Truss rod nut is tight - neck still needs straightening

[AndyK]

After removing the neck yet again on my San Dimas style 1 to take some relief out of the neck, I found that the truss rod nut is pretty tight.

Is this nut like a vintage Fender Strat nut - ie, does the wood compress under it, causing it to lose it's ability to straighten the neck? Anyone else have the same problem?

[Bionic]

After removing the neck yet again on my San Dimas style 1 to take some relief out of the neck, I found that the truss rod nut is pretty tight.

Is this nut like a vintage Fender Strat nut - ie, does the wood compress under it, causing it to lose it's ability to straighten the neck? Anyone else have the same problem?

Hey Andy, you should get your proof of purchase and take the guitar to an Authorized Service Center. Have them check it out! If the neck is bad, we'll take care of you! It could be other things...such as a binding truss rod that just simply needs loosened up...but just in case...!!!!

Mike

[AndyK]

Hey Andy, you should get your proof of purchase and take the guitar to an Authorized Service Center. Have them check it out! If the neck is bad, we'll take care of you! It could be other things...such as a binding truss rod that just simply needs loosened up...but just in case...!!!!

Mike

Hi Mike -

I bought the guitar used, but is the neck / truss rod still covered under warranty?

[tonemonster]

so you have to take the neck OFF of these charvels to adjust the truss rod?? is there no truss rod adjustment nut up on the headstock by the nut??

[AndyK]

so you have to take the neck OFF of these charvels to adjust the truss rod?? is there no truss rod adjustment nut up on the headstock by the nut??

Unless you have a pointy headstock model, the neck has to come off!

[Bionic]

Hi Mike -

I bought the guitar used, but is the neck / truss rod still covered under warranty?

Hi Andy,

I sent you a private with some solutions.. the warranty covers original owner... not used guitars. Not the end of the world... read my message...

Mike

[Grandturk]

Just like God and Leo intended!

And FWIW, it takes all of 5 minutes to adjust the truss rod on one of these. And having done it for a few years, I can pretty much nail any amount of truss rod adjustment in one go.

[Chad]

Just like God and Leo intended!

And FWIW, it takes all of 5 minutes to adjust the truss rod on one of these. And having done it for a few years, I can pretty much nail any amount of truss rod adjustment in one go.

5 minutes? Wow, that's fast. I've done it several times and can do it with decent efficiency, but not 5 minutes including retuning and everything.

[Grandturk]

The secret is to stuff something under the Floyd, slack the strings and then lock the nut so the strings don't come off. Then you pop the neck off and adjust.

When you tune back up, you should be right in the neighborhood of in-tune because you blocked the Floyd from pulling all the way back.

[Chad]

The secret is to stuff something under the Floyd, slack the strings and then lock the nut so the strings don't come off. Then you pop the neck off and adjust.

When you tune back up, you should be right in the neighborhood of in-tune because you blocked the Floyd from pulling all the way back.

Ahh, so you don't actually detune, but just dive the Floyd a bunch then block it? Good tip! What do you use to block when you do that?

BTW, to keep the strings from flopping, I use a capo at the first fret instead of locking the nut, which works equally as well (and a little quicker) for me.

[Grandturk]

Good point, capo works as well - I use that on my regular Strats.

The last time (this past weekend) I used the paper wrappers from the strings I just installed - just folded them over a couple times.

I do slack the strings at the tuners, however. But yes, you could get by in a pinch with just a huge dive.

[AndyK]

I use a folded up paper towel to block the Floyd during string changes. That, coupled with looser strings at the nut means not having to take the strings off to remove the neck. Still, a PITA and not a 5 minute process, at least for me!

[Grandturk]

FYI - on the new 1 hum San Dimas, you could route a little divit into the body by the truss rod adjust so you can stick a screwdriver in there without taking the neck off. That's a road-tested mod to make it easy for ya. I don't know if there's enough clearance on the two hum model. Maybe.

Lotsa folks used to do this on strats - you just cut the pickguard and the body and you're all set. If you ever needed to hide it, a new pickguard does the trick.

[tonemonster]

well this certainly puts a new spin on things for me............... I did NOT realize the necks needed to be removed for a truss rod adjustments. hmmm...........

[Grandturk]

Well, its certainly nothing new... People have been doing it since at least 1952.