Recent Gibson Truss Rod Nut Size/Tool

[Tjspahr1]

I have a fairly recent Gibson (2003) that needs to have the neck tightened. It appears to be 1/4", but the barrels on Taylor guitar truss wrenches seem to be too thick, too long, or both.

Can anyone point me to a good tool that I can purchase to do the job correctly?

Thanks,
Tom

[Tiderider]

I use a 1/4" Craftsman nut driver on my 2003 A9, it fits perfectly.

[sunburst]

My preferred tool is a nut driver. Some manufacturers don't give us room for a nut driver, so one of those little cheesy wrench things with a screw-driver-handle will sometimes fit when a nut driver won't. Sometimes there is no room for that tool, and I have to resort to a little Snap-on offset box end wrench that I've had for years. If there's no room for that? Some wood has to be removed. An "adjustable" truss rod that is not adjustable because we can't get a tool to it to adjust it is as worthless as... well, it's just plain worthless.
The little box end wrench that I use as a last resort is a thin wall wrench. I don't know where or if you can find something similar. Most box end wrenches are far too bulky and the handles are too big to be of any use for truss rod nuts.
Making room for a tool when there is not enough room works best with an incannel gouge, but good luck finding one of those of good quality at a reasonable price.
If there is no room for a normal truss rod wrench the problem is not with the tool, it is with the manufacturer of the mandolin. It seems that either designers or workers at some manufacturers don't understand that an adjustable truss rod is there to be adjusted when needed, and if you can't get a tool to it to adjust it, their job has been poorly done.
(Sorry for the rant, but it is a pet peeve of mine when someone brings in an instrument in need of a 2 to 5 minute truss rod adjustment and instead I have so spend hours just trying to get a tool in the supposed access pocket to make the simple adjustment.)

[Tjspahr1]

John, greatly appreciated. I considered getting a wrench for a Rickenbacker as they have a similar issue with the size of the truss cavity, but there is no telling that one of those would work without getting it and checking.

So time to check the driver handles I have, and if they don't work...go to Lowes.

[Tavy]

If you go on line, there's a whole selection of Chinese made truss rod adjusters available (4 sizes I think) for a couple of $$'s each. If you're serious about moving truss rods yourself I would just get the set and then it's trial and error to see what fits. They have pretty thin walls so they go in most instruments, but probably don't expect them to last as they bend out of shape pretty easily.

[Jonathan Ward]

It's pretty common to have to clean out the truss rod nut pocket in order to remove or adjust the nut. Factory instruments can wind up a bunch of extra finishing material in the pocket, which nobody see until they take the cover off and try to put a wrench on the nut. With a rough-cut pocket that has extra finish in it, sometimes no socket or nut driver is thin-walled enough to fit. A bit of judicious work with a gouge can solve the problem.

[Richard500]

Some folks would be reticent about going near their precious instrument with a gouge, and of course, very small ones are not common. So three other possibilities come to mind. First, if the nutdriver is known to be the right size, the outside of the socket can be abraded smaller by any convenient means, and/or small teeth can be filed in the rim to make what amounts to a guided hole saw. The usual set of ‘cork borers’ once common lab items are also capable and in-cannel as well. Another improv from the plumbing box is using a short length of, say, stainless tubing that can be either internally sharpened or have teeth added. Fortunately I’ve never had to do this, but if it was a frequent requirement, I would definitely make a tool.

[sunburst]

It's pretty common to have to clean out the truss rod nut pocket in order to remove or adjust the nut. Factory instruments can wind up a bunch of extra finishing material in the pocket...

...and why is that? Come on manufacturers, get it together. Understand what that access pocket is for and build accordingly.

[sunburst]

Some folks would be reticent about going near their precious instrument with a gouge...

Understandably so, but if that instrument is so precious, why is the truss rod pocket inaccessible? Why is it not considered a "standard" of manufacturing that a truss rod pocket will function as intended?

[Tjspahr1]

...and why is that? Come on manufacturers, get it together. Understand what that access pocket is for and build accordingly.

John, I'm right with you. I get that different builders will build differently, use different types of truss rods, nuts, etc., and that they might use different materials in their builds over time due to availability, better prices...any number of things. And to be fair, I don't know that the mandolin ever had a truss wrench supplied with it when sold, and that if it was with the instrument at some point, it's obviously been lost over time prior to my getting it.

But the other side is this is Gibson. I would have thought finding a truss wrench would be about as simple for Gibson as any mandolin, and would have expected that things would have been pretty standard, especially in 2003, as I was selling their guitars at that time, and for the most part the instrument quality was very good.

I won't personally start taking files and gouges to the truss cavity, even if it's needed. If there isn't a standard wrench from Gibson that will fit the factory pocket, it will probably end up with Danny Roberts.

[Tavy]

Understandably so, but if that instrument is so precious, why is the truss rod pocket inaccessible? Why is it not considered a "standard" of manufacturing that a truss rod pocket will function as intended?

Indeed, and how did they set it up at the factory? Oh wait, they didn't!

[Richard500]

Indeed, and how did they set it up at the factory? Oh wait, they didn't!

Same way Detroit used to install sheet metal screws — with a hammer.

[rcc56]

Was that in the days when F-O-R-D spelled "found on the road dead?"

For the record, it seems that these days, many manufacturers are not snugging up the adjustment nuts on their truss rods before they ship. It doesn't seem to make any difference what the instrument costs or where it's made. Then the neck bows later.

One of my students just bought a brand new Fender USA electric guitar that has an inoperative tone control. It was his first electric and he didn't know how to work the controls, so he didn't catch it until he brought it over here.

Quality control ain't what it used to be. Or maybe it never was . . .


Anyway, the best bet for a truss rod is one of those thin walled cylindrical wrenches with the handle sticking out at 90 degrees. Sold by stewmac and a host of others for $10 more than they "should" cost. Just google Gibson truss rod wrench. 5/16" will come up, but most sellers also make 1/4". I'd get both-- guitars use 5/16" more often than not and you might need it later. If that doesn't work, grind down a box end wrench. If that doesn't work, curse the manufacturer.

[4ForAll]

Had a similar problem with a F5 fern. Wiha brand nut driver has a very thin outer diam. Works like a charm.

Good luck,
Marek

[4ForAll]

Almost forgot 1/4 inch is the size for the F5 fern

[pops1]

I have ground a socket before, still have some ground down wrenches. What ever it takes. I have the truss rod adjusting tools, never found anything they fit yet.

[rcc56]

Mine work, when they're the right size and I can get them in there. Sometimes they require a little gooseing to get them seated.
The 5/16" gets a fair amount of use. I'd have to go through my box and see whether I have one for 1/4", or whether I use something else.
I have several tools to choose from, including a nut driver and a ground down box end wrench. I just pick through until I find something that works.

[Tavy]

In case anyone is still wondering what we're talking about it's these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/372395375...3ABFBM-MG6nrdh

There are 4 sizes I believe, and as others have said, it's always trial and error to find the right one. Normally I just pull all 4 out the box, and it's always the last one I try

[Tjspahr1]

I just had a conversation with Gibson about the issue; the person I spoke to knew exactly what I was talking about, and said that it was an issue for Gibson up until about 2007.

Bottom line, it will either go back to Gibson, or I'll contact Danny Roberts to do the work. Frustrating, but if this is the worst thing that happens to me, I've got it pretty easy. :D