Stripped truss rod nut

I’m almost certain the truss rod nut on my Spector is stripped. The Allen wrench just kind of clicks as I turn it.

How screwed am I?

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Well, it depends on how much that Spector is?

Stewmac has a few diy fixes. Not cheap tools but much cheaper than luthier

I have successfully opened/ separated the fingerboard and neck but I’ve not successfully closed it back up to original condition

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Silly question but are you certain it’s the right size Allen Wrench?

If it’s just the nut but not a broken rod then I doubt you need to replace the rod - might be able to do something with just the nut. never done it though so I don’t know how.

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StudyBass has a good video on swapping a truss rod nut. AI1885 is right about Stewmac - they sell a tool for removing stripped nuts. If it’s just the nut and not the rod, you don’t have to do major surgery. Just take your time and don’t gorilla it.

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If you’ve stripped the nut from using the wrong sized Allen key then you could use a tool that Stew Mac sells to fix it.

The chances of you snapping the truss rod or bolt itself are very small. You’d have to apply an insane amount of torque to snap something like that.

You probably just stripped the nut. Not the end of the world.

Fix it yourself or find a tech who can do the work.

Oh and double check the Allen key size you’re using to avoid this headache in the future.

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If you have the problem @Barney mentioned then the gripper tool’s really works. I have one from Stewmac. If it’s the nut that’s stripped you’ll need a bit more expensive tools. :joy:

The truss rod rescue would run you about $300-350 but it’s a single function tool that works

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In my defense, I’ve always known it was a 4mm wrench. Problem was there wasn’t one that came with the guitar and, up until recently, I was using Allen wrenches from some cheap Harbor Freight-esque set that isn’t exactly accurate in their dimensions. Only recently got a better set but the damage was already done.

Lesson learned.

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Well that’s not too bad then the tool that @Barney recommended would work.

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Ok @mr.crispy well that’s recoverable.

Once you’ve got the offending stripped nut out you’ll just need to replace it.

I know nothing about Spector but I’m sure you can google that stuff and find the right nut. The internal (female) thread of the nut has to obviously match the pitch of the truss rod thread.

They aren’t expensive. An example here is just $4

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Also @mr.crispy you don’t need to buy expensive tools to adjust a truss rod nut.

Amazon basics will have every size of wrench you’ll ever need and for not much money. In both metric and imperial. Good luck

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Hex-Allen-Wrench-Ball/dp/B0776C2D6H/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_ffob_sspa?crid=2TLETKTC10RJQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6KjoGyIxDFhBpZxHOCJXefJBmmkGCrwNrn__PGtb5LOeLyFcTtmnusFUPHW40V6QzgS8oMn1ymHphZpInleiRGm4rJ-rfkil3-B-QwPrJQqy1SnWWPdHIvpKTzAFShZ-BeiyQfIIPd4Viv6JZCJmWUjbdPFG8ypiUn4h2qGNQ3RWopfGsFclR0gLkKzeF0sXHIggi9OUJL_xP-9nHMQ01g.6sVWNL2QyZfcEOav0QMOsNItTfeSrQmxXGcSc0ybOdw&dib_tag=se&keywords=allen+wrenches+sets&qid=1714916549&sprefix=allen+%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

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personally i have found that cheap tools (harbor freight, amazon basics, etc…) will generally work but there is a much greater risk of stripping/slipping. i was having problems with my yamaha 174’s nut and then i got a “good” hex wrench and it really made a big difference:

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I’ve found I pay for any money saved with aggravation if I get cheap tools. It doesn’t need to be snap-on, but for example the money spent for channel locks brand pliers over harbor freight ones seems well worth it.

Unless it’s something like a breaker bar, then harbor freight is perfect lol.

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You don’t have to convince me of the value of spending money on good tools. I have a workshop full of them.

However we’re not stripping and rebuilding a Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engine here.

We are turning a 4mm nut one quarter turn at a time. If you chose the correct size and don’t act like a gorilla, it should be fine.

If you want a nice set then look at Bondhus. Made in the USA to decent tolerances.

If you want to spend a little more then the Wera wrenches (German) that @mgoldst bought are really good. It’s what I’ve used for years. Currently $36 on sale. Plus another 30 odd bucks to get the metric set. So $70 will set you up for life.

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