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Post subject: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:03 pm
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What's up guys,

I've been a Fender Strat player and collector for about 10 years now after it all started with my cheap Squier. I've owned a few dozen throughout the years, mostly looking for pristine rare items as long as they're American or from the Custom Shop. I play one of them - a 2002 Highway One I got for $300 back when Guitar Center actually had good deals, just has an unusually good playability and sound and I can't find another.

Anyways, back to the subject: I've been wanting to purchase a '57 reissue for some time and never realized they were discontinued. I came across a NOS one and just bought it and it's on it's way. Out of all the Strats I've owned, this will be the first one that has the vintage style truss rod under the neck. Can anyone give me tips on how to manage this? I understand how it works and the basics - I get it, but I adjust my truss rod a few times a year and enjoy the easy access at the headstock. I'm wondering if there's any advantage to these (i.e. if they hold shape better or whatever). I really see no advantages to having to remove the pickguard vs. the contemporary way. I have also considered looking at the SRV and Eric Johnson Strat just to mess around with, which both have this style truss rod, and I also noticed many boutique shops still make them vintage style. Can anyone shed light on this? Feel free to share any thoughts, I'm interested to hear any feedback, experience, or anything else you'd like to share. Thanks guys!


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:55 pm
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Antisinglecoil wrote:
...I understand how it works and the basics - I get it, but I adjust my truss rod a few times a year and enjoy the easy access at the headstock. I'm wondering if there's any advantage to these (i.e. if they hold shape better or whatever). I really see no advantages to having to remove the pickguard vs. the contemporary way....


Hi Antisinglecoil,

You've got it, no advantage, only more hassle with the traditional truss rod adjust at the heel. That is why it was moved to the headstock in the 70s, easier access. The reissues are simply keeping the guitar close to the original design, that's the whole idea, and that includes the original type truss rod adjust.

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:31 pm
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I prefer the headstock end adjustment - it's just so much easier to do.
The vintage truss rods require greater consideration, but it's not too bad a situation to have to deal with.
Go to around 3:48 on the video to see vintage style in practice



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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 6:34 am
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Cool, thanks guys. Those were my thoughts, that there really is no advantage! Funny thing is: even if my main guitar WAS a 50's or 60's Strat, if I had an opportunity to have my own signature series, I sure as hell wouldn't make my life more difficult just to keep true to the original design. I mean, that's why evolution exists!

Thanks for your responses!


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 1:53 pm
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You could always do what I did , cost £1,50, time to do...About an hour (I don't rush things)

I have a 1968 reissue , 3 ply pickguard , bottom end adjuster , so I took the pickguard off and "Shallowed" the already there half moon gouge under the truss rod opening , by using a half round file , then polishing the filed edge with 1200 wet and dry wrapped round a dowel (to match the chamfer around the rest of the pickguard)

Then, I bought a decent screwdriver , smashed the handle off it, heated the handle portion up and bent it at 45 degrees in a vice , as to resemble a large allen key . Then I ground off about a third of the blade , so, now all I have to do, is slacken the strings if I have to tighten the truss rod and slip it inbetween them, locate the screwy in the top part of the easiest flat of the truss rod nut and twist (works brilliantly and I've never slipped )

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 6:59 pm
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That's a good idea, thought of doing that actually, I honestly probably won't play it much but it was more of a collector piece, but I will have to maintain it like anything else to avoid warping, breaks, etc.

I wonder if any place sells a right angle screwdriver for that purpose, or at least one that'll work. I'm not a big fan of taking off the neck or pickguard more than I have to, so that carving idea sounds good me and I suppose I could always replace the guard if I wanted to sell it and bring it back to factory. Thanks for the tip.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 3:06 am
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I had a 1963 Strat and that already had the cutout , I widened the angle on that too, it's Barely noticeable but makes a lot of difference when adjusting the truss rod

Take a look at this pic, it looks like that was the original idea when the adjuster is body end

Image

Otherwise, why do the cut out in the first place ?..If you look at Jimi Hendrix's guitars, you can see where there are chunks out of the pickguard in the cutout, where the wide screwdriver blade has made a mark

Image

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:43 am
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That looks great, I have a dremel tool so it shouldn't been too hard. Silly question here: Someone told me that because the truss rod is at the bottom that the direction you need to turn it is opposite from the truss rods at the top (i.e. he said that you need to turn the reissue truss rods counter-clockwise in order to convex it, and clockwise to loosen/concave it. I do not think this is true but can anyone just clarify so I don't screw it up? Just to reiterate it's a '57 reissue (although I don't think that matters much). Thanks again for your help guys.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 12:00 pm
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Antisinglecoil wrote:
That looks great, I have a dremel tool so it shouldn't been too hard. Silly question here: Someone told me that because the truss rod is at the bottom that the direction you need to turn it is opposite from the truss rods at the top (i.e. he said that you need to turn the reissue truss rods counter-clockwise in order to convex it, and clockwise to loosen/concave it. I do not think this is true but can anyone just clarify so I don't screw it up? Just to reiterate it's a '57 reissue (although I don't think that matters much). Thanks again for your help guys.


It don't make no difference which end of the truss rod you adjust things from its clockwise to tighten and counter clockwise to loosen.
Just look at the video at 5:10 8)


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Truss Rod Question
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:33 pm
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Awesome, thanks so much guys.


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