I am trying to adjust my rods on my 4001 to correct a forward bow. While trying this, I cannot seem to get any tool around the nuts without possibly having to bend the rods forward, possibly causing some damage to the nut/fingerboard. Is this normal? It doesn't seem like there's any playroom in the TR cavity to do adjusments. I've tried using a socket, an opened end wrench, an opened end wrench made especially for working on starter motors, and a tool I bought in a package from Stew Mac. It looks sort of like a mini smoking pipe, and has been labled in the box for use on Rickenbacker truss rods.
Is there any trick I can do to avoid damage? I'm sure the rods hasn't been adjusted in many years.
Adjusting Truss Rod Nuts On A 4001
Moderator: jingle_jangle
You need to use a long, hollow handle 1/4" hex wrench. I am sure someone else here has a pic of it; the official RIC one is an Xcelite L8. You can get it from RIC, or any number of dealers like Mike Parks. I would also suggest you do a search on adjusting the truss rods properly before you do any damage!
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dale_fortune
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 1241
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:00 am
If you have a Cam Clamp that has cork on both sides, use that between the Finger Board and the back of the neck behind the top nut, a C clamp with pine backed up with card board will also work. This will allow you to get your socket/nut driver/wrench, which ever you are using, on the T.R. nuts without seperating the F.B. from the Neck Stock. Often we would take a hollow ground wood chisel and carve out a small amount of wood below the truss rod nuts for easier adjustments. You may also want to place small steel flat washers inbetween the T.R. nut and the aluminum backing plate, this will allow the nuts to tighten without tearing into the backing plate without causing the threaded ends to bend down into the wood of the T.R. cavity.
I was going to say the same thing, use a clamp on the first fret in front of the nut, you can bend the nuts up then if you have to without popping the fretboard. If you can get a thin clamp right on the aluminum block it would be even better. You can usually bend them up with a screw driver enough to get a thin socket on, and once they are up you can loosen them. Most likely they will bend down again, most do, it's from the top of the double backed rod pressing against the top of the back of the block as the nuts push against the other side on the lower part of the block. That naturally pushes the block over and the rods then go up which is what pops the fretboard.
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jwr2
here's some info from the Ric Registration page ...
Back off both nuts, then retighten just until you feel contact with the bearing plate. Tune to pitch. You need to flex the neck back towards straightness before tightening the rods. This can be done using simple gravity and (very little) muscle, or with a clamping setup.
The quick and dirty way is to put the neck across your lap. Hold down the first few frets with your left hand. Let the body hang in space. The body's weight will straighten the neck somewhat while you tighten the rods with your right hand.
The more accurate, but more slow and cumbersome way: You need two pieces of wood slim enough to sit on the fingerboard between your D + A strings. Pad the sides that will touch the fingerboard with cork. You need a reasonably stiff board as long as the neck. Last, you need one clamp with padded jaws that opens to at least 9-10". Place one small piece between the nut and first fret, the other around the 15th fret. Rest the long board on edge on these two pieces. Place your clamp at the 6th fret. Apply just enough clamp tension so that the whole affair will not fall apart. Get your straightedge. Tighten the clamp until you're satisfied (I never go for a totally straight neck). Snug up the rods. Release the clamp, and check your progress.
Back off both nuts, then retighten just until you feel contact with the bearing plate. Tune to pitch. You need to flex the neck back towards straightness before tightening the rods. This can be done using simple gravity and (very little) muscle, or with a clamping setup.
The quick and dirty way is to put the neck across your lap. Hold down the first few frets with your left hand. Let the body hang in space. The body's weight will straighten the neck somewhat while you tighten the rods with your right hand.
The more accurate, but more slow and cumbersome way: You need two pieces of wood slim enough to sit on the fingerboard between your D + A strings. Pad the sides that will touch the fingerboard with cork. You need a reasonably stiff board as long as the neck. Last, you need one clamp with padded jaws that opens to at least 9-10". Place one small piece between the nut and first fret, the other around the 15th fret. Rest the long board on edge on these two pieces. Place your clamp at the 6th fret. Apply just enough clamp tension so that the whole affair will not fall apart. Get your straightedge. Tighten the clamp until you're satisfied (I never go for a totally straight neck). Snug up the rods. Release the clamp, and check your progress.
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jwr2
and some more ...
A little trick I do when I have had to remove truss rods[the old ones] is once I get them out, I use 4/0 steel wool to clean any rust and other **** off of them,polish them up a bit, and then I wax them up with Johnsons' paste floor wax and buff them with a clean towel or rag. This way, you kind of seal the metal against further rusting, as well as make the rods move easier.I also got myself a thread cutting die[a 10-32NF] and redo the threads to clean them up,as most efforts to adjust old rods ends up dinging the threads.I also put around 1/4" more thread length on the rod, too,and this always seems to help.I believe that die cutter size is stated correctly, but if in doubt, take one of the adjusting nuts to the hardware store with you to double check.
A little trick I do when I have had to remove truss rods[the old ones] is once I get them out, I use 4/0 steel wool to clean any rust and other **** off of them,polish them up a bit, and then I wax them up with Johnsons' paste floor wax and buff them with a clean towel or rag. This way, you kind of seal the metal against further rusting, as well as make the rods move easier.I also got myself a thread cutting die[a 10-32NF] and redo the threads to clean them up,as most efforts to adjust old rods ends up dinging the threads.I also put around 1/4" more thread length on the rod, too,and this always seems to help.I believe that die cutter size is stated correctly, but if in doubt, take one of the adjusting nuts to the hardware store with you to double check.
Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to try this in the near future. Even though the neck is bowed forward a bit, it's still quite playable without any real problem. I just tried doing this because I didn't like the looks of it. When I do my next string change, I'll be sure to attempt it again. (I'm one of those people who either puts too little or too much pressure on things, hence almost afraid to do this in fear of popping the fretboard or making more trouble than already is.)
Robert do you mean the middle of the neck is raised up instead of bowed down like you usually would see? If so your TR nuts are too tight and that is probably part of the reason the nuts tilted downward. This would happen if you went from heavy strings to lighter strings without loosening the truss rods.