Stew Mac Hot Rod

[Acousticraft]

I want to fit a hotrod truss rod to a Strat neck but have the adjusting nut at the headstock. The instructions say to fit it with the adjustable rod at the bottom but for a strat it would need to have the adjustment at the top. I cant see why it want work the other way apart from having to turn the nut anticlockwise to adjust for upbow. I am gluing the neck on the guitar I am building so i cant have it at the heel end.

Anyone done this?

[Acousticraft]

Anyone?

[MidwestGitarz]

Hotrod Mod

Look about 2/3rds down the page. Hope this helps.

[Rick500]

I installed one exactly that way (upside-down) and it works perfectly except that (as you mentioned) you have to turn it the opposite way you ordinarily would, for adjustments.

[Acousticraft]

Thanks guys for the info. I thought it would work the other way up. It justs means the adjusting rod is under compression instead of being in tension which in simple language means it is pushing instead of pulling as they normally work by having the nut at the bottom.

I ended up making my own hotrod but it doesn't have the left hand thread at one end but works well and bends up real easy. I even had a length of brass plate to make the double nuts. I just need to get some of that plastic sleeving to go over the rods to stop any rattles. I made a round slotted adjustment nut as it was the easiest to make that way. Once I have the sleeving I can reassemble it and silver solder the nut to the threaded shaft.

[Mattia]

I want to fit a hotrod truss rod to a Strat neck but have the adjusting nut at the headstock. The instructions say to fit it with the adjustable rod at the bottom but for a strat it would need to have the adjustment at the top. I cant see why it want work the other way apart from having to turn the nut anticlockwise to adjust for upbow. I am gluing the neck on the guitar I am building so i cant have it at the heel end.

Anyone done this?

For the record, it works upside down as you say, but a regular, normal strat neck with a regular, normal headstock end adjustment hole will work just fine with the nut installed down. GuitarFrenzy's start tutorial did it that way, I have two strat necks made that way lying here with the nuts down as well, no problems.

[Acousticraft]

Thanks Mattia I will look at that when I rout out the slot and see where the nut will sit and whether it can sit at the bottom of my neck or not. My neck pattern was copied of a Vester Strat so it may not be exactly the same as a genuine Strat.