Hi JB! another question about a truss rod tool

[rocksteady]

JB, I bought a 5mm allen hex ball end tool as you suggested for the neck adjustment.

Now I have another question. The tool is a 90 degree angle with a handle that I bought from Stewart-McDonald company.

The D32CE's truss socket is behind a brace and farther back than the length of the tool's reach from outside the sound hole. If I reach inside the sound hole, there is not enough room to manipulate the tool.

Do you have any suggestion? Did I get the wrong type 5mm tool?

Can you tell me what I am doing wrong? The neck is just a little too loose and needs tightening.

p.s I did find a luthier with 30 years experience outside of Nashville Tennessee who has worked on many a celebrity's guitars and is good at restoration of antique Martin guitars and such. He said he could fix the guitar for me at a reasonable cost.

I agree with you.. at least it ws the back wood and not the sound board!!

Thank you in advance for your help,

Don Reynolds

[JB]

Hi Don

5mm Hex-ball Driver ... the "Driver" part means you want a Hex-ball that is straight like a screw-driver not a 90deg wrench or key.

5mm Allen key work but must be short reach.

[rocksteady]

Thanks guys. I will keep trying. I will also try to buy the straight driver. "No problems, just solutions?

[rocksteady]

5 mm straight driver on the way!!!

[chris c]

5mm Hex-ball Driver ... the "Driver" part means you want a Hex-ball that is straight like a screw-driver not a 90deg wrench or key.

Maybe a dumb question, but I don't understand which tool this is. Could you please post a picture or a link to a picture on the web ?

I have a simple Allen key with a 5 mm ball end, but I don't feel comfortable at all using this tool to adjust the truss rod.

[rocksteady]

The man who worked on one of my guitars used an allen wrench 5mm ball tip with an extended shaft. It worked fine. the one that I finally ordered had a long shaft, 5mm ball hex end, and a handle to grip with. I got it from Stewart- macdonald catalogue

[chris c]

I made my own truss tool today... it's my Allen wrench (long size) with ball end that I squeezed into the handle from another broken tool ... much better than just the Allen wrench

[JB]

that looks just perfect Chris .... well done

[manonash]

that looks just perfect Chris .... well done

Is that the right wrench for a (Czech) Gold series dreadnaught? What is the importance of the ball end?

[JB]

the hex-ball end allows for a more flexible angle when adjusting.

.

[manonash]

the hex-ball end allows for a more flexible angle when adjusting.

.

Same wrench for Gold series?

[JB]

yup, 5mm hex-ball wrench.

[manonash]

yup, 5mm hex-ball wrench.

Thanks, JB. Guess I'll saw off the one I've got, which is a little long to get in there.

[singlereed]

You can buy ball end allen wrenches with a T handle - that's what I'm going to get hold of. Using the long ball end of the wrench I have on the truss rod means there isn't really enough leverage to tighten the truss rod on one of my Avalons and I'm struggling to shift it.