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I have an older Takamine classical guitar in the shop and I am having a hard time accessing the truss rod for adjustment. I estimate this guitar was made in the 1970's and has a truss rod adjustment access through the sound hole like I haven't seen before. A regular allen wrench doesn't seem to be long enough to reach the nut (if it is even an allen wrench adjustment? I can't see it). A longer wrench, or tool won't fit around the upper transverse brace and there isn't a hole in the UTB for a tool to go through. Does anyone know if Takamine included a truss rod adjustment tool with their guitars back then and if I can some how get one? Or any other ideas? Perhaps this rod wasn't meant to be adjusted? Thanks.

Hi-

I've got a Takamine C132S from 1990 and like most classicals it is without a trussrod. I think what you are looking at is the end of a hardwood spline running down the middle of the neck shaft under the fingerboard that also was routed into the top of the neckblock. My guitar also suffers from too much upbow and I had to retire it about 10 years ago. Either heating the neck shaft and letting it set straight or pulling frets and planing the fingerboard flat would be options. Either way, a PITA. One of these days I'll pull the fingerboard, heat to straighten the neck shaft and rout/install carbon fiber rods. Good luck with yours.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Thanks for your input John. The dark wood square in the picture of the neck block is the bottom of the fingerboard. There is a hole in the top that allows for the underside of the fingerboard to be seen. There is a hole in the neck block at this area, I assume for a truss rod adjustment tool but if there is a nut in there it's too deep for a standard allen wrench. A magnet confirms that there is a metal rod in the neck. Luckily the customer says he is happy with the way it plays so I am not going to worry about it much.

I just dug out my guitar. It doesn't have an access for a truss rod nut and I checked with a magnet - a metal rod that runs from the 3rd until the 14th fret. Odd, I guess they used a non-adjustable metal rod. I noticed that the neck is straight again - maybe the high tension strings were the cause of the upbow. I'll put low tension strings on and see if that works. I also need to change out the worn out, very cheap factory tuners for some Gotoh or Schaller tuners. I'm glad your repair turned out well.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds