How would you fix this?

[Genebaby]

Ok, without going into too much detail, say you built someone a guitar, and that guitar cost them a good $4000 of their money. Say the guitar had some issues, among other problems lets say the nut is not aligned nicely in the middle as it should. This happened to me. I finally took the nut off to see what was going on and this is what I saw:





Now, it's clear what the root of the problem is. I'm not sure how it happened though, the truss rod isn't quite centred, but is the hole for the truss rod too big, is the truss rod itself too big, or is it just the alignment that's causing the problem?

Anyway, in what way could this be fixed, other than a new neck being made, that justifies a guitar costing the owner $4000, who obviously wants it to be perfect, which is really just like other guitars, where the nut is centred nicely and you can unscrew it and put it back on without ruining someones attempt at getting the nut aligned.

In case you're wondering, the nut is too much on the bass side and needs to go more to the right in the pictures, but that's right where the truss rod cavity is.

This is only one reason the guitar has to go back, there are others. Let me know what you think.

[necrotechno]

Re: How would you fix this?

Find a new nut with more space between the screw holes. If one doesn't exist, for four grand I don't think getting one custom machined would be an unreasonable measure.

[sully]

Re: How would you fix this?

can you take another pic that shows more of that area? you shouldn't be seeing the truss rod in that area at all. i think that's part of the problem, but i'd like to see a pic that covers more of the neck/headstock area if that's ok.

sully

[etaeniura]

Re: How would you fix this?

looks like the truss rod is actually too long. you may have to remove it and saw some off.

[sully]

Re: How would you fix this?

vic, here's what concerns me...

any guitar that i've seen with a floyd nut will also have a platform that it sits on. you don't see the truss rod underneath it, and only see it at the headstock. i'm by no means a certified luthier, etc, but your problem would be remedied easily if there was a platform there that covered the entire area. all you'd have to do is dowel the holes real quick, and then move the nut over. that, to me, looks pretty....well, not good. again, that's just one dude's opinion.

sully

[delt]

Re: How would you fix this?

Normally the fretboard is routed lower where the nut goes, but not all the way through the fretboard and to the truss rod cavity.... !!

and yeah, it would help to see pictures of the whole nut/headstock area.

[MountainDog]

Re: How would you fix this?

I have several guitars like yours, where the truss rod is visible and the nut 'platform' area is just the parts on either side of the truss nut.

Obviously not common, but it does happen, enough that they make floyd rose nuts with a circular cut on the bottom to clear a 'bullet' trus rod nut:
Nut #6 - Neck Width 1-9/16" Bullet - 10" radius
39.70mm Nut #1 w/clearance cut for 70's style fender truss rod adjustment nut (Bullet style)

Nut #7 - Neck Width 1-5/8" Bullet - 10" radius
41.30mm Nut #2 w/clearance cut for 70's style fender truss rod adjustment nut (Bullet style)

Nut #9 - Neck Width 1-11/16" - 15" radius
42.90mm - Nut #8 with clearance cut for 70's style fender truss rod adjustment nut (Bullet style)

If the truss rod nut is not sitting higher than your 'platform', then plugging the holes and redrilling so the nut is placed proper should work. If the trus rod nut is sitting higher than your platform, then you could get one of the special nuts listed above (may still have to plug and redrill mounting holes).

[sully]

Re: How would you fix this?

it looks like the nut is not higher than the platform, and is not bullet style. i'm glad that you posted your experience with platforms that are like this. the tough part, i guess, is that the holes here are through the back of the neck, and from what i gathered, he needs to shift the nut in a manner that would require the screw to go through where the truss rod sits. since the truss rod is exposed, he can't really do that too easily.

am i reading that right?

sully

[Newc]

Re: How would you fix this?

Please tell me that's not your GMW, or Jackson?

I think that's why everyone wants to see a headstock pic [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

Actually, given the reflectivity of the truss rod, the first pic looks like it's about 1/4" wide and wobbling in the route, but the second pic looks like it's as big as the route.

At any rate, I don't think the neck or fretboard should be so thin that the truss rod should be exposed like that, and I don't see how the rod can help the neck if it's not at least halfway into the neck depth-wise. Seems to me it's be pushing against the fretboard more than it should (which would lead to an entirely different problem - fretboard ejection).

[Genebaby]

Re: How would you fix this?

Thanx for your input guys, it's been a while since I pulled a nut off a guitar, and it was usually just to check if it was a #3 or #4, but I do recall a nice platform for the nut now that I think about it.

I'll see what I can do about other pics, I have some I took before I sent the guitar back. The nut needs to go to the right and the builder has told me it was fixed in 15 seconds. When I asked how, I was told longer mounting screws were used.

I asked my guitar guy here about how he would go about fixing it without making a new neck and he said that the only options are ones that benefit the guitar builder to get the guitar out of the way, such as using different screws and angling them so that the one on the bass side has something to grab.

I've told the builder I want a new neck but he is only interested at this stage to "fix" it. I don't want a fix, I want a perfect neck. Every luthier who's seen it has said I should get a new neck for my money, that they wouldn't give that sort of work to a customer.

[toejam]

Re: How would you fix this?

If the builder doesn't want to give you a new neck, threaten him with a lawsuit and that you paid good money for something that should be perfect. "Fixing" it is not and should not be an option. Hope everything goes well for you, Vic. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[sully]

Re: How would you fix this?

while i agree that it's better to fix it instead of going back and making a new neck, if that's really what you want, you should get it. i don't understand the longer mounting screws, though.

sully

[VitaminG]

Re: How would you fix this?

that's exactly right, Joe. You pay 4 grand for a guitar, you shouldn't have to put up with "fixes", or look to get a specially machined nut at your own expense.

Vic alluded to the other issues this guitar has, but it seems that after a quick 15 second fix job on the nut, the builder wants to get the guitar back out the door already.

[surfdork]

Re: How would you fix this?

Vic, that's just BS all the way around. 4k, and that's what you get?? A screwed up nut and hassle about fixing it? I'd like to say I'm surprised...but because of my own experience,I can't. Like Clinton used to say..."I feel your pain." [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Genebaby]

Re: How would you fix this?

MountainDog, what guitars feature this kind of truss rod/ nut arrangement that you have? Also, I don't want a different numbered nut, I want an R3. Actually, I wanted an R2 spaced neck but I wasn't allowed to have that with this style of neck, so I settled on the R3.

Would you guys like a rundown of what's fully gone down with this particular guitar and builder? I can do a thread in another area about it. I'd like some of you guys to Q&A the guitar before it gets sent back to me.