Help with new 620/6 setup

[Ric-O-Casek]

Hello everyone!

New member here, though I have been lurking a bit.

Anyways, a few weeks ago I got my first Rick, a new 620/6 jetglo, and I couldn't be more excited. But unfortunately haven't been able to enjoy it much yet as I've been tinkering a lot with setup. Mainly, there is considerable buzz on the G, D, A, and E strings on the first five frets. I can definitely see there is a upward bow in the neck, as the action is very low on the first five frets and gets much higher going down the neck. So, i had to get the neck straight! But I've been doing small adjustments tightening the truss rods once a day for the past week or so and still have not noticed much difference, the buzzing is persisting, and the neck still has a slight upward bow. My impression is that it would not take this much adjustment for a brand new out-of-box rick, haha. I guess just go ahead and keep tightening the truss rods, or should I suspect something else is amiss? I'm tempted to take it in for an official setup, any recommendations for good Rick people the Hampton Roads Va area?

[doctorwho]

Welcome, Ted! I'm sure that our resident expert luthiers will comment shortly.

In the meantime, if you capo on the first fret and then push each string down at the highest fret, is there any gap between the string and the fretboard anywhere along the neck? This will help us to determine whether it's just one end of the neck that's doing it or it's the whole length.

[jingle_jangle]

If you are having buzzing on the first five frets (no relief in this area) and too much string clearance up the neck, it seems to me you have a back bow. Terms like "upward bow" are misleading...

If you are sighting down the neck from the headstock end, does the neck curve upward between 1 and 5, and fall off from there? That's back bow, and if this is the case, you should loosen, not tighten the rods.

I would take all the tension out of the rods by loosening them until you feel no resistance. Stop at that exact point on each nut. Leave the strings tuned to pitch and let the guitar sit for a day or two in its case, pull it out and see if there is resistance now (even 1/8 turn). This will indicate that the neck is relaxing. Sight down the neck and see if there's any improvement. The neck should eventually re-settle and become flat or concave. Now take all the tension off the rods, detune, and let it rest again, for several days this time.

Tune to pitch, tighten the nuts until they begin to resist and then an additional 1/2 turn. This can be your baseline. As time goes by, if you notice the neck going concave, tighten, but only 1/4 turn at a time, resting a day or two between adjustments. If it back-bows again, loosen, but only 1/4 turn, resting, etc.

DO use a RIC truss rod tool or a long 1/4" nut driver. DON'T use a socket wrench (even a small 1/4" drive one) or a breaker bar. They develop too much torque.

[Ric-O-Casek]

Hello Gary and Paul, thanks for the help!

When I capoed at the first fret and held the string down at the highest fret, I could see there was a gap between each string and the fretboard until I reached the 18th or 19th fret, with the largest gaps near the 9th fret. Thus I do see that the neck has curved up between frets 1 and 5, so I will follow your suggestions Paul and report back. I am using a long 1/4'' nut driver as well. I guess I have been imprecise with my adjustments and will need to be more careful in the future! Again many thanks!

Ted

[Ric-O-Casek]

Thanks for the help, I've straightened it out with no more annoying buzz!

Ted

[doctorwho]

That's good to hear, Ted!