Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:12 am

Got this US 2013 Legacy, by all accounts never played new in box with papers etc.

The angle of the truss rod adj nut seems a bit of an odd angle. An allen key doesn't just slip in to the hex without feeling around a bit. I noticed the hole is not circular but elongated, nearly oval so there is quite a bit of clearance around the nut particularly above and below. So much clearance that a couple of times my allen key has gone in the space around the allen nut rather than in the screw itself. Is that normal? I cant even see where the Allen nut is biting onto anything or the internal surface of the cavity. It does seem to be doing its job though.

By the way are the Allen keys for the truss rod and bridge adj metric or Imperial?

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:11 pm

Kenny202 wrote:Got this US 2013 Legacy, by all accounts never played new in box with papers etc.

The angle of the truss rod adj nut seems a bit of an odd angle. An allen key doesn't just slip in to the hex without feeling around a bit. I noticed the hole is not circular but elongated, nearly oval so there is quite a bit of clearance around the nut particularly above and below. So much clearance that a couple of times my allen key has gone in the space around the allen nut rather than in the screw itself. Is that normal? I cant even see where the Allen nut is biting onto anything or the internal surface of the cavity. It does seem to be doing its job though.

By the way are the Allen keys for the truss rod and bridge adj metric or Imperial?


Truss rod nut holes were hand drilled before 2011 but the factory switched to doing them on the CNC machine in 2011.
See these posts: About non-compression truss rod and Plek and ...and it's with a heavy heart.

Summary:
The truss rod access hole is now cut using the HAAS CNC router; where in the past it was a secondary, manual operation using a drill and small barrel sander. The new method allows for a cleaner hole that will not end up “out-of-round” as some of the older ones could. The other improvement with this method is consistent location of the truss rod nut. The depth and side-to-side location of the truss rod nut could vary and this would make certain necks much more difficult to adjust.


I am surprised that the neck on your 2013 Legacy appears to have the previous manual process done for the truss rod nut hole.
Do you have the neck date on the neck to confirm the neck was built in 2013? Can you post some photos of truss-rod nut hole of this neck and
photo of the serial number plate on the back of the headstock?

Regarding the wrench set, they would be the metric set. See: Can you tell me which allen wrenches I need for my G&L?.

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:16 pm

I really don't want to take the neck off to check the date at this point, have done so much set up and re set up with this guitar due to a pack of counterfeit strings I bought, but I understand that would confirm definitely. Hoping the photos will give you some idea. Also included photo of back neck plate and birth certificate. Note the elongated hole and gap around the truss rod nut. Its actually difficult to get the allen key in properly. Pretty poor design really

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:37 am

I suggest contacting Memo Romero, who is the G&L Service Manager. His email address is repairs@glguitars.com.

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:47 am

There is nothing wrong with its operation as far as I can see except a bit awkward to get the key in. How does it look to you Craig? Does it look like the old style or you see something wrong?

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:32 am

Kenny202 wrote:There is nothing wrong with its operation as far as I can see except a bit awkward to get the key in. How does it look to you Craig? Does it look like the old style or you see something wrong?


I really can't tell from your photos, other than the nut on the truss rod looks to be the latest non-compression truss rod they currently use.

Here is a tool I use to adjust the truss rod nut. It is a T-handle Allen metric wrench:
Image

It is much easier to use, at least for me.

Hope this helps.

BTW, did you buy this guitar as used or NOS?

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Sat Mar 27, 2021 5:38 pm

Well it didn't come from a shop but a private collector who has had it since new. Not a mark on it. It appears to have never been played.
It's just that I thought it odd there is so much room around the truss rod nut. You can see that from the photos?

Image

Re: Truss rod adjustment hole US Legacy

Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:13 pm

Do you use a metric wrench or an imperial one? This needs a 4mm metric allen wrench; a ⅝" wrench will swim around quite a bit and its use can ruin the nut.

- Jos