Erlewine would recommend measuring relief with the guitar on its side in the playing position (due to the effects of gravity), but I'm lazy and usually do it lying flat in the "set up" position.

I'm assuming that you know how to measure relief and know what relief you're looking for?

[Jon S.]

^^^
I agree and would add that if you're feeling really unsure of yourself, just take your time and go extra slowly at 1/8 of a turn a day. You really can't mess that up even if you accidentally adjust the rod in the wrong direction at first.

[lbpesq]

1/8 - 1/4" turn at the most. Then wait to let the adjustment settle - I wait 24 hours. You have a relatively new guitar and the neck may not yet have figured out that it is no longer a tree.

Bill, tgo

[zkinard]

If I'm having buzzing on frets 1-3, what kind of truss rod adjustment would be recommended?

ZK

[Jon S.]

If I'm having buzzing on frets 1-3, what kind of truss rod adjustment would be recommended?

Your trussrod adjustment option is to add relief though if it's just buzzing on frets 1-3 you might do better replacing the nut - but try raising the action slightly first. I guess you could also do a dress on frets 1-3 but try raising the action with or without an accompanying truss rod adjustment first.

[TI4-1009]

[EDIT: Before you do anything, make sure the buzz is coming from the strings hitting the fret(s), not the string sitting in the nut slot. If the nut slots aren't cut right the string can sit in the slot and "sitar" buzz. You can usually check the gap at the fret with a piece of paper or an automotive feeler gauge, or even visually. Since you said "the first few frets" I'm assuming the strings are buzzing on the frets, and it's not just an open-string buzz.]

Agreed. A truss rod adjustment has the most effect farther up the neck, you should have to make a large adjustment to see much change on the lower frets. You can experiment to see if you can get the buzz out, but not likely.

A buzz that low is usually a low nut. If the nut isn't glued in you can try a paper or carboard shim under the nut to see if that helps. A temporary fix to see if it solves your problem, you would want to replace paper or carboard with something HARD of the same thickness, or better yet a new nut.

Action is a menage a triois among neck relief, bridge height, and nut height. All moving parts. At first it seems like "multivariate calculus", but after you do it a few times it makes more sense. Most players want their action ALAPWOB (as low as possible without buzzing), but that's not "Jerry" as we understand it. Jerry was reputed to want higher action to allow him to "put some energy" into his picking and not get buzzing.

Most experienced techs would say set the relief first with the straight edge, measuring around the 7th fret.

Then get the nut slots right by fretting just above the third fret and cutting the slot until you have a teeny gap between the string and the first fret. (and then start over with a new nut because you cut just a liiiiitle too deep )

Then adjust the bridge to try and get the desired action at the 12th fret (and/or remove any buzzing in the upper frets).

Season to taste. Good luck!

[lbpesq]

I like to cut my nuts so that the clearance of the open string over the first fret is the same as the clearance of the string over the second fret when the string is fretted at the first fret.

Bill, tgo (who couldn't help cringing a bit after starting this post "I like to cut my nuts")

[zkinard]

If I'm having buzzing on frets 1-3, what kind of truss rod adjustment would be recommended?

Your trussrod adjustment option is to add relief though if it's just buzzing on frets 1-3 you might do better replacing the nut - but try raising the action slightly first. I guess you could also do a dress on frets 1-3 but try raising the action with or without an accompanying truss rod adjustment first.

If I make an adjustment to the truss rod and/or adjust the string height at the bridge, must I always then readjust the intonation too?

[lbpesq]

Yes. Anytime you are messing with string relief or saddle height, you are also changing the string length, even if just a tiny bit.

Bill, tgo (who was able to answer the question without triple quoting!)

[Jon S.]

Yes. Anytime you are messing with string relief or saddle height, you are also changing the string length, even if just a tiny bit.

Bill, tgo (who was able to answer the question without triple quoting!)

But not without virtue signaling!

(Just pulling your leg. )

[Jon S.]

Only thing I'll add now is that, IF you in fact like your action very low, if the fret buzzing isn't audible when the guitar's amplified, your simplest "fix" could be to just ignore it.

[zkinard]

Okay, so when I check the neck with a straight edge tool, there is a gap under first 3 frets, otherwise tool flush with neck down rest of neck. Thinking this means there is some backbow and I should adjust truss rod to add slight relief. Sound right?

[lbpesq]

To check relief you should fret the low E at the first fret and where the neck leaves the body. Then, using the string as a straight edge, check how much clearance there is over the frets mid-point between the two. There should be just a little gap, about a thin pick’s worth at most. Then do it again with the high E to check the other side of the neck. You can use a capo on the fIrst fret to make it easier.

If your neck is straight and the tops of the frets are all of an even height except for the first three frets, I don’t think a truss rod adjustment will fix this. You may have to do a full level, crown, and polish. Are the first three frets worn? Are there little grooves under the strings?

Bill, tgo

[TI4-1009]

So you're saying that if the straight edge is sitting on the first fret and the last fret, there is a gap under the first fret (or three)??? So the headstock end of the straightedge rests on the fourth fret? Yeah, that's not good (and explains the buzzing down low). You should only have a gap up around frets 5-10 (ish). Yeah, I'd start adding some relief and see what happens, but I don't like the sound of a backbow up that high on the neck (assuming the straightedge is lying flat on frets 4-12+).

Are the first three frets worn? Are there little grooves under the strings?

Bill, tgo

I'm thinkin that if it's an Eastwood Wolf he would have had to play the hell out of it to wear frets this quickly!