Removing a damaged Fender truss rod nut 

I feel your situation of troubleshooting, I work in servicing small machinery for 30 years and sometimes a single screw could take hours to extract. Great work!

The main talent here is knowing when to stop and to reconsider...the line between "fixed" and "even further down the hole" is a fine one...

The original Broadcasters [Tele] didn't have a truss rod installed. Leo Fender was of the mind that they weren't needed, and demonstrated his belief by putting a neck between two chairs and standing on it. It supported his weight easily. However, many folks returned these originals to have the truss rods installed, and a channel made in the body so one could adjust the rod without removing the neck. Thus, the famous 'skunk stripe' was born on Fender necks. Note that Leo wasn't a musician, and didn't know the difference between tremolo and vibrato, and so called the vibrato unit a 'tremolo.' The Fender amplifiers which had a tremolo effect did call the effect properly. But the string stretching units are still called a tremolo today, even though they are actually vibrato units. I subscribed to your channel because it seems very 'British', and a refreshing change from many American channels, which I do watch regularly. I really appreciate your videos. thank you.

What an awesome effort and troubleshooting protocol. You get them in to repair....you assess....and you aren't going to let that guitar beat you! Thanks so much for posting this!

I was courious how you solved the problem. I had it myself with a cheap but well built maple neck for my squier telly. After some attemps of loosening the stuck trussrod, I solved the problem exactly the same way :-) So thanks David for this confirmation. It seemes to be a good idea if nothing else works...

I legit thought he was gonna have to remove that rosewood finger board.

Real 'edge of the seat' stuff there David. Well done.

I love watching you deal with complications and solve problems but more importantly your sharing is awesome. It reminds me of a community who helped me do a motorbike engine rebuild. The support was fantastic as is your channel. Thanks for the journey. Your calming delivery gives us all hope.👍

An incredible amount of patience.

Super job, you have the patience of a saint, great content and top level pro repair, thank you for sharing.

Hi David, I truly feel for you as I watch you in this video and how you had to try all manner of the usual tricks to extract this T rod nut. I made it to the 10:25 mark as you work with the extractor. I had a similar but different issue. In my case, my Strat nut seemed to give me purchase on my allen wrench, BUT it kept spinning full 360 degree spins in either direction. I actually had my neck X rayed at a hospital and still could not see a break. However, I researched all manner of ways to replace one should it turn out to be broken indeed. The end result for me as I determined I needed to do like you did to drill out and clean the plug hole out completely. Since loosening the nut was not occurring, there was no way it would push the plug out using the nut. My next decision was my saving grace. I unbolted the neck, then just at the end of the skunk stripe, I took a 1/4 inch chisel and began to chisel out the smallest sliver at the end of the Skunk stripe by the round termination anchor. As I tapped the chisel with my hammer, the anchor started making rattling noises and actually showed me it was loose and could be removed from the neck and then expose the broken off end of the Bi Flex Truss rod. As you can surmise, the next trick was to actually get the rod out, and this turns out to have been doable via the hole in the headstock with a removed plug. I have places on the web where I have documented this in process in pictures and desctiptions. I got so lucky not to have to remove the skunk stripe, or as some necks require, the fingerboard or more invasive procedures.

Well, that effort was worth a subscription. When that chrome piece started peaking out of that cavity after ALL that, I smiled and said Wow wow wow...

Your gentle movements make me think you were trained to handle nitroglycerin. Nice finesse work man.

My 2005 Strat HSS has the same problem. I had the guitar set up without the use of the truss rod but the strings are still a bit to high off the fret board. It looks likes it time to get it fixed the proper way. Great video. Thanks!

Im a lot more forceful and wayyy less patient than you, my friend. This was inspiring for me to calm the f down and be gentle. Thank you.

Thank you for creating this informative and useful video, and congratulations on not letting loose a litany of obscenities during the filming.

Loved watching you win this battle

Yes, out here is somebody with the same problem. It's an Epiphone mandolin. The nut is stripped, I've looked all over for information, and I think this is what I was looking for. Actually, it's just a confirmation of what I was already thinking, using an extractor, which I have in the toolbox already. But it's nice to see it working for you before I get started. Thanks a ton.

So grateful for your video! I thought I had really broken the bullet style truss rod on my Fender tele. I just used a poor quality hex wrench that stripped it, and I was able to get it off with a better quality wrench and re-attach it and tighten it, and it is working fine now. So glad I didn't break the rod itself. You're a lifesaver!

Nice calm consideration of the issue and a gradual increase of applied pressure and relief. Good job! I would point out the ball driver is fine and very convenient most of the time to a certain amount of force however after a certain point it’s wise to switch it for a proper straight driver. Also, using the one way bullet style nut was a fair response to the situation but hiding behind the walnut plug may trick someone into causing damage in the future in the odd (and admittedly unlikely) chance the truss rod is needed to provide additional relief.

Spectacular work on one of the more difficult electric guitar repairs. Always a good idea to video these repairs as there's a real possibility the rod might snap or break at the anchor weld. See also Ted Woodford's video "American Strat Rides the Lightning" where he uses electrical heating to loosen the walnut plug.

Did the same on my American strat and used a much more reliable bullet nut all good now! Glad to see that you have done the same!! Awesome!

Nice video! Helped a lot! Your voice is relaxing and good job!

My Lord, what a beast of a job. I am stunned that it's even possible to do this. I'll have my luthier watch this to try to save a vintage axe that I am very attached to. Cheers!!

This was remarkable and so enlightening! Thank you for bring this to us!!!

Beautiful rosewood board. Fine work!!

Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and experience! I’ve got this exact problem with a neck someone gave that’s been sitting in my shop for over 3 years. Guess it’s time to get cracking!

I wanted to know how the mechanism of the truss rod in case I needed to remove one. this gave me good insight. thank you.

This video gave me more anxiety than I ever expected! I wish I could give this more than one like!

Today , I had a stuck (seized) truss rod nut. I managed to get it unstuck and the problem is solved for now it adjusted up fine . If I at a later date have to remove and replace the nut I know how Thanks to you ! However, I will certainly put a small amount of anti-seize on the nut. and would advise everyone to do the same . Thanks again

Your videos are absolutely fascinating. I love your presentation style too. Thank you so much for doing them. You and Paul Davids are what make RU-vid worthwhile. Somebody should grab you and make a TV series

Very much appreciate you sharing this repair. I take my hat off to you.

I realize this is quite an old video, but in case, you still check these comments, I wanted to let you know: I am having this exact problem on a Squier telecaster. Thank you so much for the video, I wasn’t sure where to go from here. Well done!

When mine was stuck I put a few drops of silicone lubricant in the truss rod channel and waited maybe 10 minutes.I then carefully torqued it out with the proper key and a wrench for leverage.

You sir are a Craftsman, a clever Craftsman.

Nice work, had the same issue Years ago And tryed the Stewmac tapered too. At the moment you switched to extractor I switched back to the original 1/8 allen key..stick it in heated up the allen key real hot. So the heat transfer to the trussrod nut. With a plier remove that key and stick in again the tapered. It released in a sigh. But Nice work sir!

Fine work sir!

I have the same problem with a fender jazz bass! I will try to extract the truss rod nut by watching your awesome video again! thanks a lot!

Great stuff! I was on the edge of my squeaky swivel chair and I was so relieved to see the nut finally make its exit.

Brilliant video. Thanks for sharing.

Great job! I notice the Serial number on the Tele is very similar to mine. I know Fender Serial numbers aren't so accurate. I've never touched my truss rod, nor tried to use the "micro tilt" feature, I got used to it the way it was when I bought it. I have tweaked the intonation though. Your work reminded me of trying to repair my car, a spark plug sheared off leaving the threaded portion in the engine! I had a nice set of "easy outs" as we call them in the aerospace business, so no problem. Wrong I couldn't get sufficient torque on the easy out. Finally after 3 yrs I paid a guy $60 to drill out the old plug, retap the hole & install a "threaded collar", thank goodness it's now running. Bravo to you sir, I've learned much. My 1992 Tele does need a refretting. Well done, I'm impressed. (I won't be touching my truss rod, by the way). Bravo again.

My goodness that was stressful. Great job!!

I have the same issue with a beater guitar, a 1994 Chinese made Squier Bullet Strat (full thickness solid wood body back then). TL:DR ahead! I always had my main gigging Strat (1990 American Std Stratocaster with a custom John Buscarino maple neck, and Buscarino installed EMG S pickups) The EMGs were great all around pickups for the large stereo rig I usually ran it through and the early Roland GP-100 COSM guitar processor (they didn't even call em modelers back then) with the ability to call up complete studio style signal chains with the tap on a 10 footswitch controller, the guitar played beautifully, the neck was slim and comfortable and effortless to play. With a Steve Lukather inspired set of patches, it was killer and sounded like an album track on stage. However, In all that time, I never had a real strat with real single coils, and what I recently figured out with a much simpler combo amp setup was, it never could do a REAL 60's scooped glassy SRV "lenny" thing, and did not have the really funky hollow quack sound in positions 2 and 4... It just was too flat and "hi-fi" and not enough character.. When lockdown started in 2020, I decided to drag out all the guitars that had been in the basement in their cases for 10 years, one of which was the roached out Squier Bullet. It was a mess, I wanted to use it as a learning platform for doing six screw traditional Strat setup, cleanup, electronics, fretboard cleaning and conditioning, and fret polishing.. I found the "your guitar academy" RU-vid channel with a series that covered all the way from stringing and tuning through PROPER detail oriented setups for gibson and fender guitars. It was so clear and well shot that I realized I really could do all that, with some tools I already had and a few decent luthier's tools. The Squier needed the full treatment as I learned it in those videos, and I thought maybe I could have a "REAL" strat on the cheap if I installed the original 1990 pickups and electronics that I got in a separate box when I bought the 1990 American Standard Buscarino frankenstrat from my best friend. I had never used the harness and pickups in 26 years in any guitar, and realized I had never had a real strat with non ceramic pickups as a point of reference. I did a whole meticulous breakdown and refurb on the Bullet, new pickguard and pickup covers to match, and got all the electronics in and began the cleanup / conditioning and setup. I got almost all the way there, but could not get the neck completely flat as I would normally on any of my other guitars before installing the strings and setting the bridge float and string action height... I had never felt any other guitar needing as much torque as I was applying, and did not know what it feels like when you bottom out on the threads at the end of a truss rod.. I stripped that interior hex nut and had that nut held FAST to the threads for my efforts. I brought it to a great luthier by me (a colleague of John Suhr's when they both worked out of 48th street custom guitars in NYC in the 90's) and he tried all the things you did, just shy of the screw extractor. He stopped there for these reasons: 1) I had the action almost flat in the height of the humid season in the summer. (Here in the states in the northeast, guitars tend to INCREASE in releif in the dry winters when the heat comes on.. ) 2) He didn't charge me for the attempt, and did not want to possibly break the rod, because that would mean a new neck, and I was tight on money at the time 3) The guitar was so cheap, it was not really worth the risk when I did not have any other real Alnico single coil strat option in my collection and was not buying a new strat any time soon 4)The guitar played ok, and would not backbow at any time in the year, just a bit too much relief during the winter. 5) The 1990's pickups did not do the classic 60's bright tone after all, so trying to make an old bullet strat "perfect" when it did not even do what the aim of all the upgrade work was, was pointless. That was during the second year of lockdown.. So the guitar was just a sad limbo instrument since then. Fast forward to now, during the holiday season sales, and I just picked up a 2022 Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat in Lake Placid Blue. It is gorgeous, has a neck that is SO much nicer in the hand, and the pickups NAIL THAT TONE I have been hearing in my head with ease.. So, long story short, I am now a lot less afraid to actually take that Bullet Strat neck off, and give it a go. Finding your video was the reason why I knew it was do-able.. Thank you!..

I tried this after watching this video with a bolt extractor that I had and it worked! Brilliant!

Awesome video!! I'm the one that just enjoy watching. Cheers from Brazil and keep with the awesome content!

10:20 was like geek suspense to the max, I was glued to the tip of the wrench...

Excellent work, I believe I would have sent that to fender for a replacement (lifetime warranty against defects).

Really enjoyed that! Thanks

Thanks for the video! I'll be rescuing the truss rod nut from my Fender MIM J-Bass soon, and watching this really helped me to visualize how to perform this repair! 👍

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!! My strat truss rod nut is threaded and this is exactly what I needed to see.

Super job. I'm just starting out doing my own repairs and maintenance and your channel is so helpful! Thanks for sharing! :)

I've had forty years in the trade. Your "basic accomplished luthier." Maybe a simpler way for luthiers to get the job done.: Remove about 3/8" width of fingerboard between nut and 1st fret in the center. ( removing the nut and the first fret beforehand, of course) THEN you have a bit more access to the damaged rod, and can more easily remove it. This is ONLY for luthiers who have a stash of rosewood scrap, so that they can grain-match the wod that was removed. I've done this job more than thrice. I've made it so a customer can't see my work: (patches/ inserts) at all. I've done the same thing on Fenders where the neck adjustment was at the body. Remove a section of the board ( as mentioned above) Access the rod, and shove it out at the body end. Drill a 3/32" hole in the t-rod, pput the rod back in. Insert a hardened steel pin into the neck rod anchor point at 90 degrees to the rod, and that can then be epoxied in W/CARE, and used as new neck rod anchor for necks that adjust at the body. You'll have to do a hair of " wood-excavation" to make it so that you can insert the pin. I've done this 5 X in my alleged " career". It always worked. Sorry if this is vague, but I don't have more time. That's all I got.

This is awesome... Thanks so much. Very thoughtful and I like how you took us along for the journey including the plot twists!

Good job! You can also spray some 'liquid wrench' into a cup ,pour the liquid down the truss rod top using a short bit of heat shrink. Let it sit for and hour.Then slightly heat your wrench before attempting to remove.

nice work JARVIS

This video was wonderfully educational, and even suspenseful and dramatic at times. Thank you SO much for making it. I have one bit of feedback, though (really it’s a request!), regarding how I ended up here, seeing your video. This is one of the top 3 RU-vid search results returned by entering: **”make replace walnut truss cavity plug fender”** It also has a “Key Moment” labeled at 4:38 as “Making a new plug.” I watched your video because I wanted to see someone shape a new walnut plug and put it in. I need to learn how to do that properly. You skipped over that. It isn’t in the video. Turns out I do not mind so much, because I was enriched in other ways by seeing this. It was not a waste of time to watch it, even though it did not contain the specific information I sought. So, my request is: **Would you consider making a video of you shaping a new replacement walnut truss hole plug, and putting it into a neck?** I’m sure I’m not the only person who’d love to see that. Either way, thanks for making these. I am subscribing to this channel now.

I have the exact same problem on my guitar, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

Hero status! Thanks for sharing. I used those bullet adjusters in my own guitars. No plugs to block them in though. Leaves the neck stronger in case the guitar is dropped.

Those bi-flex truss rods are notorious for that. Fender actually sells the replacement walnut plugs because it’s so common.

Excellent video. Thankyou.

I'm glad you got a result. I have a Vintage icon v6 with exactly the same issue. Only difference being I simply cannot get it to budge. I've tried ezi outs, ezi ins and forced it to the point of being scared the rod will snap but alas not even a miniscule movement. I'm inclined to chuck the whole thing in the bin given vintage made it with a 58mm heel and I can't even get a cheapie squire neck or other Chinese neck to fit.

In terms of DYI repair, this degree of difficulty appears to be 10/10. I have a buddy who asked if I could help him fix a stripped truss rod nut. The short answer appears to be “no”.

Excellent work.

Great video. I have a similar problem on a 1990 epiphone sheraton. The nut is absolutely stuck.. appears that the black paint finish has 'glued' the nut in place. The nut also looks off centre which may mean that's cross threaded. The allen should be 5mm but it's quite loose sloppy in the nut....

Oooft! That was a tough one!

I've been repairing guitars and basses, and string bass violins for going on 48 years now. Yes, I'm old! lol! AND still learning, too- I'm about to refret a 90's Fender American Standard Stratocaster. I've gotten the neck almost totally straight, but the rod is maxxed and the nut so rounded- it now takes a 9/64" wrench to get a purchase on it. My conscience will not allow me to simply say to my client- 'ah, don't worry about it- the neck is straight now.' Thanks for this video- I will be doing this exact job, right here in Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. Next week, after fixing another issue I didn't plan on encountering!

Only a luthier would use an adjustable wrench. Kudos to your perseverance and excellent work.

I enjoyed that. I haven't dealt with one quite that stubborn before, but if I ever do, this video will come to mind, and I'll have a better chance at succeeding. Thank you sir.

Very useful! Currently having the same provb with my Sratocoustic. Need to locate the correct size extractor. Twas as i had suspected, now i can continue after the triop to Lowe's! Can't thank you enough!!!

Good save!

Thanks for sharing this! I found it very helpful.

I love the squarely work

Great video. You didn’t give up.

Thank you Sir. Yes, I did find your video very useful. I am about to tackle the same problem.

I had the same problem with a strat. I used the original nut and machined it down to take a cap screw and silver soldered the cap screw in. The result is a internal hex which is deeper than the original and that was 20 years ago, still have the neck although I have replaced the truss rod which I snapped. The 7th. fret marker covers a screw which holds the truss rod in a curved position. I milled out the skunk strip and was able to make a new truss rod out of stainless which will out last me.

Brilliant video, i will be embarking on this truss rod nut quest soon but on a squire strat neck. The nut bolt is stripped, hopefully I can get it out to replace it!

Beautiful work!!

Great job, my friend!

I have the exact same issue with a 70’s Tele and a luthier couldn’t sort it. I’ll be trying this top tip

Proper professional job !

Great vid great job

Tries 100% force to remove nut: no result. Removes plug. Tries 100% force to remove nut: no result. Who would have thought? 😂

Fascinating, great video.

you are awesome, im thankful you encountered that kind of problem and shared it with us

Good job! I bought a strat that had a very loose/almost stripped trussrod and over the years it just got worse! Of all the things I have done in my little shop, that is not it! Going to now I know what's going on in the end of my guitar neck!!

nother job well done. I would've liked to see the tool that you used (up close) to remove the nut. I would also liked to have seen you work on the plug and damaged finger board. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience.

I bought a neck that I thought was fake or a squire with Fender decal . It had no plug but the section where it was missing was a little coarse and at the heel , there is a piece missing under the steel cylinder for tilt adjustment.

Fantastic, I have a similar issue, I'll keep you posted:)

Great job!

Ask any industrial mechanic or farmer...Penetrating oil followed by extreme temp difference will release even the most rusted/corroded hardware. I had one of these disasters on the bench... I drizzled some penetrating oil onto the truss rod and let it sit overnight...still no go. So I put the neck in the freezer overnight (0 deg F). I heated the stew Mac tool with a propane torch...bingo the heat rapidly expanded the nut enough to break it loose and the penetrating oil let me turn it off the truss rod. It was a steel nut, rusted to the point of no return...it looked like something off of a 100 yr old shipwreck. Thankfully the threads on the rod end were not as bad. I chased them to clean it up and put on a new brass nut ( stew Mac). But I used di-electric grease that we normally use in breaker boxes to prevent corrosion between dissimilar metals. Should never again seize up.

Very well explained. Small remark: the nut is made of koa, not mahogany ( 0:58).

Very interesting video. Just a couple of observations - could you use a soldering iron to heat up a nd shock the nut into action? And I don't understand how the truss rod can operate as a two way if the nut actually comes away from the rod?

I have a neck that looks the same around the nut, but, it seems that the truss nut came out ? (with me realizing it) Why do I think that? Because, when I look into the hole, I see only female threading. So does this mean the all I have to do is buy the proper nut? The neck is an Fender American Standard 2004 Telecaster. Thanks for your help!

I saw luthiers that use vapour to remove the nut plug without making holes with a drill

Incredible extraction there sir. I would have been too scared to do such repairs but you're the specialist! I'd like to seek advise on a Fender maple neck I got that have warped rather severely away from the strings... How would you go about tackling this kind of issue?

i just found out fender makes a special sized hex wrench. after all these years of trying every size that usually worked. i stripped my 400 fender neck. its not 1/8 or any metric size you can buy. beware

From my automotive experience oft times a "torx" bit will grab a damaged allen FWIW

This is a thriller

Well done...a job many other pro's would eschew you have taken on & resolved....so often you hear "truss rod broken scrap it".....not so it would seem!

Wondering if a couple of drops of acetone or naphtha to help dissolve the heavy glue surrounding the Truss nut? Just a thought.