3 hole truss rod covers - what years?

martie6621 · Mar 11, 2012

I had never seen (or noticed, maybe) a Gibson electric with a 3 hole cover for the truss rod. Ran across a 1969 ES340 with that - a 3 hole cover. What years did they do that (if they did on a production basis. Maybe this one's a freak,fluke, or fake)

Thanks

Tom Wittrock · Mar 11, 2012

They did not do this on the 50s Les Pauls, as far as I know.

I have seen a couple and they seem to be late 60s. They are done that way due to a mistake.

Witchdoctor · Mar 11, 2012

IIRC Don Felder's double neck (1974?) had 3 screw truss rod covers

Tom Wittrock · Mar 12, 2012

The distance from the nut [fingeroard end] to the truss rod cut was too small for the screw and the "clapper" of the bell. So they sanded the clapper away and used two screws at that end.

gibson-r8 · Mar 12, 2012

Tom,
I had never heard that. Any idea of how many guitars that might have been produced that way? That seems like such a Leo Fender thing to do (frugal) but so Norlin as well.

Tom Wittrock · Mar 13, 2012

gibson-r8 said:
Tom,
I had never heard that. Any idea of how many guitars that might have been produced that way? That seems like such a Leo Fender thing to do (frugal) but so Norlin as well.

No idea but from what I have seen, it is quite rare. I first noticed it less than 10 years ago on an acoustic I bought, and I've been into vintage guitars going on 40 years now.

3 hole truss rod covers - what years?

martie6621

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Tom Wittrock

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Witchdoctor

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Tom Wittrock

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gibson-r8

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Tom Wittrock

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