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Post subject: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 3:11 pm
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I bought an American Vintage '52 Telecaster.
The set-up was great, and my only apprehension was the thought of having to take the neck off of the guitar to adjust the truss rod.
Within two 2 months after the purchase, I began to lose some string action, as the guitar adjusted to living in my home.

I assume all American Vintage series guitars have an area under the pick guard that is routed out between the neck pickup and the truss rod adjustment screw at the base of the neck, so that a properly designed flat offset screwdriver can be used to adjust the neck with the strings at tension, without removing the neck.

The key is finding a "properly designed" flat offset screwdriver that will fit between the neck pickup and the base of the neck.
There is at least one "antique" offset screwdriver that will work, which is not currently available, and is difficult to find and purchase.

The offset screwdriver shown below will do the trick (actually better than the antique Snap-On offset screwdriver which I also acquired) and is relatively inexpensive.
The Offset Screwdriver - N-206 - comes from Telephone Tools of Georgia, and is found at the following link.

http://www.telephonetools.com/product_i ... fc76d87f0b

I hope that this information helps anyone who may have an Fender American Vintage series guitar and is looking for a way to adjust the truss rod without removing the neck from the guitar.
It would be great if Fender would take the design of this offset screwdriver, improve the screwdriver head size of this tool, and market it in the Fender Store.

I note that the Offset Screwdriver - N-206 that I received is a little different that the one pictured below at the linked web page.

Image

The Offset Screwdriver - N-206 - that I received, which is pictured below, is a flat metal strip with angled offset flat screwdriver heads at both ends of the tool at opposite 45 Degree angles.

Image

The blade ends on both ends of this tool are listed on the web page as being .028" thick and 1/4" wide.
What ever the true size of the blade ends are, they could be a little bit thicker and a little bit wider, to fit perfectly into the truss rod adjustment screw on American Vintage series guitars.
But it still works perfectly for adjusting the truss rod with the strings at tension, without slippage or any deformity to the truss rod screw head.


Last edited by MickJagger on Wed Jan 01, 2014 2:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:15 pm
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You don't really have to remove the neck completely. If you loosen the screws part way, you can tilt the neck enough so that you have access to the truss rod adjustment.


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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:06 am
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gadabout wrote:
You don't really have to remove the neck completely. If you loosen the screws part way, you can tilt the neck enough so that you have access to the truss rod adjustment.

With this tool, you don't have to loosen the neck or de-tune the strings at all.
So, why would you want to do so?


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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:51 am
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I don't know, I don't see making an adjustment without having access to the full diameter of truss rod screw slot.


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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 11:31 am
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gadabout wrote:
I don't know, I don't see making an adjustment without having access to the full diameter of truss rod screw slot.

What you are talking about?
Do you own an American Vintage Tele? :roll:

When you remove the pickguard, the body of the guitar is notched between the top of the pickup cavity and the bottom of the neck pocket to allow for "access to the full diameter of truss rod screw slot" with the proper offset screwdriver; which is the tool I have provided a link to above.

The truss rod adjusts perfectly without loosening, tilting or removing the neck, and without detuning the strings.
I will provide a picture of the actual tool when I get a chance, which is not the one shown above, which was taken from a picture on the tool website.


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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 11:53 am
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MickJagger wrote:
gadabout wrote:
I don't know, I don't see making an adjustment without having access to the full diameter of truss rod screw slot.

What you are talking about?
Do you own an American Vintage Tele? :roll:
...


I own a real vintage Tele. The pickguard has a recess where the truss rod screw is, but it does not expose the full diameter of the screw. Possibly if you remove the pickguard you might be able to get in there. I don't remember.


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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 12:28 pm
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gadabout wrote:
MickJagger wrote:
gadabout wrote:
I don't know, I don't see making an adjustment without having access to the full diameter of truss rod screw slot.

What you are talking about?
Do you own an American Vintage Tele? :roll:
...


I own a real vintage Tele. The pickguard has a recess where the truss rod screw is, but it does not expose the full diameter of the screw. Possibly if you remove the pickguard you might be able to get in there. I don't remember.


Remove the Pickguard.

The truss rod adjustment that I describe with the offset screwdriver is with the pickguard removed.
It's a lot better than detuning the strings and loosening or removing the neck.

The offset screwdriver that I link is the perfect tool for the job.
This is why I think that Fender should make and sell a similar offset screwdriver.


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Post subject: Re: Fender American Vintage Series Truss Rod Adjustment
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 3:14 pm
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As shown below, when you remove the pickguard from the body of the American Vintage 52 Telecaster, and most likely all American Vintage Series guitars, the body is notched between the top of the pickup cavity and the bottom of the neck pocket to allow for "access to the full diameter of truss rod screw slot" with the Offset Screwdriver - N-206 - from Telephone Tools of Georgia, as linked in the first post, above.

Image

Here is a picture of the actual Telephone Tools of Georgia Offset Screwdriver - N-206 that I have added to the first post above.

Image

This is how easy it is to adjust the truss rod in an American Vintage '52 Telecaster with the strings at tension, with the Telephone Tools of Georgia Offset Screwdriver N-206.

Image

I hope this might be of help to anyone who may own an American Vintage Series Fender guitar who would rather just remove the pick guard than disassemble the neck and body to adjust the truss rod.


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