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jazzyvee
Advanced Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 345
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 11:48 pm:   Edit Post

What is the metric size of this wrench as If I'm not mistaken the USA 1/4 inch is smaller than the UK imperial 1/4 inch.

Am I right in assuming this wrench size is the same for both Alembic guitars and basses?

If not can you tell me what size wrench (metric) I need for my basses and Guitar.


Thanks
Jazzyvee
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 764
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 2:50 am:   Edit Post

Metric just doesn't fit - unless you can find a 6.35 mm wrench. They come in rounded sizes: 6 mm is really too narrow, and 7 mm doesn't get a good grip so it slips over the ridges, and will ruin the shape of the nut so you end up with no grip at all.

Wild suggestion - could we have double-standard nuts, half 1/4", half 6 mm?

The Allan wrenches have the same problem, by the way. Sometimes you find weird sizes in tool shops on the continent, like less than 1 mm, but never any standard imperial ones ....
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 765
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 3:00 am:   Edit Post

Come to think of it, Music Man installs a wheel that supposedly can be adjusted without a tool. That would be nice - at least if you can fit two of them into the cavity!

Hm, what about drilling some holes through the nut, so you can turn them with something that doesn't need to have a precise fit? Inserting my 1/4" wrench into the cavity is already a pretty cramped excercise.

I remember my old Yamaha bass came with a sideways wrench for the truss rod. Also, there was a small special wide-open wrench with a pointy bit, for adjusting the 'tightness ring' on the tuners, which had a small hole where the pointy bit would engage.
keith_h
Advanced Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 340
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 4:13 am:   Edit Post

Jazzyvee,
Since you say you are going to be in the States over the weekend you should be able to pick up a wrench or two while your are here. They are pretty inexpensive and easy to find. When you are in Orlando just look for a Home Depot or Lowes Hardware. They are big box hardware/lumber stores that would have any of the tools you might need. I hate to say this but you should also be able to locate one a WalMart which are also just about everywhere.

Keith
jazzyvee
Advanced Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 346
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 11:20 am:   Edit Post

Well thanks for the suggestions, however I doubt very much that I'd be able to get anywhere other than airport, hotel, venue, hotel, airport, plane home so a chance to go shopping may not be possible. If it is I will surely try to get one. I did get a got a set of metric ones today hopefully one will fit.

In actual fact the neck may not even move. I took a strat to California and we were all over the place and the neck was fine. Even in humid singapore the guitar i took was fine. But its good to be prepared. If I cant find one by tomorrow I may have to take the strat instead.
Although if anyone is feeling generous, you could drop or post a right sized wrench off at the venue for me. :-)

I'd be happy to re-imburse you or put you on the guest list for one of the concerts we are planning in the USA this year.

Mark it for Attention of Vince c/o Apache Indian

Cheers
Jazzyvee
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 987
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 11:24 am:   Edit Post

Jazzyvee:

Come out and play in the San Francisco Bay Area and a wrench is yours!

Bill, tgo
lidon2001
Member
Username: lidon2001

Post Number: 99
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 11:33 am:   Edit Post

Depending on the hotel, you might be able to ask them to get one for you and have it waiting there.
jazzyvee
Advanced Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 365
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 11:53 am:   Edit Post

Fortunately I didn't need it that time, the trip was fine, but I'll have to find one just to have a full set of guitar tools.
Jazzyvee
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 3302
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:35 pm:   Edit Post

I'm not sure how long it's been there, but truss rod wrenches are now shown on the Alembic store site.
hankster
Junior
Username: hankster

Post Number: 29
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 5:57 pm:   Edit Post

Jazzyvee,

Reading about your trip made me curious about your band. I took a look on the 'net, and found the Apache Indian stuff. Very hip - great sound!
jazzyvee
Advanced Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 376
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 1:06 am:   Edit Post

Thanks guys, believe it or not I got the right size one from a motor accessories store. But I had to buy a set of about 6 to get the one I needed. It only cost me about £3.00 sterling.

I have now made some adjustments to the truss rods and got the action down really really really low without choking and it now plays like a dream. I had to lift the nut just a tad as there was some buzzing when hitting a couple of open strings.

Having it low when playing reggae is such a blessing cos the constant grip and relax you have to do for the chops really can get tiring if the action is too high.

Now its just la very light touch.
I love the guitar even more now.
I have a gig next week so that should be a good tester.
I may have a go at adjusting my basses during the week.... does it sound like I'm getting a dose of compulsive Truss Rod adjustivitis syndrome?
lol
Catch you soon, and thanks for your offers of help.

Jazzyvee.
palmann
Junior
Username: palmann

Post Number: 24
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 1:47 pm:   Edit Post

I asked where to get a 1/4" wrench at a german Harley Davidson forum. A very nice person send me a wrench for free. ;-)

Another possibility is to order it from a mail-order for motorcycle accessories.

Gruesse, Pablo
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 682
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 11:17 am:   Edit Post

Isn't it the most delicious irony that an ENGLISH (one-quarter INCH) wrench is an imported item in the (metric) UK?

J o e y
olieoliver
Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 88
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 11:25 am:   Edit Post

If I am not mistaken before the metric sizes in the UK didn't they use British Std/Whitworth sizes? I have a 1967 Triumph Bonneville that has these early British sizes. I had to buy special tools to work on it
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 1119
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post

Ah yes, British sports cars and Whitworth tools. Brings back (now) humorous memories (from a distance of 30+ years) from when I owned an Austin-Healy Bugeye Sprite, "The Gutless Wonder"

Bill, tgo
olieoliver
Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 90
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 11:40 am:   Edit Post

Actually my Triumph is MC. A 650 cc teeth rattling , oil leaking, vibrate till you hands go numb work motorcycle in fact. LOL
george_wright
Member
Username: george_wright

Post Number: 81
Registered: 3-2005
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 2:21 pm:   Edit Post

Oh, man, Olie, does that take me back to my days as a college senior. I logged a few hours on a '66 Bonneville (in 1966) and a few more on a '66 Trophy, the single carb version.

I remember riding behind another Trophy when it vibrated a spark plug out!

A bunch of us kept our bikes in a rented garage. We accumulated tools in American sizes (for the Harleys), Whitworth sizes (for the Triumphs and Beezers), and metric sizes (for the Hondas).
olieoliver
Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 93
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 2:30 pm:   Edit Post

I don't ride my Triumph much anymore but I do put the miles on my Road King!
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 687
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 5:05 pm:   Edit Post

My favorite Triumph story:

The local juvenile delinquent lived next to a church, directly across the street from my home as a little boy. He just loved to work on it on Sunday mornings (during services) and rev it and rev it thru the straight pipes (really chicken, huh?) just to aggravate the church folks.

Well, The Lord does work in mysterious ways, wondrous to behold. . .

The jerk in question rode it around the block to check something. He'd often cut through the front yard of the church as a short cut back into his yard. This day he did, but misjudged his steering and drove it straight into the ditch in front of the church, four foot deep in water from a long night's rain!

Immediately, the front doors opened (church was over) and everybody piled out to see our hero vurtually pinned in the muck. So what happens, while they're trying not to laugh? All these men pull off their jackets and ties and pull our pilot and his no worse for wear Bonneville out of his 'situation'.

Well . . . you guessed it. NEVER worked on that bike on Sundays again and always cut the church yard when he cut his own grass.

Can I get an 'Amen'?

J o e y
olieoliver
Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 94
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 6:01 pm:   Edit Post

AMEN!!!!

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