Piece of truss rod come loose on Martin D15

Fingerbuster · #1 08-23-2019, 04:57 PM

Heard some rattling whilst playing my Martin D15 from a foreign body inside the guitar. Gave it a shake and out came what looks like a one inch section of the truss rod. Glancing at the truss rod aperture I can also make out a loose piece here, perhaps a connector which joins this smaller piece to the main truss rod. Has anyone any idea what this is all about?

Frank Ford · #2 08-23-2019, 05:29 PM

Sometimes the nut comes loose on the one-way truss rod. It is a cylinder around an inch long and it has threads in one end and a hex recess in the other. A bit of oil on the threads would be a good thing to add when you drop it back into the hole and screw it in place with a five millimeter hex wrench.

Fingerbuster · #3 08-23-2019, 05:40 PM

Thanks Frank!

Fingerbuster · #4 08-25-2019, 04:28 AM

Further to this...

I have now discovered another piece loose in the guitar. I have the one inch piece you described with hex fitting one end and screw fitting the other, no problem.

But the other loose piece is a small flat piece of metal with a hole in it. It is square shaped with the exception of one rounded side.

I thought that this had also come out of the truss rod aperture but it can't have done as it is slightly bigger then this aperture. The hole in the middle of this piece is also too small for the one inch piece to fit through.

So now I'm baffled as to what THIS piece is.

JayBee1404 · #5 08-25-2019, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fingerbuster

Further to this...

I have now discovered another piece loose in the guitar. I have the one inch piece you described with hex fitting one end and screw fitting the other, no problem.

But the other loose piece is a small flat piece of metal with a hole in it. It is square shaped with the exception of one rounded side.

I thought that this had also come out of the truss rod aperture but it can't have done as it is slightly bigger then this aperture. The hole in the middle of this piece is also too small for the one inch piece to fit through.

So now I'm baffled as to what THIS piece is.

Isnt it the washer that goes onto the rod before you replace and nip-up the adjuster?

Fingerbuster · #6 08-25-2019, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Isnt it the washer that goes onto the rod before you replace and nip-up the adjuster?

It can't be as its bigger than the truss rod aperture. That's what's confusing me.

JayBee1404 · #7 08-25-2019, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fingerbuster

Further to this...

I have now discovered another piece loose in the guitar. I have the one inch piece you described with hex fitting one end and screw fitting the other, no problem.

But the other loose piece is a small flat piece of metal with a hole in it. It is square shaped with the exception of one rounded side.

I thought that this had also come out of the truss rod aperture but it can't have done as it is slightly bigger then this aperture. The hole in the middle of this piece is also too small for the one inch piece to fit through.

So now I'm baffled as to what THIS piece is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fingerbuster

It can't be as its bigger than the truss rod aperture. That's what's confusing me.

Until someone comes along with better advice, you might like to study these articles. I still think your ‘extra piece’ is the washer, but....

http://www.projectguitar.com/article...-rods-pt-1-r9/

http://www.projectguitar.com/article...rods-pt-2-r11/

charles Tauber · #8 08-25-2019, 06:34 AM

This is the link to part 1:

http://www.projectguitar.com/article...-rods-pt-1-r9/

Pretty good articles.

JayBee1404 · #9 08-25-2019, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

This is the link to part 1:

http://www.projectguitar.com/article...-rods-pt-1-r9/

Pretty good articles.

I’d given links to both parts, Charles!

As you rightly say, they are very informative - especially to an amateur fiddler like me!

Fingerbuster · #10 08-25-2019, 08:27 AM

Thanks for the replies and links.

I've managed to solve this. There's a photo of the Martin truss rod and attachements in the article and it does indeed show a washer shaped exactly like the piece I have.

The mystery was why I could not push this washer back into the aperture. What I did not realise was that underneath the aperture is a small slot hidden by a wooden shelf. There is a slit here and the washer is slipped in here rather than directly into the aperture.

So problem solved! Now the tricky bit of trying to get it all back in!

JayBee1404 · #11 08-25-2019, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fingerbuster

Thanks for the replies and links.

I've managed to solve this. There's a photo of the Martin truss rod and attachements in the article and it does indeed show a washer shaped exactly like the piece I have.

The mystery was why I could not push this washer back into the aperture. What I did not realise was that underneath the aperture is a small slot hidden by a wooden shelf. There is a slit here and the washer is slipped in here rather than directly into the aperture.

So problem solved! Now the tricky bit of trying to get it all back in!

Good job FB!

I suggest standing the guitar vertically, headstock down, butt-end up. That will help the adjuster to slide down on to the thread and stay there while you get a wrench on to it. You might need an assistant to hold it securely while you work.

Don’t forget to put a little lubrication on the threads of the adjuster, that will prevent it seizing up on the rod over time.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.