Truss Rods Exposed

Hi there John, a truss rod is inside the neck of the guitar, basically it's a threaded rod that adjusts at either the headstock or at base of the neck, if you could take the fretboard off from the neck, you would be able to see the whole rod. It's function is to adjust the amount of relief in the neck, a neck must be bowed slightly forward, toward the strings, to play properly because of the way a string vibrates when it's plucked, a perfectly straight neck or one with a slight backbow will cause the strings to contact the frets when plucked, usually around the 7th or 8th fret. Hope that answers your question, if not, feel free to ask........

I don't have an idea of how that just happened, but any how that's for John Eve

Yeah, I think I just about get it?! Basically, I won't go anywhere near it!
Ooh, suddenley I notice theres a hole at the top of the neck with an allen key nut down inside it - i'm guessing that would be the end of the truss rod. Wow, ya learn summat new ev'ry day!

You got it!

Anybody know what a double truss rod is exactly?
One of my guitars has it, but i only see one adjustment slot.

A double truss rod is constructed in such a way that it more actively determines the neck curvature. The more common single rod simply tightens to oppose the string tension, and relaxes to allow the neck to bend. A double truss can force the neck in either direction. This allows a really thin neck to handle almost any gauge of strings. You will find double trusses on basses, and some Rickenbacher 6-strings.

Thanks lord!
The guitar is a BC Rich Mockingbird Neck-thru.

COOL I WAS JUST GOING 2 ASK ABOUT TRUSS RODS ANY HOW I HAVE A B.C.RICH WARLOCK AND THE ACTION IS JUST TO DAM HIGH AND I HAVE LOWERED THE BRIDGE AS LOW AS I CAN GET IT AND THE ACTOIN IS STILL HIGH I WAS WONDERING IF I CAN LOWER THE ACTION BY THE TRUSS ROD ALSO?

The first step to setting up a guitars action is to determine the neck relief and make a truss rod adjustment if necessary, the first step, not the last, to check the relief, put the guitar in your normal playing position, place a capo across the first fret position or just fret a string with your finger and hold it down, with your other hand press down the same string at the 15th fret, now look very closely at the 7-8th fret area, there should be some clearence between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string, a rough estimate would be 1/2 the thickness of the string you are fretting, more than that and you might need to lessen the relief, less to 0 clearence, and you will probaly need to add some relief, you have to have some relief in the neck or it will buzz on the frets. The perfect neck is not straight or flat, from the 2nd fret to the 12-15th fret you have to have a slight bow toward the strings, from the 15th on up the fret tops/fretboard should gradually and slightly "fall away" from the strings, this is why some many guitars start fretting out and buzzing above the 15th fret. I don't encourage anyone to work on their own guitar, but a person that has the desire, patience, tools and stubborn hard headed personality and will do it anyhow I will advise if I can........