Stuck truss rod?

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NippleWrestler
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Re: Stuck truss rod?

Post by NippleWrestler »

Updates.

It's not stuck, just maxed out.

After wrestling with it the nut does come off, but it can't be turned enough to do anything meaningful to counteract string tension.

I did the clamp thing that Dan Erlewine suggested and it didn't help much.

I do wonder if a heat clamp arrangement is the way to go, or somehow a nut with linger travel? I added a washer to the rod as well in an earlier effort but it didn't alter much, it still runs out of motion before anything happens.

Even with the strings off and the neck detached there's some up bow. I couldn't get the neck straight even when it was off the body. Holding a straight edge along it shows a gap from the 5th fret to around the 11th or 12th or so.

This was a trademe job and the seller has said to take it to a tech, see what the word is, and go from there. He might be getting it back if it can't be resolved :(

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Re: Stuck truss rod?

Post by olegmcnoleg »

How many more washers can you fit on?

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Re: Stuck truss rod?

Post by NippleWrestler »

olegmcnoleg wrote: Fri Nov 18, 2022 5:53 am How many more washers can you fit on?
Truth be told I was using small bolts. The washers I have are too big and the bolt is around 2mm thick.

Probably 2 or 3 max. 2 didn't seem to make a difference apart from make the nut protrude slightly.

The fact that the neck is bowed without any string tension on there seems like a bad thing. I wonder if clamping it with a bow the other way would return it to normal.

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Re: Stuck truss rod?

Post by olegmcnoleg »

NippleWrestler wrote: Fri Nov 18, 2022 6:53 am
olegmcnoleg wrote: Fri Nov 18, 2022 5:53 am How many more washers can you fit on?
Truth be told I was using small bolts. The washers I have are too big and the bolt is around 2mm thick.

Probably 2 or 3 max. 2 didn't seem to make a difference apart from make the nut protrude slightly.

The fact that the neck is bowed without any string tension on there seems like a bad thing. I wonder if clamping it with a bow the other way would return it to normal.
Hmmm, bummer. You could try to bend it, though depending on its thickness & material it might be difficult/risky. Might be time for a new neck, or return to sender.

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Re: Stuck truss rod?

Post by NippleWrestler »

I've clamped the neck in a very slight backbow position (using a straight edge there's some slight backbow) under slight truss rod tension (just so the nut is snug but not very tight). We'll see how this goes. I figured the neck's already screwed so nothing to lose if the experiment fails and the neck reverts.

Also, I thought this was cool. If anyone remembers this band from the Flying Nun days:

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Re: Stuck truss rod?

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Re: Stuck truss rod?

Post by werdna »

Not sure if you said you did this, but they say the secret is to bow the neck and while it's in that state do up the truss rod quite tight. That way, the truss rod doesn't have to do the remedial straightening, it just has to hold the new position. Truss rods aren't powerful enough to straighten a really bent neck unless you give them a headstart.
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