Truss Rod adjustment question on a 1968 T-100?

[jimmyl51]

s*Of all of the years that I have played my Guild archtops I have a really stupid question. I 7/8just bought a beautiful 1968 T-100 in natural. The guitar looks like it just came from the music store save for a few small scratches. Anyways I want to make a truss rod adjustment. Simply put you remove the screws from the trussrod cover and take the cover off. Problem is.... that the cover is really adhered to the trussrod adjustment opening. I simpy don't want to scratch up the area by going full bore with say a screwdriver or something else that will slip and scratch up the area. Do you fellows have any suggestions for getting this cover off of the trussrod opening? I'm thinking of maybe taking a bent paperclip, and very carefully prying off the cover from one of the screw openings maybe? What I am wondering is what does one do if the laquer say softened and that is what is adhering the cover to the top of the trussrod opening? Suggestions? Thanks, jim in Maine

 

[AcornHouse]

First question is: What do you want to do withe the truss rod adjustment. More importantly, have you done one before. Many times, the truss rod is not the first angle of attack for a bad neck angle. Also, since the TRC is age welded, I'm going to guess the truss rod hasnt been touched in a long time. You do NOT want to snap off the head.
My first suggestion would be to take it to an experienced luthier who deals with vintage axes. They would be able to do what you want without doing any damage.

Second suggestion if you go ahead yourself, would be to use some mineral spirits rubbed into the TRC edges to see if you can dissolve any crud. I would NOT use a paper clip. The chance of a slip and a scratch are high, no matter how careful you are. I would use a jewelers screwdriver at the screw holes first. Another concern is that you might pull up some surrounding lacquer if it's really melded tight.

That's my thoughts.

 

[taabru45]

Really good advice Chris.....check the action at the adjustable bridge, that might be all that you need..Steffan

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I'm not sure that mineral spirits is safe or not. I'd go with naphtha.

This for sure will not touch the finish!

 

[Default]

+1 :wink:

 

[jimmyl51]

An Update to my previous post............long story short is that I was never able to remove the trussrod cover.........I believe that it is really melded tight to the veneer material and was not going to chance making a mess of things as the guitar is in gorgeous condition........anyways there was some room to lower the bridge adjustment turners which is what I did and low and behold the action is GREAT! Frankly the more that I look at the action there really is no need to adjust the trussrod at all! The neck is pretty darn straight with just a bit of needed relief! jim in Maine

 

[AcornHouse]

Super news. Glad it worked out!

 

[Default]

All well and good, but where are the pics? ;-D

 

[guildmann]

same thing happened to me on my '68 T-100 sunburst but it's all marked up but plays and sounds nice. i carefully lifted the edge with a small screwdriver.

Rob