Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The truss rods on one of my Rickenbackers are sitting too high (popping out) at the headstock. They are actually pressing the TRC causing it to sit raised from the wood of the headstock.

Any advice on rectifying this would be greatly received. Many Thanks.

You will need to pull them and bend the tips back down in a vise. Keep the nuts on so you don't hurt the threads. Clamp each in a vise, with the nuts screwed onto the truss rods all the way until the rod is flush with the end of the nut. Grab the nut with a Vise-Grip and carefully and slowly bend in the proper direction. Be careful not to bend too far.

Reinstall rods, string up and retension.

Thanks Paul, I'll give it a go.

Is there a special way to remove the rods?

I've not done this before but I'm guessing I would need to do the following once I had protected the finish:

1. Remove strings.
2. Remove neck pickup.
3. Slowly loosen the rods (a bit on each as I go along).
4. Remove the nuts completely.
5. Push rods towards body.
6. Remove nuts at other end.
7. Remove rods through headstock.

Does this sound appropriate?

That's it, Clive. All except for #6. I leave the adjusting nuts on so I can grab each with a Vise-Grips.

You'll need a small hammer and something to tap the rods out after you remove the acorn nuts at the body end. I use a small piece of steel rod, but a drift punch or nail set should work. You only need to push them out enough to grab them with the Vise-Grips and pull. Put some masking tape on the headstock to prevent scratching--three layers or more.

It's OK to bend the rods slightly before you reinsert them, to allow them to clear the edge of the recess in the headstock.

Thanks again. You're a gentleman.

Much appreciated.

Here's a much easier way to do it: loosen the strings..use a piece of pine and cardboard on the back of the peg head...take a small 2 inch C clamp and apply pressure to the T-rod nut and pine..slowly bend the tip of the Rod down an 1/8 of an inch...

Dale, many thanks for the advice. I'm a privileged man to have you and Paul helping out.

Would I loosen the truss rod nuts first if I was following your process?

I think I'll take the rods out though. I have nightmare visions of headstocks cracking off, fretboard rising, and necks parting with body. I'm not an experienced luthier and although your option would be the more straightforward to an expert, I assume that taking the rods out would be the least risky, albeit a more time-consuming process for a novice.

IMO taking the rods out is way too much work. This is a very simple fix-it. Leave the nuts tight, put the screw end of the C clamp against the pine backed up with the thin card board(card stock) and the stationary end of the clamp on the flat part of the T-R nut. Slowly tighten until you see it move in a downward motion. An 1/8 ich should do it. You won't crack or snap anything, all the pressure is being exerted between the pine block and the T-R nuts. Taking the rods out can be a little tricky. Careful not to scratch the finish and make sure they are arced when reinstalling them.

Perhaps to relieve some of Clive's fears, clamp the neck between the nut and the first fret to ensure the fingerboard won't pop off.

Ok, to go with that, would a good capo be good enough to clamp between the nut and first fret? Or do you need a good clamp?

Trust me there's no need for extra clamping..all the tension is between the rod and pine/cardstock on the back of the peg head....

An interesting fix Dale. That's the kind of tension we don't mind having around here.

I've fixed it now. Thanks very much everyone.

Um....what method did you use and any problems getting it to work?

Single clamp as suggested by Dale. No problems at all.