62 Hot Rod Strat Truss Rod Questions

[Ayan]

Hi,

I have had a 62 HR for quite some time and, overall, I like it a lot. However, as it had a bit more relief on the neck than I prefer-- I like maybe 5/1000" or less... -- I decided to address that via a truss rod adjustment. I use a hybrid 9 set, 9-46, so it's not like I'm pushing the envelope here. What I found was not very encouraging...

1. The truss rod was basically cranked all the way up, so there is no further range left for the nut to trighten the truss rod anymore.

2. I was thinking of unscrewing the nut and maybe putting a couple of washers under it to see if I could get a bit more mileage out of the truss rod, presuming I might have hit the end of the threaded part of the truss rod.

It just so happens that in my guitar, the truss rod nut will just not come out, period. After turning it counterclockwise maybe a whole turn, or a bit more, from the tightest position, the nut will not go any further and it feels as though the nut is grabbing the truss rod and torking it at that point. Could the nut be captive inside the neck by design???

While it would seem as though the truss rod nut is "vintage style," it is not quite so. Vintage style nuts have a deeper slot on the "cross slots" and there is a hole that runs through the center of the nut lengthwise (so, in the direction of the neck). The truss rod nut in my 62 HR is completely solid at the bottom of the "cross" slots, with no hole to be found.

It seems that somehow the truss not nut is "permanent" a part of the truss rod and is not made to come out. And, furthermore, it would seem that there is only a minor range over which adjustments are possible.

Could anyone share any knowledge that might be able to help me? I did take the guitar to a repair person and he said he'd never seen anything like that before. He was a little more corageous than I and got the relief to where it's about right for me, but the truss rod is now really as tight as it will go before "forcing" things, which we all know is a no-no. The neck is not perfectly straight with hybrid 9s, so I'm sure the relief would be too much with, say, 11s. Total bummer as far as I'm concerned.

I would appreciate any input you guys may be able to give me.

Thanks much,

Gil

[candid_x]

Originally Posted by Ayan

Hi,

I have had a 62 HR for quite some time and, overall, I like it a lot. However, as it had a bit more relief on the neck than I prefer-- I like maybe 5/1000" or less... -- I decided to address that via a truss rod adjustment. I use a hybrid 9 set, 9-46, so it's not like I'm pushing the envelope here. What I found was not very encouraging...

1. The truss rod was basically cranked all the way up, so there is no further range left for the nut to trighten the truss rod anymore.

I've run into this, believe it or not, in a 2008 Am Standard Strat. I even bought a special tool for stripped 1/8" allen head, and wound up stripping that too. I found, though, that bending the neck backwards (braced of course) while turning HARD on the truss got me the 1/2 turn I was looking for. It's not maxed out, but it's binding big time down in there. I can't say if this is what's going on in your Strat, but just sharing my experience with it.

[fisheric]

I concur with candid x.

I lay the neck across my leg and use my leg as a fulcrum. Use a little pressure on the top of the neck to straighten it and then I tighten the truss rod.

I have an old silvertone and this is the only way to adjust it. Turning the bolt on its own does absolutely nothing.

[Ayan]

Originally Posted by fisheric

I concur with candid x.

I lay the neck across my leg and use my leg as a fulcrum. Use a little pressure on the top of the neck to straighten it and then I tighten the truss rod.

I have an old silvertone and this is the only way to adjust it. Turning the bolt on its own does absolutely nothing.

Thanks for the ideas, guys. However, since the nut will not come off, could it be that the Hot Rod 62 has one of those infamous bi-flex rods in it?

Gil

[Ayan]

Ok, took the neck off -- the adjustment is at the heel in this guitar -- and placed it on two stacks of magazines. Stepped in the center section and cranked the truss rod a bit more this time using a right angle screwdriver to get more torque. Got, easily, another 1/8 of a turn and that took the neck to the next level for me. Thanks guys, you gave me the inspiration to gather the courage to go for it rather than not doing anything about it.

Gil

[iamdavea]

I DIG a happy ending! Good news!

[candid_x]

Originally Posted by Ayan

Thanks guys, you gave me the inspiration to gather the courage to go for it rather than not doing anything about it.

Gil

lol, I can relate to the courage part. For me it's like *yikes!* to use that much pressure on a neck.

[riker4208]

I also had a 62 hot rod with pretty severe neck/set-up problems. I've only played two, and they both had too much relief and slight twists in the neck. Both needed more than just a common set-up. Too bad.

[candid_x]

The Am Standards adjusts from the head stock, which I'd previously viewed as an advantage over Fender's heel truss adjustment slots. Not really so on this one. I have to loosen the strings completely, and move them off to the sides, just to get a shot at some tightening action.

Fact is, I am totally spoiled by Music Man's attention to solving these sorts of archaic problems. Not that I don't like Fenders, I do. But what a difference in trying to set these Strats up, in comparison to the logically located and intelligently designed heel wheel deal of my Music Man (Men?). Don't even need to loosen the strings, need no for special tools, so long as it fits into the wheel spoke holes, I can turn it, smooth as butter.

[iamdavea]

I just got a Hot Rod '62 in a trade; the guitar was supposedly brand new, still had the hang tags on it. I've NEVER received a guitar (came via USPS) with a crappier factory set-up. Needed a BIG truss rod adjustment, and the all the saddles were set way too low--it was virtually unplayable as it was. I got it ALMOST right (still needs another quarter turn on the rod), but I'd sure like to know how this puppy got the OK to leave the factory like that.

[Steven_nl]

Hi Gil
I'm thinking about getting a Strat '62 Hot Rod.
I have a Ceriatone OTS. (the version with your/Scotts tweaks)
Obviously not the same as the amp you use. But I'm very curious if you like the combination of your amp with this perticular Strat model.
Instant John Mayer, Steveie Ray Vaughn? LOL
would liove to hear your views
Cheers
Steven Scholten, Netherlands

[Ayan]

Originally Posted by Steven_nl

Hi Gil
I'm thinking about getting a Strat '62 Hot Rod.
I have a Ceriatone OTS. (the version with your/Scotts tweaks)
Obviously not the same as the amp you use. But I'm very curious if you like the combination of your amp with this perticular Strat model.
Instant John Mayer, Steveie Ray Vaughn? LOL
would liove to hear your views
Cheers
Steven Scholten, Netherlands

Hi Steve,

Hmmm... hard to say. My main Strat is a Clapton one, without the active electronics, and with Kinman Blues pickups. The sound of that has little to do with the 62 HR with stock pickups. The 62 has a much lower output and is not as bright, plugged or unplugged.

So the 62 wants to do a lower gain thing, always. I do like it with my non HRM amps, don't like it with my Blues Master HRM amp. The Clapton Strat sounds great with the Blues Master HRM, on the other hand.

Does it sound similar to Mayer? Maybe, I know what his voice sounds like, but not his guitar. As for SRV... who would that be? Really, as great as SRV was, I am not a big fan so I don't have his tonal reference readily available in my mind.

Cheers,

Gil

[Steven_nl]

LOL ok maybe Mayer woyld be a bad example. I realise lots of guitarplayers don't like him. I do feel he has an excelent guitar sound though. and as far as SRV is concerned.....he's Holy LOL.

I feel My Ceriatone seems to work well with low output pickups. mine works best with a Tele with Kinmans. I have a Hamer with Seymore Duncan '59's and my amp can get a nasty edge. The humbuckers seem a bit to hot.

I'm searching for a good vintage bluesy tone in the neck pickup and a good clear sound with a combination of the neck and middle pickup.
This is nice, but a completely different amp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcTeSYQ3z2Q
couldn't resist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSM3FL7zUdw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRWoG7GLF9E

Maybe a different approach. What do you like (tonewise) about the Hot Rod?

[Ayan]

Originally Posted by Steven_nl

Maybe a different approach. What do you like (tonewise) about the Hot Rod?

I like its cleaner sounds... and I like its looks!

Gil

[Steven_nl]

:-)
thanks. Now all I have to do is wait for that major tax refund. No wait the house has to be painted.......bummer