When changing string gauges....

I've got an acoustic. I went from standard gauge to light gauge:

11 15 22 30 42 52

The G string buzzes DISGUSTINGLY on frets 1 and 2. D string buzzes slightly there too, but that's expected. But the G string is actually horrid.

Was I supposed to adjust the truss rod when changing to light gauge? Or what?

i believe so, since the next 'expects' the standard gauge.

Of course you are sposed to adjust the truss. You may have to shave a bit off the bridge and nut to, wait for Alvarez to weigh in on this, he will be able to advise you better.

Changing from medium to light gauge shouldn't require nut adjustment, but a truss rod adjustment is definitely necessary. Just grab the right size wrench and loosen it no more than a quarter turn. Wait an hour, retune, and see how it does. Repeat as necessary.

Since you switched to lighter gauge strings, you need to LOOSEN that rod. Don't tighten it.

Thanks guys. The buzzing is really disgusting. :\ Makes some open chords sound horrid.

Well, I loosened the rod like old_skul said to do. I did it with the strings flattened so I could reach in the sound hole better. I ended up popping my G string when retuning it back up to G. :( So I had a spare G string from my fender electric and I tossed it on just because I didn't feel like completely restringing the guitar.

The buzzing is gone. The G string just sounds like shit now because the string is steel and everything else is phosphor bronze.

I probably loosened the truss rod too much cause I got greedy - and I definitely didn't wait an hour. But we'll see how it goes in a bit.

According to this: How To Adjust Your Guitar's Truss Rod - By Gene Imbody - 5/1/2001 (http://www.athensmusician.net/archive/2001-05-01_geneimbody1.shtml)

My guitar has a backbow.

One last thing. Good thing this is being done on a cheap acoustic I got for free :)

My truss rod nut FELL out. Oops?

http://www.axesrus.com/axehardware_files/gentruss.jpg

I screwed it back in. But I thought I was loosening the truss rod, apparently I was loosening the truss rod nut. Wtf?

Does this mean I loosened it as much as it can go, and now all I can do it tighten it?

Loosening the nut gives you backbow - the neck curves toward the strings.
Tightening it is called reflief - tighten it too much and the rod will snap.

Tip File: Basic Guitar Setup (http://www.gibson.com/magazines/amplifier/1997/10/tipfile.html)
EverythingSG.com - Setup (http://www.everythingsg.com/setup.htm)

i bet 11s on an acoustic sound like ass, at least 12s man

44sssssssssssssssssssss

It all depends on the nut height. Heck I have seen situations to even one guage if the nut hadn't been shaved the 1st fret would pull out of tune when pushing down hard. 11's is pretty light for an acoustic but heck lots of guys even use 10's nowadays.

Look at the 1st fret down to the last and check for convex or concave. adjust it out with the wrench. The diff between 11's and 12's I believe is 30 lbs so roughly you just hung a 30 lbs brick off the front of the guitar and the truss is winning. If it is left for too long the wood can learn this bow.

Most players switch to lighter guages to make it easier to play and it does work but the lower strings are neutered. Ever wonder why Taylors have 13's yet play easier than most guitars with 10's or 11's? it is because the frets are so level the strings can lay on the frets. they are sooo easy to push down because they are in fact already "down".

Having a shop level your frets can make your guitar 50x easier to play and make it play like a very expensive instrument. heck some shops have leveling tables which you tune the guitar and tighten each support in place on the neck. release the strings and the neck stays at the same pitch... this allows the tech to level the frets as close to perfect as possible with the strings out of the way. then when the strings are replace all the frets are identical in height.