Truss rod nut replacement (Squier Affinity P bass)

[sunburst79]

Also. The Gripper truss rod tools do work. But your nut - really a socket is to far gone at this point. There’s nothing for the Gripper to grip.

 

[Basso Elettrico]

@ sunburst79 much appreciated. The pics are actually good, they show exactly what you’re referring to. Was that a bass you own (owned) ?

 

[sunburst79]

That was a cheap strat kit not a bass but I doubt there’s much difference. It was part of what was going to be the “Great 59.99 Guitar Build Off” contest at another site. Mine showed up with the treble side of the fingerboard chamfered in at a 45 degree so extreme it was under the high E and just unusable. Then the body split. I’ve gotten way more use out of it using it as a guinea pig for fingerboard removal and reglueing and pinning body cracks etc. Taught myself to refret.

But most Fender Style guitars and basses are constructed and manufactured the same way. Just scaled up or down.

It’s a huge undertaking to replace the truss rod on anything. Well most anything. Rics are different. But normally the boards got to come off or the filler strip on the back. Then you’ve got to touch up the work or refinish things once it’s back together.

I’d like to be wrong. I’ve never had a reason to attempt a rod replacement on a Squier.

You should have a standard size neck pocket. Finding a replacement neck should be simple. There are plenty of choices. But check your dimensions twice.

 

[sunburst79]

Also. I’ve been messing with stuff since round 1977. I’ve got two I’ve managed to compromise slightly in that time. That’s out of probably 100 or so guitars. Some of these come half stripped out from the factory. That’s me saying don’t beat yourself up over this. It happens.

Ball end hex keys are a big culprit. Debris in the socket is another. If you can wiggle the key at all stop right there. Clean it out with a dental pick or similar tool. It helps.

I actually really like Classic Vibes. But this particular truss rod design is almost standard on many or most imports.

 

[kyral210]

If that’s a modern Squier neck there is no nut. The truss rod is for all practical purposes a huge allen key or hex head set screw that’s about 34 inches long. Or the scale length.

There’s no “Nut” and there’s no threaded rod like a US made model where you can remove a damaged nut and replace it with a fresh one. It’s one giant allen key and not a good quality one at that. Your option is to steam off the fingerboard. Dig out the filler strip. And replace the truss rod. Then glue the fingerboard back on.

That’s something reserved for clever skilled luthiers working on vintage instruments. That are worth the price of the repair.

eBay is your friend here. You can buy a new neck. And just bolt it on.

You could try gluing a sawed off piece of allen key into the now gaping hole in what’s better referred to as a “Truss Screw” and hope it holds. It might. For awhile. But the chances of it lasting as a repair are essentially zero. As suggested JB Weld is a good choice.

I do not want to be the bearer of bad news. But that neck is basically scrap. The good news is that there is usually an infinite supply on eBay.

This is the answer. It’s a massive job that if you want to do for the joy of woodwork, you do you! If the bass has significant sentimental value than even more reason to repair. However, I would not a new neck.

You’ll spend more money on the fix than just buying a new bass. I bought one of these and it rivals my fender player neck.

Squire are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were twenty years ago. However, affinity necks are not worth the effort. You said below that below that the serial number is from a classic vibe… so where did the affinity come from? I wonder if you have a fake on your hands if the serial number doesn’t match other words on the headstock. Irrespective, I wouldn’t be bothering to repair a squire neck.

Update here as there have been quite a few responses:


Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your opinions.


A few considerations:



1) The neck is new, unplayed, and previous to the ill-fated discovery that the nut is stripped, there were no other defects or problems with the neck



2) There is nothing to indicate that the truss rod is bad/damaged or otherwise. I simply do not know that, but it would seem to me there’s a better chance that the rod is ok than otherwise



3) in trying to turn/unscrew the nut I tried a couple of Allen keys and eventually resorted to a screw extractor that hasn’t helped yet, as I haven’t been able to get a good purchase on the different tools I’ve used to try and turn the screw extractor



4) I am aware that the Stew Mac gripper tool has worked for many, but so far I haven’t been able to talk myself into spending $40 in a tool that only comes in one tip size and may not even be the correct tip size I need to turn this thing (the Stew Mac gripper comes in different tip sizes but each one is unique, not interchangeable)



5) I don’t mean to doubt or question anyone’s knowledge, but most sincerely all I really wanted was to learn, if, and it’s only an “if” a truss rod nut (any nut, mine included of course) can be replaced with a (new/replacement) nut that takes a different size Allen key/hew wrench than the one that is currently in the neck screwed on to the truss rod. I ask this specifically because I believe I’ll still be able to have the nut extracted (if not by me by someone with more skills/better tools than me).



6) Since I did not know whether I’d be able to find the info, I have preemptively ordered and received 3 different size Fender truss rod nuts: 1/8”, 3/16” and another one that doesn’t show the size (!!!), but I still do not know which is the right one



7) as far as what exact kind of bass this, for the avoidance of doubt, I pasted the bass serial number in the Fender S/N lookup page and it is:



Made in Indonesia Classic Vibe '70s Precision Bass®, Maple Fingerboard, Walnut model number 0374520592



But no info on the truss rod.



So far, TBer tpaul put it best IMO - “The bass doesn't care whether the nut takes a hex key or a Philips screwdriver or whatever.”

 

[sunburst79]

I think the OP perhaps initially mis ID’d the model as an Affinity. But with blocks and a maple neck with amber clear coat the necks a 70’s CV.

I was thinking about this from an economic perspective. A while back these necks were all over eBay fairly cheap. Now they have jumped up in price. Plenty available but no longer cheap(ish)

They might come out better buying a new CV and selling their loaded body to offset that.

One thing not factored into a repair of the neck is that working the board off without damaging the finish on both the fingerboard and the neck is unlikely. Then add in removing and replacing the binding along with probably refinishing the neck. It’s a simple truss rod but finding an exact drop in duplicate might present a challenge also.

It’s going to be cheaper to buy a used neck at ~200.00+ USD than a new bass. Likewise a neck is cheaper than a used CV. It’s an opportunity to change fingerboards from maple to Laurel if the OP prefers one over the other.

The silver lining is that most necks will fit that pocket so that opens up many options. A nicer neck like a Warmouth or whatever. And at 200.00 plus bucks they are getting into MIM neck territory or used Genuine Fender replacement necks.

There’s options. But repairing the neck is not a good one. On the other hand the current neck would be an awesome chance to learn about fingerboard removal and replacing the truss rod. So there’s an opportunity there.

 

[vaesto]

Hi.

It is not clear from the pictures if it is the single-action nut or the shell of dual-action TR, where the nut is encapsulated.
Indonesian basses use metric tools and measures. In most cases it is 5 mm hex key for single-action, and 4 mm for dual-actions rods.

In case of a single-action the picture shows the nut itself, you need something that will grip into the nut hex and be able to unscrew it. I've heard about TORX bits to do the trick. You may want to tap bigger size torx into the nut...

In second case - you need to use drill or whatever and remove the top wall of a TR shell to access the nut. BUT - now comes time for TR construction: if the nut is welded to TR - then it sucks, the only repair is a new neck (replacing TR is not money-worth). If it is not welded - then apply the same technique as of single action TR. And you should be able to remove the nut.

In either case there is no such spare part as Squier TR nut, you'll need to find alternative. Remember, American parts are not an option, look for the metric sizes.

Here is an alternative to repairs: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Precision P Bass NECK Maple Block | eBay

 

[Dirk Diggler]

The way to really repair it is to remove the fingerboard and replace the whole rod.
Only worth the effort if you really want to keep it.

 

[Basso Elettrico]

I think the OP perhaps initially mis ID’d the model as an Affinity. But with blocks and a maple neck with amber clear coat the necks a 70’s CV.

I was thinking about this from an economic perspective. A while back these necks were all over eBay fairly cheap. Now they have jumped up in price. Plenty available but no longer cheap(ish)

They might come out better buying a new CV and selling their loaded body to offset that.

One thing not factored into a repair of the neck is that working the board off without damaging the finish on both the fingerboard and the neck is unlikely. Then add in removing and replacing the binding along with probably refinishing the neck. It’s a simple truss rod but finding an exact drop in duplicate might present a challenge also.

It’s going to be cheaper to buy a used neck at ~200.00+ USD than a new bass. Likewise a neck is cheaper than a used CV. It’s an opportunity to change fingerboards from maple to Laurel if the OP prefers one over the other.

The silver lining is that most necks will fit that pocket so that opens up many options. A nicer neck like a Warmouth or whatever. And at 200.00 plus bucks they are getting into MIM neck territory or used Genuine Fender replacement necks.

There’s options. But repairing the neck is not a good one. On the other hand the current neck would be an awesome chance to learn about fingerboard removal and replacing the truss rod. So there’s an opportunity there.

Thanks again. You’re right: Only after I had created the thread and later with replies did I realize I had incorrectly IDd the bass. It is a Squier CV 70s. I didn’t find a way to edit the thread title, I don’t think you can edit a thread title.

Thanks to you guys’ input here I learned quite a bit.

I almost ended up getting another identical neck for under 200 but I talked myself out of it, since I could end up in the same predicament (having a new damaged neck a second time)

I just ordered a new Fender Mexican neck.

 

[Basso Elettrico]

The way to really repair it is to remove the fingerboard and replace the whole rod.
Only worth the effort if you really want to keep it.

Not worth it. I’ll just sell the neck as “parts only”/damaged and calm it a day. It was worth the lesson: you live and learn

 

[Basso Elettrico]

Hi.

It is not clear from the pictures if it is the single-action nut or the shell of dual-action TR, where the nut is encapsulated.
Indonesian basses use metric tools and measures. In most cases it is 5 mm hex key for single-action, and 4 mm for dual-actions rods.

In case of a single-action the picture shows the nut itself, you need something that will grip into the nut hex and be able to unscrew it. I've heard about TORX bits to do the trick. You may want to tap bigger size torx into the nut...

In second case - you need to use drill or whatever and remove the top wall of a TR shell to access the nut. BUT - now comes time for TR construction: if the nut is welded to TR - then it sucks, the only repair is a new neck (replacing TR is not money-worth). If it is not welded - then apply the same technique as of single action TR. And you should be able to remove the nut.

In either case there is no such spare part as Squier TR nut, you'll need to find alternative. Remember, American parts are not an option, look for the metric sizes.

Here is an alternative to repairs: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Precision P Bass NECK Maple Block | eBay

Thanks! I almost bought a same exact replacement as you suggested but thought it over and realized I’d end up majorly POd at myself for running into the same problem twice. I ended up getting a brand new Fender MIM neck

 

[OzzeAsjourne]

Thanks! I almost bought a same exact replacement as you suggested but thought it over and realized I’d end up majorly POd at myself for running into the same problem twice. I ended up getting a brand new Fender MIM neck

Please tell us, if you want to, how the new neck is when it arrives. I have a brand new CV 60´s P bass and the truss rod nut quality is awful, I´m already in the search of a good quality compatible neck for the near future

 

[ThudThudThud]

Squier necks, sometimes even loaded, are $100 on e-bay.

 

[Basso Elettrico]

Please tell us, if you want to, how the new neck is when it arrives. I have a brand new CV 60´s P bass and the truss rod nut quality is awful, I´m already in the search of a good quality compatible neck for the near future

Be glad to. In about a week or so, when I get it.