How To Adjust The Truss Rod Of A 2011 Epiphone Les Paul Special Ii Repair Guide

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Moderate

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Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

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How to Adjust the Truss Rod of a 2011 Epiphone Les Paul Special II
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Introduction

Adjustments to the truss rod can make the guitar strings looser or tighter while maintaining the same tuning, so you can make them easier to bend by loosening it. However, if your strings have become a bit too loose to the point that they are producing fret buzz under normal use, you’ll want to tighten the truss rod to eliminate the buzz. Regardless of your needs, this guide will instruct you through the process of adjusting the truss rod on your electric guitar, using a 2011 Epiphone Les Paul Special II guitar as a model.

What you need

Step 1

              How to Adjust the Truss Rod of a 2011 Epiphone Les Paul Special II

Remove the three 12.7 mm screws from the truss rod cap on the head-stock with a Phillips #0 screwdriver.
Start with the bottom two screws. This will allow you to use the the third as a pivot to help with getting the cap out from under the strings.

Remove the three 12.7 mm screws from the truss rod cap on the head-stock with a Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Start with the bottom two screws. This will allow you to use the the third as a pivot to help with getting the cap out from under the strings.

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Step 2

Loosen the strings by turning the tuning pegs. The direction will vary depending on the side of the peg.
Detuning helps to avoid injury by reducing the risk of a string snapping.
You don’t need to detune the strings all the way. You just should go until you can easily bend the string above the nut.

Loosen the strings by turning the tuning pegs. The direction will vary depending on the side of the peg.

Detuning helps to avoid injury by reducing the risk of a string snapping.

You don’t need to detune the strings all the way. You just should go until you can easily bend the string above the nut.

Step 3

Insert the hex key into the truss rod bolt where the neck meets the head-stock and adjust the truss rod tension as needed.
Tightening towards the D-string (clockwise) helps to bend the center of the neck toward the string and loosening towards the G-string (counterclockwise) lets the strings pull the head-stock downwards.
Be sure to make small adjustments, as overtightening the truss rod can lead to the neck of your guitar snapping under load!

Insert the hex key into the truss rod bolt where the neck meets the head-stock and adjust the truss rod tension as needed.

Tightening towards the D-string (clockwise) helps to bend the center of the neck toward the string and loosening towards the G-string (counterclockwise) lets the strings pull the head-stock downwards.

Be sure to make small adjustments, as overtightening the truss rod can lead to the neck of your guitar snapping under load!

Step 4

Tune the guitar to bring the tension from the strings back to what they would see during normal play.
You will likely have to retune all the strings.
Test the guitar by playing a little bit to check that have a comfortable amount of string bend and have eliminated all fret buzz.

Tune the guitar to bring the tension from the strings back to what they would see during normal play.

You will likely have to retune all the strings.

Test the guitar by playing a little bit to check that have a comfortable amount of string bend and have eliminated all fret buzz.

Step 5

Reinstall the truss rod cap, starting with the top screw.

Reinstall the truss rod cap, starting with the top screw.

Step 6

After letting the guitar rest overnight, check to see if the neck is mostly straight.
You will want to have a small amount of relief to avoid buzzing.

After letting the guitar rest overnight, check to see if the neck is mostly straight.

You will want to have a small amount of relief to avoid buzzing.

While playing the guitar is very much possible after adjusting the truss rod, it can easily change during a longer practice session. Playing on an over tightened truss rod can potentially damage the neck, so be sure that the adjustments you made were sound before playing excessively.

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                    Noah Eaton

Member since: 10/04/2020

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                       University of North Texas, Team S2-G11, Raign Fall 2020                        

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                                            1 Guide authored

Tom Whitworth - Jan 5, 2023

In the intro you talk about tightening the truss rod to relieve fret buzz. Tightening the truss rod will produce more back-bow and result in more fret buzz. Also, how can you have looser strings and still have the same “tuning”? Strings need a certain tension for a certain length to produce the pitch you are after.

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Introduction

What you need

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