Carbon Adding To The Neck

[Opencan]

i've read a book which recomanded adding carbon stripes to the neck in order to make it harder, so the neck won't bend while changing guages of strings.

anyway, is it really nessecery, where can i get it, and how should i add it to my maple \ mahogany going-to-be-neck?

[toddler68]

Just wanted to clarify your use of the word 'stripes'. Understand that these carbon fiber rods are for added stiffness and are buried in a routed channel within the neck, not used as a visible laminate

No, they are not mandatory but if you're going to the trouble of constructing your own neck, it's well worth the peace of mind. I have them in both my scratch-built necks.

Here are a couple sources:

LMI

Stew-Mac

By the way, welcome to the forum!

[erikbojerik]

First, I think it reinforcements are really only needed in bass necks because they are wide and long, and perhaps things like 8-string guitar necks.

I personally would rather have a strong wood laminate like ebony instead of the carbon fiber. Yeah the carbon is lighter, but you still have an open channel that the rod sits in unless you fill it with epoxy or something.

[Myka Guitars]

If this is done correctly there is not an open channel. The channel should be routed to the exact size of the carbon that youare installing. I would recommend gluing it in no matter how tight the fit, and epoxy is great for this because it will fill in any gaps.

[WeeTee]

I'm building a 5-string bass at the moment, and decided to add two carbon fiber strips to the neck to add some stiffness. It might have not been necessary, but I thought that there's no harm in doing so.

I bought a 120cm stick of 20mm * 2mm flat carbon fiber bar, cut it into two 60cm ones and inserted them on both sides of my truss rod, glued them to the channel sides and then cut them flush with the surface. Here's a pic:

Truss rod with carbon fiber strips

[thedoctor]

I am always wrong but I still thought that rerods were put in in pairs to keep the neck from warping left or right. Any truss rod worth it's salt could kick it some carbon rod butt in the bowing department. I think that is why the builders of the wider bass necks are going to two truss rods and no carbon. Been wrong MANY times before.

[erikbojerik]

Two truss rods is IMO a better-than-average way for the uninitiated wrench turner to impart a twist to his neck.

[Opencan]

thanks for all the great information.

so i've figured i just need to put the carbon fibers on the sides of the truss rod and glue it all to its place, right?

and is the 2 rods thing, the one that does a U shape, works any better?

and thoes fibers doesn't mess with my option to "play" with the truss rod to adjust the curve of the neck?

by the way, sorry for my lame English, blame Israel..

[fryovanni]

That placement is odd to me. I have never placed carbon rods in the truss rod slot. I can't say it's wrong just never seen it done that way. Maybe a quick trip to Warmoths site would be helpful.Warmoth., or maybe Stew Mac's info-Stew Mac.

It is not required to add the Carbon Fiber rods, or small steel rods (Warmoth). It does add a bit of strength and resistance to warpage. I use them depending on the application. For bass it seems to be a natural choice for me.

Peace, Rich

[jmrentis]

That placement is odd to me. I have never placed carbon rods in the truss rod slot. I can't say it's wrong just never seen it done that way.

I agree, I have yet to see anyone do it this way besides that one, which I'm sure worked fine but it seems to me that if you routed two channels one on either side of the truss rod channel that it would be far more effective, as the point is not to stiffen the truss rod which is already made of steel, but to stiffen the neck. Spacing it out like that would probably work better if you were going to go that way, but again is not necessary. Is it going to be 2 parts hard maple and one part mahogandy, or what? Good Luck! Jason

[bassman]

Check ut this photo, this is how I use CF rods...

http://beta.communities.msn.ca/RiceBass/fr...hoto&PhotoID=12

and remember to keep from breathing in the stuff if you cut it or shape it in any way, keep the fibers out of your skin as well. I think the best thing is just to avoid cutting or sanding it at all unless you really need to.

Edited July 4, 2005 by bassman

[Opencan]

thanks alot, it seems not really that neccessery for my 4 string bass plan, but if i'll make any other one, i'll be sure to use this info.

thanks alot!

[WeeTee]

Yeah, my original idea was to route slots for the carbon strips too. But since the carbon I bought was only 2mm thick, I couldn't find a router bit small enough. And someone on a Finnish guitar building forum mentioned that he'd done the same thing, and put them to the sides of the truss rod, so that's what I did.

Obviously I haven't tried it yet, but I believe it will work quite fine. After all, the job of the carbon strips is the same as the truss rod's: to resist the bending of the neck caused by the string pull.

[Frank Martin]

Since there are also carbon-fiber and graphite-necked basses out there (Modulus, Status, Moses, Steinberger, Stick, etc), putting the rods next to the truss rod wont hurt, but it would be more logical further apart, like in this picture, stolen from Jerzy Drozd's webiste (http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/):

This neck has two truss rods and three graphite bars (I think it's a 7-string)

Another idea behind graphite/cf is not just to make the neck stiffer, but also to make it more resistant to changes in temperature and humidity.

[wontonpillsbury]

wow wee tee you must have a nice camera that picture is amazing! good to show off your lutherie skills