# Fully tightened truss rod. Still too much relief



## Bearitone (Jul 13, 2017)

i have a schecter km-7 and I can't straighten the neck even if I tighten the truss rod all the way. I get fret buzz at unreasonably high action heights. My only option is too adjust the truss rod but it's maxed out.

Do I have any options or is the guitar basically trash?


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## CapnForsaggio (Jul 13, 2017)

Time for a good tech. 

If the truss rod isn't functioning, they will have to steam the fretboard off the neck and figure out why....

Probably going to be best to part-out that guitar. Sorry man.


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## vilk (Jul 13, 2017)

I'm pretty sure the buzz on one of my guitars is coming from the nut. Are you sure that's not the source of your woes?


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## CapnForsaggio (Jul 13, 2017)

If his action is unreasonably high, I doubt this is nut issue.

MAYBE a neck pocket shim would sort it out, but he described it in terms that make me think he knows what neck relief REALLY is...


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jul 13, 2017)

CapnForsaggio said:


> If his action is unreasonably high, I doubt this is nut issue.
> 
> MAYBE a neck pocket shim would sort it out, but he described it in terms that make me think he knows what neck relief REALLY is...


The nut may not be cut deep enough, as well as the frets may need to be redressed/redone. if both, he would have this problem. doesnt explain why the truss rod isnt doing its job, but ive seen brand new guitars with broken ones from the factory


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## Leviathus (Jul 13, 2017)

Throw it off a cliff!!!!!

For real though, if you wanna take a picture like down side the neck from behind the bridge to show relief profile (idk exactly how to explain this but hopefully you know what i mean), it may help the folks here diagnose what the problem is. I remember my buddy had one of these with a not so perfect neck profile that gave him an incurable buzz, could be the same problem with yours.


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## pahulkster (Jul 13, 2017)

Sometimes the truss rod won't move the neck. Gently bend it a bit and see if it moves into place. Do you have a notched straight edge?


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## MYGFH (Jul 13, 2017)

u need professional help


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## Mechanos71 (Jul 13, 2017)

Yeah you should get it looked at. Sometimes the truss rod can like get screwed past its threading and then your neck is hosed. I had that happen with an ernie ball once and it I had to buy a new neck for the guitar. It was not pleasant. Hopefully its not that bad, but a neck that does not respond to the truss rod can be a big issue.


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## Edika (Jul 14, 2017)

I had a guitar that seemed unresponsive to trussrod changes, a neck through one at that, that the tech I took it to told me he had to work the trussrod a few times back and forth for the neck to start responding. That guitar hadn't been used by the previous owner for a while and was stored badly but was ok in the end.
I had another set neck for a brief while, which was buzzing excessively and had the trussrod maxes out with no response. The tech told me that time that the fretboard had swollen above the 12 fret where the trussrod could not affect the neck. So that one could never have low action without excessive buzzing so it went back to the guy that sold me the guitar. 
In short if you can't seem to fix the issue get it to a good tech that might be able to tell you if it's salvagable or not.


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Jul 14, 2017)

CapnForsaggio said:


> Time for a good tech.
> 
> If the truss rod isn't functioning, they will have to steam the fretboard off the neck and figure out why....
> 
> Probably going to be best to part-out that guitar. Sorry man.


This.

I just brought mine to a tech last weekend and he told me my neck is toast.

They could straighten, clamp and bake the neck. Then redo frets and "hope" that the neck stays...But chances are,
Depending on the guitar it's time to part out or get a new neck.

I had same issues as you. Truss Rod tight, need more. Major fretting out even with high action.

Your neck is more than likely done for. I feel your pain.


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## Mike (Jul 14, 2017)

You're sure you're turning the truss rod nut the right way?

If you turn it the other way, counter-clockwise (from top down), is it able to add relief?


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## Bearitone (Jul 15, 2017)

When I look down the neck it's bowed upwards slightly. I put a capo on the first fret and a finger on the 18th fret and I can still fit 2 business cards under the strings. I guess the action isn't CRaZY high but, definitely an unacceptable amount imo. And to get NO fret buzz at all the action is becomes stupidly high. Honestly I've been trying to diagnose the issue with this guitar ever since I got it 2 years ago. 

Maybe i need a fret level, maybe I need to fix the truss rod, etc... but after spending the money to buy a brand new KM-7 when they first came out, it shouldn't have had those issues. I'm not shelling out any more money on this guitar.

I've taken it to a technician on two separate occasions and he told me "It's fine bro, can't see anything wrong, hope you like the setup" and I never like the setup. The neck relief is still there, and my own efforts only make it worse

I keep holding onto this guitar, hoping that maybe I'm just doing something wrong and one day I'll figure it out. But, considering the fact that it came set up like dog sh!t, and the electronics failed in a matter of a few months, I wouldn't hold my breath believing there were no errors in manufacturing.

It's time to throw in the towel, admit I got a lemon, and walk away from the loss.

Thank you everyone for helping me finalize my decision


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## Bearitone (Jul 15, 2017)

Mike said:


> You're sure you're turning the truss rod nut the right way?
> 
> If you turn it the other way, counter-clockwise (from top down), is it able to add relief?



I'm certain. Spent many frustrating hours with this guitar on my work bench


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## Bearitone (Jul 15, 2017)

Jacksonluvr636 said:


> This.
> 
> I just brought mine to a tech last weekend and he told me my neck is toast.
> 
> ...



It's a sad thing. First guitar I spent big money one (for me that's big money) and it went sour. I may give shecter another shot some day down the line but, not unless I can't try the guitar first.


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## Splenetic (Jul 15, 2017)

Did you buy it new? If so, contact Schecter or return it. Being able to clear two credit cards with the 1st and 18th held down is ridiculous. It actually made me paranoid and I checked my Blackjack ATX C-7's neck. It clears a .20 metric gauge and already catches a .30 with the truss rod not being completely tightened. 

Have you tried loosening it, leaving it, and then re-tightening it? What's it tuned to, and what gauge are the strings?


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## Edika (Jul 15, 2017)

I think it depends on the line of Schecters you get. The KM-7 while it has amazing specs for the price, after several people that bought it and reported issues it left me the impression that in order to achieve that price point they skipped on the QC. The 6 string Blackjack SLS I have is quite fine in terms of action.


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## rami80 (Jul 16, 2017)

The km-7 has carbon fiber rods which require that you turn the truss rod more to straighten the neck than you usually would have too.

But being maxed means the fretboard was not glued on correctly. You should contact Schecter or your place of purchase to get it exchanged.

Another thing is the nut slot (where it sits) I've often found that Schecter half asses it, sometimes its crazy low and sometimes its the other way around. Would help a lot if you could post a picture of the nut from the side.


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## laxu (Jul 17, 2017)

One fix for this would be to loosen the truss rod, then carefully bend the neck straight (basically clamp it at the headstock and at the end of the fretboard with something to push it in the middle), then tighten the truss rod some and see if it starts working. That said if the guitar has carbon fiber rods it shouldn't have issues like this so I would definitely contact the seller or manufacturer.


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## bostjan (Jul 17, 2017)

Talk to Schecter about the issue.

It's not a total loss, but it's not an easy fix, either.


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## Grindspine (Jul 17, 2017)

Are you getting buzz low in the neck, or high in the neck?

If you are getting fret buzz between the 2nd and 9th fret vs. getting buzz above the 12th fret, that changes whether it is a truss rod or saddle height issue. If you were getting buzz at only the open strings, it would likely be a nut issue.

What are your current string gauges, tuning, and 12th fret height of each of the strings (in 64ths of an inch)?


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