Replacing truss rod nut on Gibson Les Paul Studio

gingerbbm

Hi all

The truss rod nut on my recent acquisition is worryingly rounded-off. This is annoying because I need to tighten it! I'm now thinking that I should replace it before it gets worse, with something like this:

http://shop.rall-online.net/Trussrod-nut-Gibson-style-brass-M6

Question is, can I simply take off the strings, undo the nut and put the new one on? Anything else I need to watch out for?

Thanks

Stuart

WezV

it should be that simple, i would get an actual gibson one rather than "gibson style"  to ensure best fit

http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/guitar-bass-parts-general/neck-parts/truss-rods-and-truss-rod-nuts/truss-rod-nuts-for-gibson-guitars-p-4196.html.

have you tried loosening it yet? if you can loosen it you shouldn't have any issues

gingerbbm

Thanks for the advice and the link. How do you know they're Gibson ones?

I bought a wrench which, although 8mm, doesn't really fit into the cavity, so it's a bit of a struggle to tighten or slacken tbh, and I assume this is why the thing's been rounded off in the first place. Finding a suitable wrench is my next task... or do I have to route out the cavity a bit more? :-O

ICBM

Get a thin-walled box spanner set - the cheaper the better.

The one which fits properly is your first shot. If it's too rounded for that to grip it properly...

Use the next size down hammered onto the nut - they're steel and the nut is brass so it will bite in and make its own 'flats'.

Even if you bugger the cheap box spanner (it tends to survive though) the price of a complete new set is far less than the value loss of doing any further damage to the guitar.

I've removed many damaged truss rod nuts this way for the loss of only about two cheap box spanners.

Misterg

Forgive the naiivity of the question, but wouldn't a genuine Gibson truss rod have an imperial thread, not metric M6?

AFAIK it would be a  #10-32 thread which would need a 5/16" AF spanner (~7.9mm) to adjust.

Or are the Studios different?

Doug

yes Gibson use imperial not metric, 5/16" is the right one,  8mm is for MIJ LP's etc

ICBM

This is why the nuts get rounded - the same as why USA Fender Allen key Biflex rods do, they use 1/8" (3.175mm) which means that a 3mm key seems to fit, until you have to put a bit of force on and then it slips. Replacing the nut on a Fender Biflex rod is *much* harder though.

gingerbbm

Thanks all. I went for an 8mm because in my perhaps naive view that should be snug enough on something that's 7.9. Either way, I'm pretty sure this isn't why the nut is rounded.

Any tips on where to get a thin walled box spanner?

ICBM

gingerbbm said:

Thanks all. I went for an 8mm because in my perhaps naive view that should be snug enough on something that's 7.9. Either way, I'm pretty sure this isn't why the nut is rounded.

Any tips on where to get a thin walled box spanner?

Using an 8mm socket is exactly how you round the nut!

Try any small car accessories or tool shop for cheap box spanners.

gingerbbm

Using an 8mm socket is exactly how you round the nut!

Well in this case I suspect it's rounded because there's not enough room behind the nut to get the wrench on, so it's been bodged. Thanks for the tips.

gingerbbm

Just out of interest, the wrench I bought is sold as 8mm (5/16")!

http://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/guitar-truss-rod-wrench-luthier-tool-8mm-5-16/

impmann

Note to self: don't buy one of these.

Something is either 8mm OR 5/16in - the difference between them is small, agreed but could be sufficient to bollocks the nut.