Truss Rod Adjustment Martin 000c-16rgte

[Phreeet]

I recently purchased a used Martin 000c-16rgte acoustic electric guitar.

The neck is bowed and I want to adjust the truss rod, but I can't seem to find the what type of wrench to use.

When I look into the truss rod hole it looks like the truss rod cover is missing.

Any suggestions?

[JayBee1404]

You probably need a long-reach 5mm ball-headed Allen Wrench like this one - item #6114 (the bottom item).

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tool..._Wrenches.html

Since the early 2000’s, IIRC, Martins have had a two-way Rod with an adjuster that sits deep in the neck block, beyond the reach of a short wrench.

There is no ‘truss rod cover’ on a Martin soundhole-adjusted truss rod.

[lowrider]

''When I look into the truss rod hole it looks like the truss rod cover is missing.''

What do you mean by this? The truss rod adjustment is inside the sound hole.

For the wrench, you can just go to Amazon and search for a Martin truss rod tool. Or just go to any guitar store and they should have it.

[Phreeet]

What I mean to say is that where the truss rod is, inside the sound hole, when I put a 5mm allen wrench down the hole I can feel the it touching something, but it makes no connection to turn anything.

When I look into the truss rod hole, which is inside the sound hole at the bottom of the neck, while using a small flashlight, there seems to be only the end of a truss rod and no connector, like it's missing or broke off.

[JayBee1404]

Are you using the long wrench with a 4-1/2” reach? If so, and bearing in mind the bow you say you have in the neck, it sounds as though the adjuster is missing.

You could try a luthier or tech, or your local guitar store, to see if you can get a replacement adjuster. If the threads are stripped, you need a luthier who can either re-cut the threads (if that’s possible) or replace the rod, I guess.

I had a broken rod in my Lowden. It had a new rod and FB installed at the Lowden workshop.

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

[lowrider]

It can be kind of fiddley, at first, trying to get the wrench into the adjuster. Maybe try loosening the strings to give yourself some room to work finding it's way in.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by lowrider

It can be kind of fiddley, at first, trying to get the wrench into the adjuster. Maybe try loosening the strings to give yourself some room to work finding it's way in.

That’s a very good point. It can be a bit of an acquired skill to get the wrench to connect securely, and loosening the ADG and B strings slightly may help.

[Phreeet]

Mr. Neely said, it looks like the truss rod adjuster broke off and he'll need to order a new one from Martin. I said ok. He gave me a receipt ticket, but didn't quote a price.

[mirwa]

I would ask for more info.

If the nut is broken off and he is ordering a new one, that implies to me he is going to pull the fretboard off, remove the broken truss rod and then refit the fretboard, repaint the neck as required and possibly refret the guitar again.

This could run you upwards of 500 plus

Sometimes fretboards come off and go back on without needing to be refretted but at the minimum they need to be fret levelled after the process

Steve