I bought a really nice, VERY cheap Fender Bass yesterday but realized afterward why it was so cheap. While trying to adjust the truss rod I realized the nut was stripped.
I've read a few different things on how to go about solving this problem:
1.) Brute force. Use a slightly larger hex wrench, hammer it in very snugly into the nut and adjust that way until a more permanent solution can be found.
2.) Fill the hole with solder and either:
a.) put a screw in the hole, wait to cool and use the screw to adjust the nut or
b.) drill a new hole, tap it and insert a new screw
Would it be possible to use an Easy-Out to remove the whole nut and rescrew a new nut onto the truss rod?
I've replaced a guitar truss rod once before by removing the fretboard, etc... and it came out alright. But with a bass I'm more hesitant as more fretboard = more area to screw up. So, I'd rather not do that.
Any suggestions on what would be the easiest and quickest solution would be appreciated. Otherwise, I'll resort to replacing the whole rod, which, I do not want to do.
Yes, try to remove the nut and replace it if possible.
Stew-Mac makes kits to rethread the rod, if needed, but for the price you'd be better off getting a new neck.
Truss rod rescue kit:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Truss_rods/Special_tools_for:_Truss_rods/Truss_Rod_Rescue_Kit.html
Replacement nuts:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Truss_rods/Adjusting_nuts.html
Good luck!
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Yeah, that kit looks neat, but obviously it's for more long-term use. Your right, I could just get a new neck for that much.
But, in regard to the replacement nuts, so it IS possible to just unscrew the existing ruined nut, then just thread a new replacement nut back on with no problem? I wouldn't imagine there would be a problem as the rod just sticks out, but you never know...
If it's that simple, then why do people go through the whole process of taking the neck apart? Why not just unscrew the old nut off and screw the new one on?
I'd guess from what I've read that a common problem is that the threads on the rod itself become stripped, thus the need to rethread. Or the rod snaps off at the nut, in which case a total replacement would probably be necessary.
It seems less likely that the hex nut would become stripped ... unless someone used something other than a hex key to turn it!
Also, I'd think it's not going to be very easy to get the nut off the rod. It's possible you'll do some damage taking the nut off ... but if you can do it, then that still seems to be your best bet - assuming the nut is the only problem. :)
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
It's definitely a stripped nut.
Tho, it's not really a nut, it's more an allen head bolt and it's the inside of the bolt that's stripped so nothing can turn on the inside. So everything but that should be fine. So as long as I can somehow get something in there to loosen it from the rod enough that it comes loose, I should be able to replace the allen bolt and just screw it right back on.
