Adjusting an '82 guitar neck ???

[jdogric12]

Hi gang. Stupid question, but an 82 4080 guitar neck has old school rods and must be adjusted manually, like old basses, correct? Thanks, J

[jps]

Yah!

[jdogric12]

Dang. One of the nutz is split. Spacer looks funky too. This could be something of a project.

[jps]

That is surprising! How is it that a nut is broken? Pics, please!

[jdogric12]

I took some pics last night. I'll try to remember to upload them tonight.

[jdogric12]

here it is.

[jps]

That's really bizzare! Some one got a bit Hulk-like with it!

[sloop_john_b]

That's really bizzare! Some one got a bit Hulk-like with it!

Dave?!

[jps]

Another unusual thing is that the spacer bar is more like the modern ones, thin and flat, not thick with contoured ends to fit the cavity.

[jingle_jangle]

That thang's been sooo messed with...adjusted and readjusted over the years. I get a ham-handed vibe.

The spacer has been replaced with what looks like a home-made cold-rolled steel one...it's just a bit too long and rusted to be factory. The reason that it's been replaced? No doubt the original soft aluminum one was so chewed up it was discarded. Judging from what I see on those rods and the nuts, Id venture to say that the nuts had embedded themselves into the aluminum spacer so far that tension was impossible to maintain reliably.

[jdogric12]

Would a new set of rods/nuts/spacer work? Old style or new style?

[jingle_jangle]

Not possible to say with 100% confidence, without actually holding the geetar and giving it a close inspection. Offhand, I think new rods won't do anything, but I haven't pulled and inspected the old rods. But it definitely should have the aluminum spacer, for starters. You need that thickness to get enough tension going...

[jdogric12]

Ah, so I probably just need new nuts and a spacer, eh?

[jps]

Ah, so I probably just need new nuts and a spacer, eh?

So, that's what that thing is called between nuts!

[jingle_jangle]

Jeez. I'm surprised. We all can see from the expression in the Dawg's avatar that something's amiss with his spacer...