truss rod question

In the TDPRI resources is a page all about adjusting your Tele's truss rod, and it shows this picture of what to do if your out of adjustment room:

http://www.tdpri.com/gifs/RESOURCEtrusswasher.jpg

So, this might be a stupid question, but do you just unscrew the exposed end of the truss rod until it pops off, then put a washer in there? I'm a little unclear on how this actually works. How does putting in a washer give you more adjustment room? :confused:

You got it!

How does putting in a washer give you more adjustment room? :confused:



I'm guessing, bit I think it effectively lengthens the rod.

Yes....that's the idea. When you run out of threads and can't tighten the rod any more, adding the washers allows more turns.

Right. it's actually as if the rod were shorter and now pulls again. If you've bottomed out the nut at the end of the threads, it won't turn anymore (or turns a little and springs back because you're twisting the rod). Yet in this condition sometimes it isn't exerting enough pressure to straighten the neck. SO, the spacer helps the nut to exert pressure on the bottom of the recess even before the nut gets to the end of the threads and now you gain some room.

This works for vintage heel-adjust rods and single action neck-adjust bullets but it's a little more complicated for biflex rods. On necks with biflex trussrods (American Standards and some models dating back for instance the '83 P Bass Elite) there's a little metal gate or plate under the string nut that you have to remove, and in order to get the nut out you have to first grind out the walnut plug.

got it... thanks guys!