Broken Truss Rod on a Fender Squier Stagemaster (Stratocaster)

[Paul Young]

This is my first post here and sorry it's long but I will try to cut to the chase: 

I have a Squier Stagemaster (Stratocaster) with rosewood fretboard and a Floyd Rose (with a stock brass block) that I bought used, it is in stunningly almost new condition, with a few paint chips here and there.  My first electric guitar ever was a Squier very similar to this, only this one is much nicer. So I have some sentimental attachment issues with it going on.  I started playing it and realized the fretboard radius and everything just feels right, It feels just like my first Squier I got in 1989.  I started to notice that the action felt a little strange and the intonation a bit off, so I checked the truss rod.

I checked the neck straightness by holding down the E string at the first and body frets, and much to my chagrin, the neck has a tremendous amount of bow.  So I whip out the old allen wrench to adjust it and... oh no... it keeps on spinning... waaaa... this doesn't seem right... it's broke!!  The neck is near perfect, barely been played, this is so sad.  I just cleaned it up and dressed the frets, put on new strings, cleaned the Floyd, tuned the Floyd, adjusted the Floyd springs and claw, added some springs, etc.  That'll teach me to check the rod before doing any work. 

So in the last few months after I bought it, I have scoured the net for any information on Squier truss rods, oddly enough there isn't much info on them.  There is more info on the Squier's big brother the Fender Stratocaster, even that has a very sparse amount of information.  So I look on Frets.com and I see that yes, I can get a steel rod and a tap and make my own rod. I've explored the Stewmac kit and other ways of getting that nut out.  Problem is, the headstock is painted, and the tube/plug holding the nut in, is also painted over, so it will trash the headstock finish and I'll have to touch that up.

So I watched a lot of videos and read a lot of websites and forums on how to remove rosewood fretboards.  Although I am sure I can get to the truss rod this way, I have never removed a fretboard ever in my life.  I also can't get to the nut anyways if I take the fretboard off.  So I guess I have to mess up the headstock and hope that I can touch up the paint or put in a black plug like they do on most Strats.,

I have heard of people getting their guitars X-Rayed to see things like truss rods.  I asked my dentist and they don't do that kind of thing.  I also don't have a lot of money to pay for expensive full body sized X-rays.

Lastly I must say this is probably the best built Chinese Squier I have ever seen, the wood is very solid and firm, the screws fit firmly in just about every place screws go, no sawdust screws spinning around and around.  This 2000 Squier Stagemaster is built much better than my 1989 Squier II which was made out of plywood.

How on earth do I get that truss rod fixed without damaging the neck too bad?

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi Paul & welcome to the forum.

There are two basic models of these.  Ones with set necks and ones with bolt on necks.  Which one do you have?

For your first post, it's a good one.  Instruments in this price range are dicey to invest work into. However, as it's your personal instrument, we won't go into "the price of the repair exceeds the value of the guitar" territory.

If it's a set-neck, you probably have no option but to remove the FB and replace the rod. Yes, there will be touch up work required if you want it returned to pristine condition but that is simply the nature of repair work.

If the neck is a bolt-on, you may want to save yourself a ton of time and frustration and get a replacement neck.  Otherwise, your options are the same as with a set neck. Remove FB, R/R the truss rod, reinstall FB & touch-up any of the finish that was disturbed during the fix.

The forum member whose response you should anticipate will be from our friend Rusty Vance from Oz.  Rusty probably has more experience with these types of issues (on Floyd outfitted necks & guitars) than all the rest of us put together. I can pretty well guarantee that you can take his advice & direction to the bank.

BTW: I'm a 'select' Squire fan myself.  I really like the ones made in Japan & Korea.  The early MIJ Squires are amazingly good quality instruments and probably the best 'platform' instruments out there. To buyers, unfortunately, the cat is out of the bag and those MIJ/MIK Squires are appreciating in price to the point that they're no longer a "bargain".

Again, welcome to the forum and the best of luck in getting your axe back in shape,

Paul V.

[Paul Young]

It's a blue one with a bolt on neck.  I actually bought another one that is a different color (purple) for the purpose of swapping necks, but it turns out the purple one has better playability so I don't want to sacrifice it lol.  I never though I'd like a purple guitar but this one rocks, it's a lot more beat up.  I heard Prince was in town maybe he will sign it?

I need to take some pictures of these girls.  I do still want to fix the blue one as it is prettier.  Funny how the pretty ones have the worse issues than the old rotten beat up ones, such is life eh?  I'm thinking I will Dremel out the truss rod plug and try to use a magnet to get it out, and put a black plug in if I can fix it, if not, I guess it's a new neck, or fretboard dissection time.  Nothing to lose if it's already broke, and I guess I'll learn a few things.

[Russell Vance]

HI Paul.

Truss rod repair is right at the top of the "hard and expensive" things we are faced with as repairmen.   If you do not have the requisite knowledge or skills to do this job and have not done it before it will be challenging.

You don't say what the fault is - is it a stripped adjustment nut at the heel end, is it a separated rod at the anchor end, a turning anchor or a broken rod somewhere else.   You pretty much have to know these things before you attempt to fix it as it will dictate the repair method.  

From your original post it appears you have minimal practical experience or technical support available and my first advice is to take it to a professional repairman for an assessment or quote.   That will tell you whether it is economically repairable or whether you should just buy a new neck or instrument and strip or repair from there.  Secondly, if you wish to get your hands dirty it will at least tell you what the problem is.

Luthiery at this repair difficulty level is not easy or straightforward and requires an experienced or trained  repairman.  However, if you are happy to gain the experience by "giving it your best shot"  and are prepared to learn by this method and accept that the consequences may not be ideal, give it a try.  However,  your gambit of  free-handing with a Dremel  in this situation is the technical equivalent of playing Russian Roulette with a machine gun.

My advice is to get a professional assessment and then return to this forum for further advice on the most effective/economical repair procedure.  

Regards,

Rusty. 

[Paul Young]

Hi Rusty,

Thanks so much for the reply, and I must say I feel more welcomed to this forum than I have felt to a lot of forums.  I do see what you mean about seeing professional help about this truss rod.  I agree that the Dremel idea is a very bad idea.  This is why I have been so reluctant to even attempt to try fixing the truss rod.

Yours Truly,

Paul

[Paul Verticchio]

"I must say I feel more welcomed to this forum than I have felt to a lot of forums."

THANK YOU, Paul.  Mr. Ford established a forum that is all bout the love of the craft and the instruments.

Excluding myself: You will find some of the finest minds & greatest talents in the industry here. I consider Frets.net as a major cut above most other forums.

I hope you get your problem solved as quickly and inexpensively as possible.

And again, man....welcome to the forum & thanks again. :-)

Best personal regards,

Paul V.