Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I'm currently fixing up an Aria Pro II Magna Series guitar for a friend. I'd put up a picture but I need 15 posts before I can upload anything
I've had experience setting truss rods before but this guitar's neck seems to be twisted so that if I put my fingers on the 1st and 24th fret, there seems to be a little more space between the 7th fret and the low E string than there is with the high E string, indicating the truss rod or at least the neck is slightly warped.
We are using different strings for the setup, I believe he was using Ernie ball Slinky's, I suggested Skinny top Heavy Bottom (10-52) as he would mostly be playing in D and sometimes dropping the low D to C.
I've found that the heavier gauge has meant that we need to more tension springs for the Floyd Rose before I can actually tune the guitar but does anyone have any tips on getting the truss rod back in shape or do you think the strings will do that themselves once I adjust it to get a low action?
For an electric I would buy a new neck. You can get one for about $30-$50. Or buy a broken guitar and salvage a neck if you want an Aria neck. Like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/guitar-/161019804768?pt=Guitar&hash=item257d873c60
The only time I've had a warped neck fixed was on a vintage acoustic and it cost me more to have that done than I paid for the guitar.
You could remove the fretboard and plane the neck back to level then re-attach the fretboard.
However, I'd suggest you ignore it if it isn't that bad
Ive messed around with repairing a twisted neck on a Epiphone acoustic I got for free for years. A few things I have learned... one is that sometimes the necks will twist a bit from tightening the truss rod. If the neck was badly warpped, and all was taken out of the neck by cranking the rod, it will turn a little twist in the neck. The key to that is loosing the rod, bending the bow out of the neck, then tighting up the rod. So your not moving the neck with the rod... just holding the setting after you streaghten it. Also some of the twist in mine was caused by sitting for years before I got it, missing the G, B, high E string. One thing I did... that might not be the best... but for a few years inbetween uses I would detune it, and then just tune up those three strings... Lastly some of my twist turned out to also be from a badly cut nut. So it was not all the neck... but the neck seemed to be more out becouse the strings were all at the wrong hight.. That being said over the years it has gotten a lot better, and I have learned a lot of how guitars work by messing with it. It still has a tiny bit, but you realy only notice it doing some things on the first frett of two on the high E. in most playing you will never notice it. the nuts still a little off...and one day ill just make a new one, and maybe a little frett leveling might take the last bit out, but for now it makes a nice beater guitar.
Paul B
I'm with Nick - replacement is the way to go if you can.
If you're bound and determined to straighten it, there are two ways to go...
1. Get the wood damp, and use heat and pressure to "reset" the warp. That's essentially how acoustic sides are shaped. You'd have to build some sort of fixture to get it right.
2. Take off the fretboard and plane it true. It sounds like this might be workable - it doesn't sound like a huge twist. You want to make sure you can get it true while still leaving enough wood for the truss rod channel. Then you just reglue the fretboard and remount the neck.
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