Did your guitar come with a Allen Key? (for truss rod adjustment)

duotone

From the past 4 electric guitars I have bought (around 15 years ago) the Ibanez I bought was the only one that did.

Squier Thinline Tele - Bricks & Mortar shop - No Allen key
Squier Standard Strat - Online - No Allen key
Line6 300 Variax - Online - No Allen key
Ibanez EDR470 - Online - Allen keys supplied (Truss rod & Trem adjustment)

Just got me thinking that’s all.

ESBlonde

Used to get one 40 years ago, but now they are more readilly available in pound shops they seem not to be supplied.

HAL9000

Fenders      - always
Squire Tele - no
G&L ASAT   - yes

dbphoto

Two brand new guitars here last month:

Les Paul BFG that cost £599 - yes
Les Paul R8 that cost £2499 - no

(more of a wrench than an allen key of course)

WTF??

duotone

ESBlonde said:

Used to get one 40 years ago, but now they are more readilly available in pound shops they seem not to be supplied.

I guess this makes sense, was just watching a YouTube video on guitar set-up and he mentioned using the Allen key that was “provided with your guitar” & it got me thinking.

Maybe it’s coincidence but the most expensive guitar of the lot, was the one provided with the Allen keys.

duotone

dbphoto said:

Two brand new guitars here last month:

Les Paul BFG that cost £599 - yes
Les Paul R8 that cost £2499 - no

(more of a wrench than an allen key of course)

WTF??

Looks like it’s not price dependant then.

skunkwerx

Every guitar I’ve owned has. 
Sometimes I’ve not bothered taking them home with the box though, just whack the guitar in me gig bag and let the store dispose of the cardboard and wrenches. 

I never bother using them, I just mess shit up. 

Esp ltd x 3 - yep. 
Chapman - yep, and cloth
Ibanez gio - yep + saddle keys
Feender mim x 2 - yep + saddle keys and sticker. 
Fender mia - yep + cloth and sticker but no saddle key as they are slot head screws. 
Epiphone les paul - yep. 

The list there ranges from £150 to £815. 

Kitsune

My new 335 came with a full multi tool and polishing cloth. My old les paul had a funny socket style wrench with a screwdriver end.

Fenders never came with shit.

guitars4you

No fixed answer to this and assume this to be regarding a new guitar

If it includes a case, then many guitars will be factory shipped with the allen key, plus various tags and any other extras/paperwork within the case - Then it should stay like this within the dealers store room until sold, no matter if the guitar is on display or not - Same should apply for guitars factory shipped with a gig bag

The issue will often be with a guitar that is shipped in a cardboard box, ie no gig bag/case - Guitars come in the box and a white cover - Often the allen key is placed around the headstock, over the white cover and held there with a laggy band - As such when unpacked for display and/or checking, this is taken off and very very rarely will it be put back, especially if the guitar is on the showroom display

Obviously some dealers might have not labelled up appropriate case/bags correctly and bits go missing inc trem arms etc - In which case blame the dealer

Any new guitar like an Ibanez with a locking trem will come new, from the factory, with all appropriate allen keys

Certain guitars will utilise the same size allen key - ie  the box spanner for a Gibson matches PRS, Yamaha etc etc

Some Guitars are fairly unique regarding tools required for truss rod  - Rickenbacker - Suhr - Martin amongst others

Can't remember the exact size now, think it is 1/8" for an American Fender - Yet it is pretty close to another metric size allen key - I've know some use the wrong size and you end damaging the inside of the adjustable nut, so it no longer operates, as effectively the inside is longer hexagonal but more curved

A customer wants said to me about allen keys and the manual 'if you know what you are doing you'll already have a selection of appropriate tools, so you won't need any with the guitar and the same applies to the manual - Equally if you don't know what you are doing then maybe you should not be given them anyway' - maybe some merit in that if not applicable to everyone

Grumpyrocker

I remember my first guitar - an Epiphone 435i - came with two allen keys that fixed to a holder on the back of the headstock. These were too small for the truss rod, instead these were for the locking trem system. Another larger allen key came in the box for the truss rod. 

mbe

Always check packaging thoroughly. Sometimes they toss one in the box as an afterthought. A couple of times I found one wedged between the polystyrene and cardboard wall.

robgilmo

My Squier standard 2017 Tele came with saddle and truss keys.

Rabs

I have found with Gibson they seem to come with Ltd Ed models... Ive had like ten Gibsons over the years and the only ones that came with the truss rod tool were a Gary Moore BFG and a Ltd Ed 3 pickup non reverse firebird studio..