I'm trying to finally learn how to do this on my own:
i like a dead flat neck, and right now have an american deluxe Strat with a "bi-flex" rod and use 10's with a med-low action...but i have noticed i can't go any further (i can loosen it but not tighten) without the wrench skipping (spinning a notch) and this is with me adding "help"/pressure to the neck...could a bi flex run out of threads?....have i stripped the nut?...is this gonna be hell?...i have read about a stew mac tool called the gripper which apparently works wonders in these situations...it's a tapered handled allen wrench essentially designed to grip a stripped nut...i'm not gonna force it anymore now that a new wrench (albeit a short hardware store allen wrench, that doesn't properly fit down there) has skipped on me...and the neck right now is fairly straight i can fit 1.5-2 pieces of copy paper under the 7th fret (fretted on 22nd/capoed on first)...but unfortunately i have no feeler guages so i don't know how much relief that is?...if it is over or under specs...it does seem a little bit more than i used to have for some reason...

what does one do when A; you've stripped it
or B: you have run out of threads and is that possible on a modern bi flex rod or is something stuck and i am stripping it???

any help apopreciated?

also C; anyone heard of the tool "the gripper" by stew mac?

thanks - Bob

I've heard of the stewmac tool. No real application in this instance. It's for undoing the allen nut on the end of your trussrod to remove it. If you've stripped the rod or the nut, its a new trussrod. Or more accurately a new neck. The likelyhood of the nut jumping and not damaging the rod is so minimal it's not true.

Personaly I think you're wasting your time in this instance. It's entirely probable that you've just hit the center point of the biflex system. If not and the trussrod is damaged then as above, new neck.
You shouldn't give a neck any helping force, it doesn't need it ever. Unless your clamping to remove twist.

This is well outside the realm of fixable over the internet. You need to get the guitar to a tech conversant with the biflex rod.

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I really don't think it's broken otherwise my action and relief would me automatically high...i can stilladd relief...i just take away anymore than i already have...if i try i meet resistance and it can (if i push to hard as i did) make the small/short allenwrench i bought skip (it doesn't fit all the way down the hole properly).

If the Rod was broken one would assume i wouldn't be able to loosen it and retighten it.....It's just that it only seems to go so far...i SHOULD get a pro setup done but am not working right now...in the meantime i have it as tight as possible and pretty straight, the action low and no fretting out....as mentioned it SEEMS the rod is working, i add relief and take it away but only to a certain point...i really need a proper tool...the long allen wrench that came with my Strat in '05 has stripped too much to do anything and this replacement hardware tool is so small and short that it doesn't reach down far enough and even threatens to damage the walnut plug in some cases.

You'd be better off paying someone in the know $50 rather than stewmacs over inflated prices.

Ok so we gotta go through this.
Firstly we need to establish a few things
Firstly lessening the tightness of the rod is adding relief. Tightening it is taking the relief away. You relieve the neck by allowing it to bow a bit.

What exactly is the neck set at?

Can you by continually loosening the trussrod find the centerpoint where the rod goes slack?
You'll know when you've found it. If you carry on turning anticlockwise, suddenly you'll find it re-engages.

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It sounds to me like you have a simple allen wrench problem There are many (about a bizillion) sizes of these things both metric and U.S. standard. A slight misfit can cause the wrench to slip in the socket and this may be what you are experiencing. If you can't find a proper fit that is long enough on the short end, simply use the long end and turn it with a piece of rigid tubing or small vise grips. Only turn a small amount at a time.

Great point.
Well spotted mate.

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no need to go over things ninja, i may mistyped but i know about tightening to get a flat/less/no relief neck and loosening for more relief...i'm 40 been playing since 8....i also know how a bi flex works and it's neutral point....don't need the 101...but thanks anyways

Hi bob dylan: that's a little sharp. Nick was soley out to be helpful: nobody was being given a 101 here. Questions have been asked and answered.

Cheers - C

Ah don't sweat about it guys. No harm done.

Bob I'm truly sorry if I offended you, It wasn't my intention. I'm sure you know that.

What I would say is that this problem has reached beyond the limit of being solvable on a internet forum. You know what you're doing with the trussrod and can't solve it. Members of the forum can't put a hand on the guitar to accurately assess whats going on. The stewmac tool won't solve your problem unless you have stripped the allen nut (something I doubt because you're meeting resistance. Stripped nut's/keys/threads are usually very free and offer little resistance to turning).
There is a chance that S Bender's tip is on the money.

Aside from that it's time to take it in mate. It won't cost you to have someone asses the situation then give you a quote to rectify it. They'll be able to do what non of us here can, handle the guitar.
Then if you like come back and tell us what they said. Their may be a cheaper solution.

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Hi,

I have experienced a similar situation with my 07 AmStd. I like my necks almost dead straight but can't achieve it with this guitar for some reason. I did readjust the truss rod to the point that the neck have some relief but the damn thing has so much resistance and will not go further. I tried more and stripped a allen tool so I stopped at that. Did not to go beyond the point to force a truss rod and cause a damage. I use .11 strings on mine.

I still made my setup work to my liking by adjusting the micro tilt and saddles to compensate.

Hey Ninja, i really didn't intend to come across as "harsh"...i mean, i thanked you and even did this ...I was simply clarifying a matter and (i thought), with humour...i think you were o.k. with it...but anyways...cheers...no harm meant initially or now...help obviously, (as written), has been appreciated.

Oh and ceri...same thing...101 was meant in jest...i know i'm new here (i have been posting on fdp for many years but i thought i'd look at this place too)...but i'm not a harsh or mean spirted person, am actually very laid back and appreciative...i really think you took me the wrong way...and if so i appologize for not coming across in a better light...i.e. being more apt in my message.

Tearful hugs all round!

Heads down, tails in the air. Forward, men!

Cheers - C

Anyways back to topic...i guess alls i really wanna know (the tool thing kinda became a bigger issue than i intended) is...is it very uncommon to reach the limit threadwise on your truss rod (esp. a bi-flex) when straightening the neck...i.e. tightening the rod?.

I don't want to force it and as mentioned can loosen it and get it back to this point but no further...it's not a huge deal as the relief is very minimal when tightened to the maxium but maybe one day that'll change, i was told washers could always be added if needed.

Anyways as is, (tightened), i can fit maybe a sheet and a half of copy paper when fretted at first and 22nd at 7th fret (i own no feeler guages but it seems to me pretty straight and when using a straight edge, again i see nor feel any concaveness),....so it's not a pressing matter right now...my action is low, there is no buzzing or fret outs on double bends...but it kinda made me wonder why a modern truss rod/nut would max out like that...one would think i'd get unplayable backbow happening first.

Has this happened to any of you...i guess this kind what i mean to be clear....sorry for any unintended barbs or confusing posts. - Otis

I must admit.

My poor heavy handed technique means I get to enjoy quite a bow in the neck.

Glad were all back on good form.
To quote one of my favourite fictional characters, 'no harm no foul'.

Think I'm going to get my deluxe out later and see if I can replicate this problem.

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