Truss Rod Problem

[da_guitar_boi]

Hi, I'm new here so I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section. This site was recommended to me on another forum. Hopefully you guys will be able to help me.

I bought a MIA Telecaster last summer. I personally have never adjusted the truss rod (I've always been afraid to mess with it) and I don't think (I really can't remember for sure) anybody at my local music shop (I work there part time) has either. I asked one of my buddies there to adjust it just a little bit and when he tried to do it he realized that the truss rod had come loose. You can turn it all you want in either direction but it has no effect, like somebody started loosening it and didn't stop until it unscrewed(?) itself.

My question is: will this be covered under warranty by Fender? I'm really doubting it will be. If not what can I do to fix this?


Thanks.

[mellecaster]

If it's an American Series (Modern style) w/ the Walnut access hole on the Headstock...it uses a Bi-flex system, which can adjust in both directions...I would strongly suggest going to the Fender website and download one of their set-up guides, which will explain how that type works...it takes an 1/8" allen wrench btw.

[da_guitar_boi]

It is the American series with the walnut access hole. I looked at the setup guide and it didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. However, it did say this:

"...if adjusting the truss rod has no effect on the neck, or if you're simply not comfortable making this type of adjustment yourself, take your instrument to your local Fender Authorized Dealer."

The closest one is in Atlanta which is almost a two hour drive from where I live. So It may be a little while before I get to take that trip. I'm gonna try to call Fender tomorrow if I can get a phone number off their website.

Any other suggestions for now?

[GilmourD]

You're in Macon, GA? You have a dealer right in town. These are from the dealer finder on www.fender.com. http://www.fender.com/dealerfinder/

Georgia Music
2107 Eisenhower Pkwy
Macon, GA 31206

Bibb Music Center
317 Cotton Avenue
Macon, GA 31201
Ph: 478 746 3232
Fax: 478 746 3233

Bill Hardin Music
4661 Chambers Rd
Macon, GA 31206
Ph: 478 781 1112
Fax: 478 781 1116

[da_guitar_boi]

Yes, Georgia music is a dealer here in town but I wouldn't take my guitar anywhere near their shop. I don't even know how they got Fender in the first place. They sell mostly pianos and junk guitars (except teh Fenders) and the Fenders they do sell are seriously over priced. Like $1300 for an American Standard Strat. Not the deluxe, the STANDARD. They fired their guitar guy because he turned the amp up too loud when demoing a guitar for a customer.

Those guys don't know anything about the guitars and I will NEVER do any business there.

Bill Hardin is where I work and we just got went to a new ownership so we aren't currently "authorized" fender dealers but we do have a few amps and one or two guitars.

I'll check out Bibb music but they are just a little shop downtown that's really hard to get to and they don't have much. I don't think they are an authorized service center though.

[jwells393]

I asked one of my buddies there to adjust it just a little bit and when he tried to do it he realized that the truss rod had come loose. You can turn it all you want in either direction but it has no effect.

Based on the above it's clear you buddy doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Truss rods don't come loose............ especially Bi-Flex truss rods like you have. I suggest you take it to a decent guitar tech. It sounds like something as simple as not using the correct size allen wrench........... the adjusting nut isn't actually turning

The only way the the truss rod adjusting nut could turn and have no effect is if your truss rod is broken .............an extremely unlikely senario.

Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with how truss rods work. The following might help.

Truss Rods - How They Work - Including The Bi-flex.

[winny pooh]

Wrong size hex key.

Fender standards have a fiddley annoying size.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by winny pooh

Wrong size hex key.

Fender standards have a fiddley annoying size.

That's why I had stated to him that a Bi-flex uses a standard easily obtainable 1/8" size.....and to Jack, Good idea on posting that link for him !

[da_guitar_boi]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Based on the above it's clear you buddy doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Truss rods don't come loose............ especially Bi-Flex truss rods like you have. I suggest you take it to a decent guitar tech. It sounds like something as simple as not using the correct size allen wrench........... the adjusting nut isn't actually turning

The only way the the truss rod adjusting nut could turn and have no effect is if your truss rod is broken .............an extremely unlikely senario.

Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with how truss rods work. The following might help.

Truss Rods - How They Work - Including The Bi-flex.

Actually we are using the allen wrench that came with the guitar. It goes in but when you turn it, nothing changes.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by da_guitar_boi

Actually we are using the allen wrench that came with the guitar. It goes in but when you turn it, nothing changes.

Well actually 2 wrenches come w/ the guitar...a .050 for the bridge saddles, and a 1/8" for the Neck plate adjust (Micro-Tilt) and the truss rod...which one are you using ?

[da_guitar_boi]

The bigger one that fits the truss rod.

[GilmourD]

Is it possible that hte biflex rod is at that point in between working against string tension and working with it that makes it feel loose?

[jwells393]

Now that makes sense. I wonder how much the nut was actually turned. If the nut was in the "in-between" zone and the amateur tech was a little hesitant to turn the nut more than a few quarter turns either way, then no corrective result would be seen.

If I had it I'd turn the nut clockwise several turns until I felt resistance. I'd use my new Gripper truss rod wrench.

......

[da_guitar_boi]

I guess that's possible. I'm not sure how many times he turned it. I'll try turning it a few times and let you know what happens.

[Vizcaster]

If you tighten the nut, it starts to draw on the trussrod in the usual fashion and reduces the neck relief (which is generally what needs to be done within the first few months of a guitar's life). If you back off the nut counterclockwise for awhile, it pushes itself back out and bears against a little plate under the string nut (the plate has a hole in it for the tool to pass through) and this "biflex" feature allows you to intentionally add relief in case the neck was dead straight or backbowed.

The manual says you should have it turned at least a quarter turn either side of the slack point, so that it's under tension one way or the other. That suggests to me that there's probably a half-turn range of free play which may be where you are.

One other thought, the trussrod wrench that came with the guitar might not be from the correct accessory bag, depending on how the guitar was unpacked from the case and hung on the wall at the store. The Guitar Center in Manhattan had no idea whether they were giving me the right bag (trem arm, trussrod wrench, saddle wrench - all different sizes for MIA and MIM guitars).

[da_guitar_boi]

I tried turning the allen wrench clock wise for a good 3-4 minutes and felt no resistance at all. I suppose it could be the wrong size allen wrench. I'll try to find a 1/8" allen wrench from my dads tools and try it out.

[jwells393]

If you back off the nut counterclockwise for awhile, it pushes itself back out and bears against a little plate under the string nut

That little metal plate (item 43 in the first drawing below) was part of the patent application. However I think it was dropped for production purposes. When backed out the truss rod nut bears against a washer (item 14 in the second drawing) between the truss rod nut and the walnut plug.

......BFTrussNut.JPG

[Nick JD]

Plug your guitar into your amp and crank up the volume. Turn your truss rod nut with the strings still tuned. If the pitch goes up or down ... it's working!

[da_guitar_boi]

Ok. I feel really stupid but I was using an allen wrench that was way too big. I guess I got the wrong one with my guitar. Everything is working fine now. Thanks for all the help though.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by da_guitar_boi

Ok. I feel really stupid but I was using an allen wrench that was way too big. I guess I got the wrong one with my guitar. Everything is working fine now. Thanks for all the help though.

I did a lot of stupid stuff when I was 18...and it ain't got much better since... ...glad it worked out well for ya.

[viking]

Dont worry about it , experience=having done stupid things
Lots of experience = Old guys , who made lots of mistakes

[Westerly Sunn]

supplying the customer with the wrong parts would be more worthy of being characterized as stupid than attempting to use the parts that were supplied with the instrument...

[da_guitar_boi]

Originally Posted by Westerly Sunn

supplying the customer with the wrong parts would be more worthy of being characterized as stupid than attempting to use the parts that were supplied with the instrument...

You do have a point there lol

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm just glad it isn't broken.

[TheBends]

Originally Posted by da_guitar_boi

You do have a point there lol

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm just glad it isn't broken.

Glad to see everything worked out.
It would be a shame if your beautiful tele was ruined, but it's a good thing that your problem was just a small overlook of wrench size. I would hate to see that tele of yours ruined!