If you’ve been playing for a while, you’ve probably noticed your guitar doesn’t always feel the same as the day you bought it. Maybe the strings feel higher off the fretboard, or you’re getting a nasty buzz when you play open chords. Chances are, your guitar neck has bowed slightly over time.
Don’t stress, this is completely normal. Wood is living and breathing, so it reacts to changes in tension, temperature, humidity and moisture. Luckily, there’s a clever little piece of engineering inside almost every guitar that keeps things playable: the truss rod.
Necks bow for a few reasons. The constant pull of steel strings can slowly cause the wood to curve. Seasonal changes in temperature and humidity can make the wood expand or contract, shifting the neck slightly. And as guitars age, the wood naturally settles and moves, which is part of their character but can affect how they play. This bowing is often called “relief” when the neck bends forward, or “back-bow” when it bends backward. Thankfully, the truss rod exists to keep things under control
Running inside the neck, the truss rod counteracts the pull of the strings and lets you fine-tune the amount of bow. Tightening it reduces relief and flattens the neck, while loosening it adds relief and allows a little more curve. The ideal setup isn’t a perfectly flat neck, but one with just enough relief to let the strings vibrate cleanly without buzzing.
You might notice your guitar needs a truss rod adjustment if the strings feel unusually high off the fretboard and harder to play, if notes buzz around the middle of the neck, or if chords sound fine in the lower frets but higher notes start choking out. These are all signs that a small tweak could make a big difference.
Adjusting it yourself is possible, but it’s something to approach with care. Most players only turn the rod in small increments, checking the tuning and feel along the way. A little goes a long way, and if you’re unsure, it’s always worth bringing your guitar in for a professional setup, we can take care of that here at Austin Guitars.
Keeping your neck in good shape means easier playability, a cleaner sound, better intonation, and ultimately a longer life for your instrument. Your guitar neck will always move a little as the seasons change, but with a working truss rod, it’s nothing to worry about.
Want your guitar playing its absolute best? Pop into the barn for a setup and we’ll get your neck, action, and intonation spot on.
📍 Shevington’s Lane, Liverpool
