# Stripped Fender truss rod allen socket



## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Hi all. I have a late model ('05) American Deluxe Strat and the allen socket in the truss rod is stripped. For the moment, I have made a tapered allen wrench that works. I realize this is a common problem as Stew-Mac sells a tapered wrench specifically for this purpose. My question is, how can this be repaired to factory original? I purchased a Fender bullet nut from Stew-Mac but it is obviously the wrong nut as it is too large to fit through the hole in the headstock. Is the nut replaceable? Is it part of the truss rod and if so, can the truss rod be backed all the way out and replaced? Pictures would certainly help. 

Thanks
Swervin:smile:


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## Alain Moisan (Jan 16, 2010)

Hi Swervin,

I'm more an acoustic guy but I've seen my fair share of strats. Although I don't know exactly about the "American Deluxe Strat", most strat these days have some sort of a cap on top of the truss rod nut (usually darker then the white maple neck) with a small hole in it just big enough for the allen key to go in it. To replace the nut, you have to remove the cap first - quite a tricky task if you are not a pro repairman.

Maybe I'm wrong but if you could post a picture where we can clearly see the trussrod access hole, than it would be easier to answer you.

Alain Moisan
Les Guitares Moisan
www.guitaresmoisan.com


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

This is what I was afraid of due to the fact I don't have the regular headstock, but one that is all black and removing the cap becomes infinitely more difficult. Not a great shot, but it gives you some idea...


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## Alain Moisan (Jan 16, 2010)

Infinitely more difficult, I wouldn't say, but definitly more difficult to hide the repair (and probably more expensive as well...). Looking at the dimension of the trussrod access hole, I'm sure there is a cap to remove. The nut supplied by Stewmac is quite probably of good dimension. (Small consolation, I know...)

Like I said, this is quite a tricky job to do, so make sure to bring it to someone who is comfortable with doing the job (i.e.: not your local guitar tech that's doing this as a weekend job...)


Good luck!


Alain Moisan
Les Guitares Moisan
www.guitaresmoisan.com


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Alain:

Thanks for your replies. You are most likely correct that the Stew-Mac nut is the right size. You are also correct that there is a "cap" on this guitar as the seam can be seen faintly beneath the clear coat.

Swervin:smile:


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## Alain Moisan (Jan 16, 2010)

You're welcome!


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## drbracken (May 23, 2008)

If it's a Bi Flex truss rod the nut won't come off,(don't ask me how I know this!) I think your tapered allen key is the best bet. You can help it along by flexing the neck in the desired direction with some clamps so that the nut won't have to work so hard when you adjust it.

John


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## drbracken (May 23, 2008)

I should quailfy my previous post, some of the nuts won't come out because(in my case) they bear against a metal "stop block" and not directly on the walnut plug. If yours bears only on the plug then you could drill out the plug and replace the nut with a "bullet" truss rod nut. I don't know of any way to tell if a neck has a stop block short of x-raying it, but I think most do not have it.
John


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## Alain Moisan (Jan 16, 2010)

Indeed, there might be a metal stopper. According the the Fender patent , the metal stopper should be directly under the nut. So if loosen the strings and remove the nut, you should see the stopper and be able to remove it.

(NOTE: I'm not speaking of experience, I'm just gathering this information from the web....)


Alain Moisan
Les Guitares Moisan
www.guitaresmoisan.com


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