Which way to turn bridge?

[Napthol]

On a Gibson type of guitar ( I got a Les Paul and an Explorer) I was wondering which way to turn the bridge wheel if you want to raise the action. Clockwise or Counter-clockwise? And does it apply also to the bass side? Both treble and bass side turn the same direction?

 

[hamerfan]

Both sides the same: CW up, CCW down

 

[Chistopher]

Slacken the strings as much as you can and go back and forth between the left and right side when you're raising them. The less level the bridge is the harder it is the turn the screws.

 

[beaubrummels]

Righty-tighty, lefty-loosy, always.

 

[Napthol]

Righty-tighty, lefty-loosy, always.

That refers to the truss rod.

 

[Chris Pile]

That refers to the truss rod.

That refers to ANY threaded device or fastener. I learned this phrase at the age of 10 when I was working on cars.

 

[Chistopher]

There are a few rare exceptions, such as locking tuners which are designed to be used from the opposite side of the screw.

 

[beaubrummels]

That refers to the truss rod.

The only two reverse threaded screws I've ever encountered were an air freshener and a toilet seat mount. Other than that, screws in America all turn the same direction. So to the right will screw in, lowering the bridge, To the left will unscrew outward, raising the bridge.

 

[LRS]

The only two reverse threaded screws I've ever encountered were an air freshener and a toilet seat mount. Other than that, screws in America all turn the same direction. So to the right will screw in, lowering the bridge, To the left will unscrew outward, raising the bridge.

Bicycles have some exceptions for the left pedal and one side of the bottom bracket. They’ve got reversed thread in order not to loosen them under normal conditione / rotating direction (I found out the hard way ;-))l oh well, I was 15, what did I know)

 

[eclecticsynergy]

CCW raises the bridge, CW lowers it. (Unless you're underneath the bridge looking up.)
Loosening the strings and alternating between the two thumbwheels was good advice from Christopher.

Bicycles have some exceptions for the left pedal and one side of the bottom bracket. They’ve got reversed thread in order not to loosen them under normal conditione / rotating direction (I found out the hard way ;-))l oh well, I was 15, what did I know)

Centerlock "knock-off" style racing wheels use reverse threads on one side of the car for the same reason.

 

[beaubrummels]

Bicycles have some exceptions for the left pedal and one side of the bottom bracket. They’ve got reversed thread in order not to loosen them under normal conditione / rotating direction (I found out the hard way ;-))l oh well, I was 15, what did I know)

It's worth noting that almost none of the real-world examples of reverse threads (except the locking tuners cited previously) appear on a guitar. ;-)

 

[solspirit]

The only two reverse threaded screws I've ever encountered were an air freshener and a toilet seat mount. Other than that, screws in America all turn the same direction. So to the right will screw in, lowering the bridge, To the left will unscrew outward, raising the bridge.

Some plumbing is reverse threaded also

 

[beaubrummels]

See post #11

 

[Mr. B]

Yeah, looking down at the bridge, rotating the thumbwheel clockwise screws the thumbwheel down into the bushing in the guitar body, so it lowers the bridge.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Some plumbing is reverse threaded also

Southern hemisphere? :kabong:

 

[Napthol]

Post #2 told me counter-clockwise lowers the bridge, now you're saying clockwise lowers it? Seems like we have a conflict here.

 

[solspirit]

Southern hemisphere? :kabong:

No, it's everywhere and it's nothing new.

https://www.plumbingsupply.com/leftright.html

 

[beaubrummels]

Post #2 told me counter-clockwise lowers the bridge, now you're saying clockwise lowers it? Seems like we have a conflict here.

Post #2 had it backwards.

But how hard is it to just try it and see? Within 2 turns you'll see which way it's going.

 

[solspirit]

Post #2 had it backwards.

But how hard is it to just try it and see? Within 2 turns you'll see which way it's going.

That's what I was thinking at the beginning of the thread

 

[Napthol]

I would prefer to know before I start turning wheels. If I start turning wheels to see which way is which, I may screw up my action which I don't want to do.