You're braver than me. Last time I changed the strings on my Taylor I somehow messed up the string set-up on it. Had a huge gap on the bass side while the treble looked fine. Checked the nut to see if the low E and the A strings were possibly not sitting in their grooves correctly but they looked fine and so did the bridge. The neck looks straight and maybe tweaking the truss rod would help but I'm too chicken to mess with it on this guitar. Bah. 

@shysue just turn it a small bit at a time it will be fine

@rinny51 Good advise.

The first time I tried it I was pretty scared to but I watched 1000 videos before I took the tool out of my kit. Mark it with a sharpie so if it’s not right you can just put it back. I experimented on my ukuleles with minor tweeks for a couple of years. You can’t mess them up.  They sound bad no matter what you do. Lol

I was in Guitar Center one time and a customer brought in a guitar that he wanted to return. He said it sounded terrible and he tried to adjust the truss rod to get rid of a buzz and the rod just spun. This was on a fairly high end guitar, too, so I'm thinking he probably turned the truss rod too far or too much. They actually took the guitar back. Bet they put it back up on the wall for some other sucker to buy, LOL. 

The whole point to that story is that it's possible to turn the rod too much, but I understand that it should be turned just a little bit at a time and then test it. I would look up a bunch of videos before I try it, too. 

When Devin had his D18 repaired by Randy (there are 4 videos Randy made working on Devin's mahogany top), he was unable to turn the truss rod at all. I also heard a different luthier say some Martin guitars don't have a truss rod. I've watched a guy take the truss rod out and replace it because it was broken by tightening it up too much. My guitar is real cheap (Fender Malibu Alkaline Trio under $300) but it's new so a little turn here and there is not going to hurt it. Now, if I had Martin money invested or any top  line guitar, I wouldn't touch it! I'd probably keep it in its case too. Then again, if I could afford a better guitar, it better NOT need adjustments within 3-6 months of purchase. I'm learning to do these little tweeks only because I have to. I can't see spending money to tweak my cheap little  guitar. I don't even like spending money on my car for repairs let alone a guitar. Lol   When I first started on ukuleles, I bought a $300 mahogany concert. I thought that was a lot of money. Then I started watching Jake Shimibukuro, OMG! He's a wizard playing a $7-15000 ukulele! I remember when I was a pretty young kiddo getting a guitar and a ukulele from Santa, basically made from cardboard. So now I feel like this little Fender I bought is golden! you can learn to do most anything on YouTube!! I'm game. Hey, 6 months ago I couldn't play guitar ....(technically I still don't play, I practice)

@shysue

Hey Sue - Hmm, definitely sounds like a nut or bridge issue if all you changed were the strings? Maybe just loosen the strings enough to where you can reset the nut and saddle  

FWIW: I use a straight edge from a carpentry “square” to check my neck/truss. With strings at normal tension, I’m looking for the neck to be pretty straight holding the square again the face of the body. 
I tread carefully with truss rod adjustments too like the others. I like a slight convex bend unstrung that measures straight under normal tension. 

@jerseychicadee

JChick - I’ve mentioned before that you and I are very similar with trying to squeeze blood out of our Fender acoustics. I have to say, I’m currently pretty happy with where mine is sound wise. I have the 140SC natural cutaway - Solid spruce top with rosewood laminate body. On the Fender product line it’s probably the next step from your Malibu - like $400 street price new. Mine was $210 via CL- only pick scratches on the cheap looking pickguard. 
Of course any of the Chinese made models I expect more variability from guitar to guitar compared to say Taylor or Martin or Gibson. In part what I think you get from our large volume American made guitars is consistency from guitar to guitar. More experienced individual attention. Sure, SantaCruz or Collings or FroggyBottom etc and you’re getting full handmade attention. 

So I’ve never adjusted my truss rod as it was exactly how I prefer it (see response to Sue). 
But, I did the Bob Colosi bone saddle and pins. Yes, the saddle improved tone and sustain. Pins? Not sure since I changed everything at once. 
And, went to SantaCruz medium tension strings from Elixirs. With both types, my intonation as I move up the neck tends to go sharp. 
But, I was also struggling with having to retune more than I should anytime I put a Kyser capo on. My teacher puts the same capo on his D28 - perfectly in tune. 
so I also sprang for a G7th capo. It’s better but not perfect. 

When I first got my Fender I never had to tune it. I kept it in its case whenever I wasn’t playing. Then I got a stand as a gift, so now it sits in the stand right by the sliding door. I’m lazy, play a lot during the day, I leave it out. Now I have to tune it just a bitty little bit but more than before. So, I complain, but not enough to get myself to put it away. Lol. When I bought it I did a little set up to lower the action, filed the nut slots a tad here and there. I thought (and still do) the strings sit up just a little more than I like. Nothing drastic. She retails for $299. I got her off eBay from Butler Music. I’ve bought a couple Ukes from them in the past. They priced it down to $217 with free shipping. I actually much prefer the voice on the Fender over the Taylor Academy 12e (that I picked up from Craig’s List for over double that ticket).  I just put a set of Martin Strings and the bone pins on the Taylor.  This is her first string change. I’ll play it a little more and see if the voice is any different/better.  I wasn’t the least bit impressed with how cheap the parts on the Taylor are in comparison to the Fender. There’s a lot to be said fir the extra attention given the assembly of the Fender. The Academy 12e is a low end Taylor product at $575-650. I just hope I start liking it the Taylor a little more. I really want to like it. Call me “bougie “. I’ll never be able to afford a Martin or Santa Cruz or any high end custom ‘touched’ guitar. I’ve lusted over them all but have come to the conclusion that I’m an aged out hippie lady sitting in the dark and will never play for anyone but the cat. If I can get some pretty finger picking folky tunes down I’ll be happy. I was (trying) to play some Blaze Foley last night. I hear him picking but I hear more pentatonic runs interspersed (which I like). I’m spending most of my play time on pentatonic and finger dexterity exercises. I’m better than I was and not as as good as I want so hi ho hi ho it’s off to practice I go. 

I’m sure keeping it on a stand vs in the case with a humidifier thingie makes a difference.  I do the same - always want quick access to my primary guitar and Dobro as I pick it up many times throughout the day. Once I get a Martin, I think I’ll be more apt to keep it in the case? We’ll see as I need to make quite a bit more money before that happens. 
Your experience with the Taylor surprises me. What body size is your Academy?
The 814s that I’ve played were stunning but realize that’s a huge price jump. Distinctive Taylor sound for sure.

My starter guitar was a Washburn parlor Koa. It’s a pretty little thing. I have to admit I’ve never gotten a very good tone out of it and the intonation sucks. I’m trying SantaCruz light tension strings and I think it’s better but I still play it for 5 mins and then reach for the Fender - night and day difference. The Washburn was more than 2x the price of my CL Fender. 

The Academy 12e is a grand concert shape. The waist is a little narrower and the bowl is a little smaller but longer than my Fender Malibu. I don’t play well enough to be a very good judge of the sound but I’m just not liking the voice. I think it sounds buzzy. I took it to GC, where the original owner had purchased it. The tech played it. I was right there. He said no buzz. It’s not a fret buzz I hear but the overall voice is buzzy to me. I figure that it’s just her voice and I’ll get used to it eventually. I bought it from a little old lady who posted it on Craig’s List. It was only a month or two old (manufactured innJan 2020).  Her husband bought it in February and he died 2 weeks later after only 2 lessons. So it was only played at those 2 lessons! You would think I’d be happy as all get out to have scored a new Taylor for a discount price! I wanted a Taylor soooo bad and I found one I could afford. I hear other Taylor’s and don’t hear the same voice this one has. I go on these chats and talk to all these people. Even spoke with Andy Powers, the owner of Taylor Guitars, but complaining about my guitar wasn’t appropriate at that moment. I need to email them and make arrangements to send it in to them I guess. 

@jerseychicadee

What an interesting backstory behind that guitar! It is as though it was meant to find its way to you. 
Curious - have you tried another sample of that model while at GC? Is it the intended voice of AP’s deign or is there something unusual about the one you have?

Since Taylor ships all with Elixirs, I would think you’ve got the right strings? I’ve seen the video where AP talks about Elixirs being  a good compromise string in their experience but also encourages Taylor owners to experiment. Elixirs sound good on my Fender and the Nano coating definitely gives me a maybe 2x the life before they start sounding dead to me (and/or the coating starts looking totally grungy usually at position 2!). But, I’m hearing a woodier tone (like Devin’s Martin and Collings sounds) with the SantaCruz. 

And, for the record, I trust your ears since those are the ones that matter. Road trip to El Cajon?

I was too timid to touch the Taylors and Martins ( except the Little Martin). They had them in the ‘special’ room

Ha, ha, ha. I play the most expensive guitars I can find at Guitar Center. We've even had them take out a guitar or two from the locked cabinets. I've bought enough from them that I feel entitled. 😏