Update: I used your method and it corrected the back bow. I heated the neck for 10 hours straight. As the neck heated up I constantly tightened the strings when they started to lose tension. I also gently applied pressure on the neck by hand every hour or so. The results were stunning. Thanks a bunch for this video. It saved my guitar from the trash heap. I can string the guitar with 9's now and have relief to spare.

Finally, a use for all my old E strings I have been saving.

I like this method, i have seen many people using irons & clamps and weights and all manner of methods, this seems nice and gradual giving alot of chance to measure progress and bring things into alignment under string pressure.. Thanks

I kept seeing heart pads used but your the first to tell me one in particular that will work for this, was worth a subscription, thank you, dealing with this issue now lol

I just want to say 'Thank you!' Using your method, and getting tips from the comments, I was able to straighten out a backbow on a '62 Jazzmaster that had bugged me for years.

THANK YOU! I've spent my entire practice time for the last 2 days trying to increase the relief on my Epiphone LP Custom Adam Jones Signature (Veil of Bees if anyone is wondering which one). I thought I was going to have to take it in to the shop to get it fixed or return it if I couldn't get it fixed. I reached the point where it felt like it was about to be so loose the screw/bolt or whatever the heck is in there was going to come out completely so I was scared that was going to be a serious problem. I have searched google, KZfaq, Epiphone website, etc. and your video is the first one I've seen that mentioned it might be a dual action rod and to keep loosening cause it'll grab tension again. I'm so relieved but honestly a little embarrassed and mad at myself for wasting all my practice time! So, again, thank you very much!

This is ther most brilliant trcik I have ever seen ! Big thanks !!!

Great idea. I had severe backbow in a ibanez replacement neck with the truss rod completely loosened until it stopped. I found when I applied some pressure to add some relief I was able to loosen it some more and gain some relief. Not sure if it had a double truss rod, it was a MIC jem neck.

This method saved a mid 90s Les Paul Studio I worked on from becoming firewood. Hopefully this same method works on a vintage Fender neck.

Thanks for the video. I have a 40 year old Flying V, my first guitar, with this issue. I followed your steps over 3 days and it put some relief in the neck. We will see what happens now that I put normal strings on it. Worst case I will do this again but leave it for a week.

String tension will add the relief needed; that is how single-action truss rods work. String tension will add too much relief. I have worked on and built guitars for decades, and the goal, without strings, is a neck as flat as Florida (the most flat state in the union). When leveling the frets, a straight neck is correct; use a notched straight edge.

Thank you, a great idea.

Sweet! I have an inexpensive mandolin that has no trussrod. I'm going to try the heating pad with some clamps and see if I can straighten it out.

Excellent work. Thanks for detailed commentary. Really appreciate it.

Worked like a charm for me as well! Thanks for the post!!

Dan Erlewine has another fix that can be used but it will not work on a hollow body so essentially if you have a les Paul or set neck type guitar you will get a rectangular piece of carbon fiber 1/4-inch-thick route the back of the neck out similar to how a fender neck has the rosewood strip then you need a jig to set the straightness of the neck flatten the fretboard out and use a radius block make sure it's perfect refret with stainless frets because you won't ever be able to refret the guitar again because once all the steps are done it will have a permanent neck profile after gluing in the strip of carbon fiber thank god in this case it worked for you

Thanks for the tutorial - much appreciated.

What a “relief”! Thanks !

Actually, if you bring all the bridge sadles to the same position, you should be able to use identical gage strings and tune them to have uniform tension all across.

Sunbeam got back to me and said the Flex Wrap reaches 175°F, which is plenty hot to achieve our goal.

Was about to try and steam and clamp my bass guitar neck because I didn't realize I had a "two way truss rod". This video literally just saved me a ton of money. Subscribed good sir! Thanks

Im doing the same for years with my classic guitars.I leave it for 2-3 months 8 hours a day.

yeah, thats cool! i have a 66 musicmaster neck, refretted, it's totally straight and impossibile to get some upbow that it needs... maybe the frets are to big in the slots! unsure if i do this or refret it...

Excellent tutorial 👌 thanks so much 🙏

what to do if the trussrod is tight and hard but still bowed up  what to do if the trussrod is tight and hard but still bowed up 

Thank you. How can I use this method to fix up bow (relief too much)? Especially I have an up bow on first three frets.

My banjo is bowed up in the middle of the neck but i don’t know what to do

Well done !

I have a Tele reissue that has the treble side closet to the headstock a bit higher than the bass side. Can I essentially put thicker strings on the bass side ie:48- - - - 42 before putting the heat wrap on too twist the neck back giving me more clearance on the treble side again?

I have one like that. Loose rod but still not enough relief. I'd like to dress the frets, trouble is, I'm scared to straighten the neck in case it doesn't slacken off again! 😂

like the heat but would have fear of collapsing bridge think clamp would do the same without stressing all other components

Great video! Question: would this method work with a slightly warped neck (bit more relief on the unwound strings)? As you put equal tension on the neck using 6 identical strings?

I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for posting it. I found a Sunbeam heating pad, but can't get my strings to stay in the nut slots (wound E won't fit in high E slot and keeps sliding off). Do I just need to use smaller strings at each side? I would love to try this. Thank you.

Can I ask where did you have and leave the truss rod adjusted when you were heating things up?

How would this go on a little Martin with the HPL neck? Would it perhaps cause delamination?

Might sound like a stupid question... but why would you want to try and guess the tension?... Can't you just tune them all up to an A 440 (or lower) for example ? Ha ok lol, i've just realized why while I was typing this question, this is in the case where you don't know the string gauge of each string i'm guessing ? But I guess if you use all 42 for example you just tune them to the same pitch... Anyways good idea the heat belt, coz you can't find those specialized fretboard heaters anymore (well not in my country anyways). I've had an SMO fat that doesn't have enough relief (I think it's because the maple is so hard) and I was trying to find a heat solution, this sounds good and not expensive.

Did it work?

Aren't strings guaged to hold equal tension across the board? Why do you think smaller strings hold less tension? It's the player who sets the tension, not the string guage.

How many times a day were you running it? I know you said 2 hour intervals. Does that mean you're leaving it on for 2 hours, leaving it off for 2 hours, then turning it back on, and doing this like 3 or 4 times until you go to bed?

Hi, great video. I've a similar problem but with the bend being the other way. How would you deal with a guitar with too much relief - more than I can remove with the truss rod?

Do you turn off the electric wrap when you leave the shop at night?

I bought a brand new bass guitar for 1200 dollars, I don’t really know much about guitars. I bought it for studio use. I find out after the return period was over that my friend told me the neck was so severely back bowed that it would have to be removed to be straightened. I really want to do your method, but I’ve never even changed strings before. Could this work on a bass, and if so what other resources should I check for any other knowledge I need for doing this?

You think the sun light would help? Here in my city have like 36 degrees daily

how longer sunbeam flex fit did you use. just that there's a couple of sizes 36" & 42" ((edit)) I just spotted you used the 42". Woul It be possible to use the 32" or would you suggest the longer wrap?

Should you mess with humidly in room ?…..take out humidity ?

i am more surprised to hear you guys throw your guitar like i have got a guitar which is like the string is way up towards the sky and he neck is like way down on the earth its like heaven and earth but still it works so no being choosey

What about a neck with too much forward bow?

Will that work on the other relief bow my old gretsch country classic is a 30 year old guitar and the neck is warped it frets out on fret number 8 or 4th dot on neck. sub to your channel.

Hello, thanks for sharing. This looks great. Question, it's been a while since you posted the video, do you know if the guitar kept the setup? if it was a lifetime solution, it is amazing! Well done!

hey mate! such a nice video it helped my guitar a lot!!! great job thank you for it! :) but may I have a question? after this, I feel like my guitar strings are tight, or "stiff" in the same tuning what I used before. with the same gauge ofstrings. I tried new strings, with straight neck and nice action. I tried everything, but my strings just feels "stiff". I dont know what to do. . where can be the problem? thank you for every help

I assume it's the process with a bolt on neck? I have a 1991 peavey predator with the same issue.

how hot do you set the flex wrap? do you just crank it? also, somebody else asked what you mean by 2h intervals. i'd like to know as well.

will this heating method harm a vintage nitro-finished Gibson's paint or binding?

Mine got bend only from upper notes what should I do?

I'm confused on the direction to adjust the truss. If I am on low E side of guitar, turning wrench towards high E side loosens the truss?

How many hours did you heat the neck? Thanks!

don't do this on laminated necks please .be so very cautious..

too much waffle, could have done this in 2 mins!

Has it been 9 minutes and 37 seconds already? Cause it felt like about a fucking hour. I could have went, had the neck adjusted, picked up lunch, came home And this video would still be going