Stew Mac Doucle Action Truss Rods

[custom22]

Has anybody ever used a stew mac "Hot Rod". http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Truss_rods/Hot...Truss_Rods.html

It says something like no anchor, do you just rout straight rectangular channel, and then glue in the ends, without an anchor point? This is my first neck, and i do not feel like learning the hard way. I would be happy if anybody with experience could enlughten me, or possibly give me a link to a diagram. Thanks in advance!

-Ryan

Edited February 10, 2006 by custom22

[bassman]

Yep, just route a straight, flat bottomed channel that keeps the width and length snug. I notch out an area for the bottom rod to project into, this probably wont make a lot of sense until you get your hands on one. They are the only rods I have used, I have no reason to switch to another kind at this time or in the forseeable future. They are very simple to install and give you a wide range of neck adjustment. There have been a bunch of posts regarding this subject, using the search feature should give a wealth of info on the subject.

[Mattia]

Short answer: yes.

Just sits there. Lovely rods, all I use, work very well, easy to install, not the shallowest (so if you want a wizard thin tiny neck you may be out of luck, but for all regular sized, even relatively slim necks, they're fine). Also, you seem not to have noticed the nice link to 'instructions' so yellowly displayed on each of the individual truss rods' pages, or the StewMac 'free information' section (bottom left in the menu), both of which will tell you lots of very handy things.

[custom22]

Allright thanks! I cant wait to get started!

[goth_fiend]

they are great truss rods and the only type I have used as well, just remember you cant go wire thin on your neck with them (made that mistake 5 times , live and learn)

[thegarehanman]

I prefer lmii's double acting truss rod. They're more form fitting. By that, I mean if you route a round bottomed channel(which isn't a bad idea for the hot rod either), the channel will hug the rod on all sides because, unlike the hotrod, it's got a flat top bar, as opposed to stewmac's round top bar. Also, lmii's rod is 1/16" thinner. However, I have used a hotrod before and I have no complaints. I don't route a rectangular channel though. I prefer to route a channel with a round bottom(it is a round rod afterall) and then only route the portions of the channel that the brass blocks of the truss rod sit in with a regular bit.

[Guitarfrenzy]

The hot rod from Stew Mac are great but like others have said, aren't for thinner necks. I found this out the hard way!! I personally like the truss rods that come from alliedlutherie.com, they are like the LMI ones but cheaper on price and just as good, we'll so far I haven't had any problems. I've had LMI truss rods also and they are great, but again I think overpriced. The great thing about both of them over the Stew Mac one is they only take a 3/8" deep slot, which like someone said is 1/16" less than they have to be routed for. That might not seem like a lot, but believe you me, it is when your going for a 19mm and less neck thickness size. The safe amount of wood you must have between the bottom the the truss slot and the back of the neck is 1/8" minimum. So if you have a 1/4" (.250) thick fingerboard, which is the standard, add the 1/8" (.125) that you need to leave, plus the 7/16"(.4375) for the slot (Stew Mac) will give you the minimum thickness you can have.

.250 --- fingerboard

.125 --- wood thickness between bottom of truss slot and back of neck

+ .4375 -- Slot depth for Stew Mac Hot Rod

---------total

0.8125 -- how thin the neck can be made!! (20.6 mm)

If you subsituted 3/8" for the other truss rod slot, you'd end up with 3/4" (.75) or appox. 19mm.

So you need to really decide how thick the neck is going to be before deciding which one you want. Always plan ahead bro.