Help, my Gibson truss rod wrench won’t fit over the adjusting nut!

[Joe Finn]

I am posting this for all the amature guitar neck adjusters out there. The truss rod on Gibsons and most guitars is made of steel and the adjusting nut is generally made of brass; a much softer metal. This is so if in the process of adjusting the rod you manage to destroy anything it will be the nut [cheap] and not the rod [expensive]. The issue that frequently presents itself is that the adjusting tool will not fit over the nut due to inadequate clearance under the truss rod cover. The nut is 5/16” and was installed at the factory with a very slim diameter socket. The clearance issue is by design due to the need to have as much wood as possible in this area of the headstock to tolerate the string tension load. Using a bench grinder, or similar tool, remove the material from the outside surface of a standard 5/16th socket until the overall diameter is a little smaller. Have a cup of water handy to cool the socket occasionally as you grind it. When the socket is slimmed down sufficiently, it will fit in the adjusting nut opening and you can turn the nut to change the neck relief as necessary. Do not under any circumstances chisel away or otherwise remove any wood from the area around the adjusting nut. This will compromise the structural integrity of the head and the neck. Sockets are cheap, guitars are expensive. Have fun playing your properly adjusted guitar!! .....joe

[Lord Valve]

On Friday, October 27, 2017 at 8:15:00 AM UTC-6, Joe Finn wrote:
> I am posting this for all the amature guitar neck adjusters out there. The truss rod on Gibsons and most guitars is made of steel and the adjusting nut is generally made of brass; a much softer metal. This is so if in the process of adjusting the rod you manage to destroy anything it will be the nut [cheap] and not the rod [expensive]. The issue that frequently presents itself is that the adjusting tool will not fit over the nut due to inadequate clearance under the truss rod cover. The nut is 5/16” and was installed at the factory with a very slim diameter socket. The clearance issue is by design due to the need to have as much wood as possible in this area of the headstock to tolerate the string tension load. Using a bench grinder, or similar tool, remove the material from the outside surface of a standard 5/16th socket until the overall diameter is a little smaller. Have a cup of water handy to cool the socket occasionally as you grind it. When the socket is slimmed down sufficiently, it will fit in the adjusting nut opening and you can turn the nut to change the neck relief as necessary. Do not under any circumstances chisel away or otherwise remove any wood from the area around the adjusting nut. This will compromise the structural integrity of the head and the neck. Sockets are cheap, guitars are expensive. Have fun playing your properly adjusted guitar!! .....joe

Of course, you could always buy a thinwall socket...nah, makes too much sense.

Never mind.

[Joe Finn]

On Friday, October 27, 2017 at 10:15:00 AM UTC-4, Joe Finn wrote:
> I am posting this for all the amature guitar neck adjusters out there. The truss rod on Gibsons and most guitars is made of steel and the adjusting nut is generally made of brass; a much softer metal. This is so if in the process of adjusting the rod you manage to destroy anything it will be the nut [cheap] and not the rod [expensive]. The issue that frequently presents itself is that the adjusting tool will not fit over the nut due to inadequate clearance under the truss rod cover. The nut is 5/16” and was installed at the factory with a very slim diameter socket. The clearance issue is by design due to the need to have as much wood as possible in this area of the headstock to tolerate the string tension load. Using a bench grinder, or similar tool, remove the material from the outside surface of a standard 5/16th socket until the overall diameter is a little smaller. Have a cup of water handy to cool the socket occasionally as you grind it. When the socket is slimmed down sufficiently, it will fit in the adjusting nut opening and you can turn the nut to change the neck relief as necessary. Do not under any circumstances chisel away or otherwise remove any wood from the area around the adjusting nut. This will compromise the structural integrity of the head and the neck. Sockets are cheap, guitars are expensive. Have fun playing your properly adjusted guitar!! .....joe

p.s. Several guitar makers have solved this problem by using an adjustment nut with a hexagonal socket that accepts an allen wrench.

[jimmybruno]

On Friday, October 27, 2017 at 10:15:00 AM UTC-4, Joe Finn wrote:

> I am posting this for all the amature guitar neck adjusters out there. The truss rod on Gibsons and most guitars is made of steel and the adjusting nut is generally made of brass; a much softer metal. This is so if in the process of adjusting the rod you manage to destroy anything it will be the nut [cheap] and not the rod [expensive]. The issue that frequently presents itself is that the adjusting tool will not fit over the nut due to inadequate clearance under the truss rod cover. The nut is 5/16” and was installed at the factory with a very slim diameter socket. The clearance issue is by design due to the need to have as much wood as possible in this area of the headstock to tolerate the string tension load. Using a bench grinder, or similar tool, remove the material from the outside surface of a standard 5/16th socket until the overall diameter is a little smaller. Have a cup of water handy to cool the socket occasionally as you grind it. When the socket is slimmed down sufficiently, it will fit in the adjusting nut opening and you can turn the nut to change the neck relief as necessary. Do not under any circumstances chisel away or otherwise remove any wood from the area around the adjusting nut. This will compromise the structural integrity of the head and the neck. Sockets are cheap, guitars are expensive. Have fun playing your properly adjusted guitar!! .....joe

Very good advice

[Joe Finn]

Here is another little truss rod trick that may come in handy for you at some point. You can “help” the rod accept the adjustment by gently moving the neck in the direction in which you are making the adjustment as you turn the nut. When tightening the nut pull the neck back and when loosening the nut pull forward. This takes the stress off the nut’s threads. Another tip is to lubricate the nut with a single drop of light machine oil. Do this with the guitar in the upright position on a stand and leave it there so the lubrication gravitates down into the threads. ..........joe

[Lord Valve]

Machine oil makes wood swell, and it migrates all over the
place. Silicone would be a better choice.

LV