seewot Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 hey all !! im jus new to yr site and its really great!! im completly new to this u see.. so i got a few questions here.. and i would be very very grateful if someone could give me a wee answer or tell me where i could find out more.. so here goes..... You see.. i have tried my hand at cabinetmaking.. and i suppose i pretty much sussed that.. so i thought i could try build a guitar as i dont have one and i would like to start playin.. or if that goes wrong i can jus have my guitar hangin on the wall to impress all my friends! So here i am startin my 'research'.. and turns out this is THE place to start!! well i was thinkin of jus buyin an old messed up fender strat (as thats what my brother owns.. and im kinda basing my design on that) and then rippin it apart.. see wots inside.. and then use the parts to put on my own body and neck. So is tht alrite.. or have i gone wrong already!! The other tniy problem is that i completely dont understand how these things work!!! well i've picked up a lot in magasines and on the internet.. and i sorta kno my guitar language now. The one thing that i just cannot get my head around is this bar up the middle of the neck.. and this is where i ask for yr help.. please! So... what does this bar do? (i thought it mite have been to strengthen the neck to stop it bending..??) i kinda undestand now that it adjusts the 'action' and tilts the neck up or down (impressed?!?!?.. or am i wrong?) BUT... how does this bar tilt the neck?? is it threaded?? is it attached to the body?? and most importantly.. how the hell am i gonna drill a 2ft long hole up the middle of my neck?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 the bar in the neck is called a truss rod a neck is usually made of two parts ,the neck and fretboard(board that sits on top which you 'fret' the strings onto) to put the truss rod in you route your hole in the neck part then place the fretboard over the top there are also some necks which are 1 piece (basically, this can of course be multiple pieces of wood stuck together) in which case i'm pretty sure you would actually have to drill a VERY deep hole you're right about the truss tilting or 'bowing' the neck there are many people here who will be able to explain exactly how, why...etc it works trust me you've come to the right place!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Youv'e definetely came to the right place.. I can't begin to tell you how much I've learned since I became a member... It's the best on the web... but to answer your question.. The bar is called a truss rod... and it's there so you can adjust the relief in the neck.. there are many links you can go to that will explain this in great detail... but basically when you tighten the truss rod it straightens the neck.. and when you lossen it.. you relieve pressure from the neck so the strings pull it and give you relief in the neck.. the best way to measure relief .. that is if you already have the strings on it.. place a capo on the first fret and press down on the last fret of the 6th string or bass string.. and measure with a feeler guage set the distance between the top of the 7th fret to the bottom of the string ... it should range anywhere from .004" to .015".... I like around .008"... or so.. but really what you'd want to do is start with no relief in the neck.. or a straight neck.. using straight edges to check... then lossen the truss rod.. bout 1/4 of a turn is alot.. so be careful... and see if you don't have any buzzes.. when the bridge is setup right.. basically the straighter you can get by with the neck .. and have no buzzing the better.. or more comfortable it is to fret.. humm I'll find you some links later today... Hope this helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 nothing will make this whole deal clearer then the book Make Your Own Electric Guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Exactly,, "Make Your Own Electric Guitar" is the bible of guitar building.. I'm still reading it.. lol.. best deal I found was here... http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/095...7907850-0952641 Also check out Stewart MacDonald site... and look at the free information sheets... www.stewmac.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seewot Posted July 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 riteo!! ta very much everyone!! and yes i have that book ordered.. but it aint due to come till monday.. and then the builders have some excuse for a week off over here: 'builders holiday' or something.. which means my local wood shop is closed.. so i have no wood either!! so im totally stuck with nothing to do till next week!! so neways.. i've read a lot more about this 'truss rod' now and i get how it changes the action (cheers 'guitarfrenzy'!!).. and i take it i can buy one of these and then it just slots into the neck.?. and that makes a lot of sense about putting it under the fretboard!! sori to be annoying but i have another question now..(well i have lots.. but im jus sorta planning now).. i want to do my body in ash.. as i can do cool colors with that.. and i kno maple is ment to be 'the' wood for a neck.. but i think i have seen beech used before. so.. considering beech mite b a little easier to get.. is it strong enough.. and does it make a good enough sound and all.. or shud i jus stick with tryin to find some maple?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchool Posted July 18, 2003 Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 You're not annoying, this forum is made for questions and answers I don't know exactly what kind of wood beech is... but if it's strong and dense it could be good for the neck. Maybe someone can give you a better answer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted July 18, 2003 Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 I have used beech for necks. It works fine. It seems quite similar to maple in some respects. My last guitar (a tele) for my son has a beech neck and has a great twangy tone. Though how much is the neck and how much the parana and mahogony body I'm not sure. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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