2. Grasp the dowel between your thumb and forefinger, and make sure there is
no play along the lateral axis (running the length of the guitar). If there is any
movement here, the bridge truss will need to be tightened (see step 4). If there
is no movement, move on to step 3.
3. Roll the dowel gently between your thumb and forefinger a few degrees
counterclockwise, then return it to the original position. The dowel should
feel snug, yet spin with some effort. If the dowel offers excessive resistance,
i.e., the dowel won’t turn, the bridge truss needs to be loosened (see step 4). If
the dowel spins with just a touch of resistance, your bridge truss is perfectly
adjusted. Restring the instrument and play on.
4. If your bridge truss is in need of adjustment, tighten (clockwise) or loosen
(counterclockwise) the bolt on the front of the wood block (it is visible
through the sound-hole). A very small turn of the bridge truss bolt can be
enough to return the rod to proper tension, so make adjustments in very small
increments, and check tension after each turn of the bolt.
Adjustment Bolt Sizes for Breedlove Instruments
Use the following Allen Wrench sizes when making bridge truss adjustments:
Custom Shop Instruments - use a 3/16” Allen Wrench
Pro and Atlas Series Instruments - use a 4mm Allen Wrench
Nylon guitars, Revival, Roots and Passport Series instruments do not have a bridge truss.
You’ll discover that the bridge truss system offers unrivaled body stability
and preserves consistent action and playability. Note, however, that the
bridge truss is not designed to make adjustments to instrument action, or to
compensate for over- or under-humidification.
Steel-String Acoustic Guitar Set Up Specifications
Our specifications for proper action are for 3/32” on the bass side and 1/16”
on the treble side, as measured at the 14th fret. You may wish to set your
instrument for higher or lower action than this, depending on your playing
technique. When you have a pickup installed, make sure that you and your
guitar tech agree on the setup before work is done.
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