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Truss rod stripped - G&L L-2500

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#21
One thing to consider: If you admit to so much as looking at the truss rod the wrong way, let alone if there are grinding/scraping marks on the truss rod adjuster, GC will tell you to go pound sand. "Oh so....you got the bass home and attempted to adjust the truss rod with needle nose vise grips huh? Now it's stripped and you wanna return it? Take your bass and get out before I have you thrown out." <--I can see/hear it now!

Good luck!
 
#22
To the original poster, STOP!!! Did GC sell this as a new instrument?? If so, you are nuts if you don't march right back in and return it. They are obligated to replace it with an "equal" G&L, at no other cost to you. In other words, you will most likely end in with a new-in-box for the cheap price you paid.

The EXACT same scenario happened to me with a Fender P5. They sold me a floor model for dirt cheap. I got it home and the trussrod was stuck as could be. I brought it back, and a few days later I ended up with a NIB P5 with no extra cost to me. Bring it back!
 
#23
No, no, it was sold as Used. I don't see how they would possibly give me a brand new one in exchange. Of course, if it was sold as New, it would just be going back for an exchange.
 
#24
My tech has thrown in the towel. He says that he cannot see a way to get it out without damaging the headstock. I still haven't looked at in person, but I have to believe that it's simply a matter of using the right tool.

I'm going to bring an EZ-Out to him because I'm not convinced that he knows what I'm talking about when I say EZ-Out.

But, I was thinking that, if an EZ-Out doesn't work (for some reason), what about the possiblity of getting a cheap 1/8" t-handle wrench that I would consider disposable, and then mixing up a little quick-drying 2-part epoxy. Put a tiny dab on the end of the hex wrench and then insert it into the bullet adjuster and let it setup.

Think that would adhere to the inside of the bullet adjuster enough to then let us turn the wrench and get it out? Throw the whole wrench and bullet adjuster away and carry on with putting in a new one.

Really, is there any potential downside to trying it?
 
#25
Your wrenching years on bikes has given you great ideas. :) At the end of the day, it's all about getting the job done, isn't it? Your idea would work. Being that the adjusting nut is stripped and trash anyway, it won't matter that the T-handle and nut are permanently epoxied together. My biggest concern would be the ability to actually FIX it properly once you get the nut off. I.E. is the truss rod itself REALLY OK and will it be "like new" with just a new adjuster? If so, I say go for it. But if you do, there's no returning it... /ominous music plays
 
#26
If we get it out and the truss rod itself is fudged, well... what is GC gonna be able to say if I return it with a new bullet adjuster in there and tell them I'm returning it because my tech found that the truss rod is f-ed?? I don't see how they could refuse to take it back - or even say anything about the truss rod adjuster without admitting that they sold it to me knowing it was bum.
 
#27
that's good tech there.
thx!

Chasarms said:
If you happened to have some grinding compound, a dap of that on the allen key before inserting often will give enough bite to get the nut to let go. A low-rent version of that is to wrap the key in foil. In desperate times, I have ground down the next size up of an allen key at a taper, (like the stew mac tool shown) That works as well.

Also, with the bass on a bench or between your knees, use a bit of force to "bend" the neck VERY slightly. This relieves stress on the truss and thus less friction on the bottom of the truss nut. That's may help it back out easier.
Click to expand...
 
#30
since those ideas involve "ruining the returnability" of the bass;
i'd be real careful about them.
really, any attemtp at all to fix it, and GC can say "you dorked it mate, it's yours. see-ya-bye"

you'll not get a replacement neck from anyone but gnl, to my knowledge, and that runs ~$600+, and several months.

if it were me, i'd take it back. there's plenty of other 2500's on the planet.
 
#31
I had the same problem with a gLnut... what I did was take the next size allen wrench, sand all the sides a little and place it in the bullet when I got close I tapped it in with a hammer and it loosend up the bullet nut... Least this way if the nut is just messed up u are ok.. if the trus rod is hosed you can put it all back together...

Personally I would return it and let GC fix it. If they can't fix it to ur liking tell em to keep it...

GL 2500's are easy to come by, maybe not as cheap as you got urs for but sometimes you get what you pay for!

I know where you can get a brand new one for a good price...500 cheaper than musicians friend. PM me if you want the store info.

Good luck
 
#32
Thanks, but $500 off MF is still almost $1100. Which is almost double what I paid for this one. If this goes back, I'll be on the lookout for another good, used one. There's way too many GREAT, used basses out there in MINT condition for well under $1000 for me to want to spend more than that.
 
#33
Bullet adjuster = removed!

I rooted around in my tool chest for my EZ-Outs and found a little box that I have had for a few years, never used, and didn't even remember I had.

Alden Grabit

http://www.amazon.com/Alden-8440P-4...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1274748254&sr=1-1

The #2 with a hex extension and then a ratchet with an extension and a 1/4" socket bit right in and took the bullet adjuster right out. It was really stuck on there. I first tried to turn the screw extracter with a ratcheting screwdriver handle and couldn't turn it. Then I put the ratchet and extension on it and it was easy peasy!

Yaay!!
 
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#35
put a very small amount of quality wheel bearing grease inside the new one.
if you can reach the threads on the rod; same thing.

remember, grease and lubricants aren't good for wood; so don't use much. you don't want a lot of squished out exess in the truss rod tunnel.

rock on!
 
#36
Thanks! I have some good wheel bearing grease for use on my racebikes. Who knew there was so much overlap between racing motorcycles and being a guitar tech?! ;-)

Now can somebody tell me where I can get a truss rod bullet adjuster? Ideally, it would be a G&L one identical to the original. I looked on G&L's online store and they don't have them there.
 
#39
the question is now, can the neck be adjusted so it is straight under the tension of the strings at pitch?
the reason that i ask is because it sounds like someone had been trying to adjust it before.

BTW, i've removed alot of bullet adjusters that most people thought were impossible to remove. on occasion i had to carefully apply heat to the bullet with a soldering iron to expand the seized bullet to break it free, then, with the neck in a clamp to give it some back-bow, i used an easyout while it was still hot. you just have be careful not to damage the nylon (or teflon) sleeve when you heat it up, but luckily, i've always been able to remove one without any damage to the neck.
 
#40
Well... we shall see. But, the neck wasn't bad at all like it was. It just needed a little adjustment. My expectation is that the worst case will be my guitar tech might have to do the "washer trick".
 
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