Truss rods and dead frets- how do I adjust the guitar so the strings are close to the neck without getting dead frets?

Strings buzzing can either be the action being set too low, or the frets needing dressing or the neck not having enough relief or being actually warped. We can't tell from here.

https://acousticlife.tv/fix-your-acoustic-guitar-buzz/

https://acousticguitar.com/ask-the-expert-why-is-my-guitar-buzzing/

Learn how to adjust the truss rod in your guitar, if you can. That's the easiest fix that does not involve specialized tools, filing frets, or disassembly. You may need to buy or borrow a long hex driver to reach the truss rod adjusting nut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyqrSRI2asc&feature=youtu.be&list=UUM-CsUeK57J8grv9BSBRRhQ
If it is a simple relief problem, that may fix it.

Adjusting the height of the bridge requires taking out the bridge and shimming it, which involves some woodworking skills (unlike an electric guitar where you can adjust bridge height and intonation with screwdrivers and or hex wrenches)

https://www.haloguitars.com/store/blog/what-causes-fret-buzz-and-how-to-fix-it/

https://breedlovemusic.com/acoustic-guitar-blog/how-to-fix-and-avoid-fret-string-buzz-on-a-acoustic-guitar

This should be possible to fix, depending on the cause, but because this is an acoustic guitar adjusting the action, frets and any major neck issues is a job that should be looked at by a qualified person. Keep in mind that your Alvarez is not a hugely valuable guitar, so you want to set a budget and get an estimate.

Edgar,
How are you determining that the neck is not straight? If you are thinking the neck is not straight because the strings are at different heights along the neck, the problem may be neck tilt or saddle and/or bridge height. You can raise or lower the bridge system or string saddles to add or subtract string height along the neck. In addition, neck tilt (particularly easy to adjust on bolt-on necks) refers to the angle that the guitar neck exits the neck pocket on the guitar body. This also effects string height.
Conversly, if you see a distict bow or bend in the neck when you look down the top edge of the neck, the truss rod may indeed be involved. Generally, most players like a little bit of "relief" in the neck. That is to say, a little bit of a concave bow. I prefer a relatively straight neck with very little relief. Just preference.
However, you mentioned you already adjusted the truss rod. Make sure the truss rod is functional. If you loosen the bolt or hex on the truss rod and the concave bow on the neck gets more pronounced, it is likely that you truss rod is ok. If you make adjustments on the bolt and there is little or no change on the neck relief, it is possible that your truss rod is not functioning or is broken. It is very possible to break a truss rod by over tightening but it would take some real effort to do. Still, it is possible.
Check out those points and see if it helps.
Confirm truss rod is working.
Check bridge height and saddle height.
See if adjusting neck tilt is possible on your model guitar.
Good luck.

Taken from http://www.learnguitarsetups.com


There are a few golden rules when adjusting your truss rod. First, only use the rod to keep your neck as straight as it needs to be...do not use it to adjust your action! Second, only use the proper tools. If you do not know what the proper tool is, check with the manufacturer. Truss rod nuts are easy to strip, and once they're stripped, they are expensive to fix! Finally, do not force anything; an eighth of a turn can make a drastic change. Remember, if the truss rod feels tight or doesn't seem to be doing anything, take it to a professional.

1. Start by sitting with the guitar in the playing position.
2. Tune it to pitch if it is not already.
3. Capo the first fret. If you do not own a capo, you can use your fretting hand.
4. Next, fret the bass string with your picking hand up near where the neck joins the body. This is typically around the 14th fret, but it may be higher up with some electric guitars. In our example, we'll be using the 20th fret.
5. Use the string as a straightedge held against the neck which will either bow away, or against the string. This is how you determine the amount of relief in the neck. You can also use a steel ruler placed along the length of the neck, in the same manor.
6. In our example, the approximate half way point between the 20th fret and the 1st, will be the 7th fret where we will observe the distance between the top of that fret and the bottom of the string (or ruler), as pictured. Notice the gap. Hint: Half way down the neck is often between the 7th-9th frets.
7. If you have a gap between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string, you likely have a bowed neck. If there is no gap, it is likely either dead straight or back-bowed.

HOW MUCH TO ADJUSTThe bigger the gap, the more relief is in the neck. Normally, we want just a small amount of relief in the neck for optimal playing, about the same as the thickness of a business card or less.

If there is a gap, tighten the truss rod clockwise until you have something closer to what we're after. Slide a business card in between the top of fret and bottom of the string (or ruler). Make sure you are placing the card parallel with the string or ruler. If there is no gap, you may be either dead straight or back bowed, so you will need to loosen the truss rod counter-clockwise to get the results we are after. Hint: If the strings are buzzing in the first few frets and open strings, it is often a clear indication of a back bow.

Remember, do not force anything to get the results you are after. If it is hard to adjust or spins freely you may need professional assistance.

The final step in setting your relief is to test it out! If it feels better, you're done! But take note, straightening the neck may actually make your guitar play worse! Consequently, when the truss rod is tightened, the height of the strings are lowered, which can create string buzz if your guitar isn't setup properly to start. Likewise, it can make a poor fret condition more noticeable. So, if your guitar plays worse after adjusting the neck, it is either too straight for your playing style, or it is a sign that more work is needed. Thankfully, you can easily reverse the changes you've just made if required.



For pictures and further info, visit www.learnguitarsetups.com

LIKELY the problem requires a truss rod adjustment. Best to take this in to a guitar shop for setup as one can do damage. The rod controls the "bend" of the neck of the guitar to set up string to fret clearance.

Take it in for setup. Likely the truss rod or the bridge is out of adjustment. Wrong strings can also cause the problem. There are YouTube videos on guitar setup... I would NOT attempt truss rod adjustment yourself.

The frets MAY be worn or the neck truss rod MAY need adjustment, Neither of these is DIY unless yiu have experience in repoairing guitars. Since this is only on the 2nd string, inspect the frets for wear and the only DIY thing to try is to replace that string... DO that first !!!

Have you changed strings on it? Old strings get worn spots in them from rubbing on the frets that will cause these type of symptoms. If you put new strings on and get the same issue, check your neck relief (the amount of bow in the neck) to do this, hold your low E string at the first fret, and at the 12th or 14th fret. The neck should have a slight bow in the middle that puts it between 1/16" and 1/8" or so away from your string. If it does not have enough bow in it, you can adjust the truss rod. Most guitars use an allen wrench for this, it will be inside the soundhole on an acoustic usually, and on an electric it is normally on the headstock under a cover. There are many how-to's online about adjusting a truss rod, the key is to do it very slowly, only do about a 1/2 turn a day, retune, check it again the next day. Loosen the truss rod to put more neck relief, tighten to straighten the neck. If this still doesn't fix you up, let me know, and I'll tell you where to go from there.

Dont give up on the neck. One tec you saw may not know what another that has had many years in the repair of gtrs knows !. But for the time being you can fix this your self. Find a alan wrench that came with your Gtr.thats your ntail pice. This is the bridge that each string cross,s over. Now slowly rase up the height of the string untill its high enough to stop the buzzing. Just half turns at a time. . All so if you keep the humitdy up near your gtr. it may correct its self, no **** just like magic. keep on playing DFD

Sometimes the truss rod (nut you are referring to) will do the trick. The truss rod runs under the fingerboard and allows you to give the neck relief or tension. Some truss rods are dual action but I'm guessing yours is designed simply to give basic relief of the neck. I would make sure the truss rod is adjusted properly before sanding down the saddle. If you sight down the neck you should be able to see the relief in the neck - just use the string as your straight-edge. Most guitars need a slight amount of relief but higher-end guitars can be almost straight (better fretwork.) Once the neck has been adjusted correctly you can move forward with the setup.

Make sure the nut is also the proper height. If the nut is too low (1mm height between bottom of string and first fret) you should get it replaced by someone capable of doing such a thing. If the nut height is okay I would suggest moving forward cautiously by sanding the bottom of the saddle. Make sure this is done patiently and carefully as it can drastically change the sound and playability of the guitar. Hardly any material needs to be taken off to lower the action just a little. Error on the side of not-enough than too much. Make sure the bottom of the saddle remains flat! If the bottom isn't flat the guitar can sound horrible and if there is an undersaddle pickup it might not pick up evenly. The easiest way to do so is to tape some sandpaper rough side up on a flat surface (just don't pick something like mom's heirloom or something important in case it gets scratched.

If you'd like more detail check out http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/Repairs2.htm

Good Luck!