frankenstrat Posted November 7, 2003 Report Posted November 7, 2003 i posted this as a reply earlier, but i figured i'd post again.... i have a strat neck that i am wanting to perform a truss rod transplant on. it is off of a MIM strat, rosewood fretboard, adjusts at the nut end of the neck. i know it's probably not worthe the time to do this, but i want to learn. i have already started to remove the skunk stripe, to try and get it out, but the skunk stripe is breaking into little pieces. i wonder now, if removing the fretboard would be easier.... also, does tha anchor part, at the heel of the neck unscrew, off of the rod? Quote
Brian Posted November 8, 2003 Report Posted November 8, 2003 Once you get the fret board off you reallly shouldn't have any problems getting the truss rod out other then the plastic insert they may have put on the end (round black tube) to dress it up. Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 8, 2003 Author Report Posted November 8, 2003 cool. are there any pictures, or diagrams around, that show what the inside of this particular neck looks like inside?, i'm curious. Quote
bluespresence Posted November 8, 2003 Report Posted November 8, 2003 Is this what you're looking for? http://www.warmoth.com/common/frames/guitarneck.htm Hope it helps. Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 9, 2003 Author Report Posted November 9, 2003 cool, thanks for the link.....good stuff there.... another question....does it matter what kind of wood i use to replace the skunk stripe? does it have to be a hardwood? i have heard that the originals are made of Koa Quote
bluespresence Posted November 9, 2003 Report Posted November 9, 2003 Someone else here may have a better idea, but I personally would use only a hardwood. Mahogany is relatively inexpensive (especially when compared to koa) and readily available. Try your local lumberyard. Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 10, 2003 Author Report Posted November 10, 2003 i found a piece of mahogany ( i think) in my basement...looks like it was off of a chair, in a past life...i think i will try to use it. can you but skunk stripes pre made any where? i wonder if i could inlay something fancy in there??? Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 16, 2003 Author Report Posted November 16, 2003 ok, i now have the "skunk stripe" removed, as well as the truss rod. i had tried an iron, to heat melt the glue, but as i pried on the stripe, it was just breaking, and making a big mess. i realized that there would be no way for me to get it out without destroying it, so i decided to break out the dremmel (i love dremmels), and i cut right up the middle of the stripe. i then used an iron, to heat the glue, and a razor to remove the rest of it. it came out pretty clean. as it turns out, removing the fretboard would not have provided access to the truss rod on this neck. i took some pictures of my work, and would post them, if i knew how. now the question is, where to find a truss rod.... or, i could make one...hmm... also, does anyone have any tips on how to make a new "skunk stripe"? Quote
bluespresence Posted November 16, 2003 Report Posted November 16, 2003 You can find a reasonably priced truss rod at www.stewmac.com I just picked one up for a bass I repaired for $12 or so. You might want to get a few other items while you're there because shipping on the rod was $8.50. I picked up some 3 ply pickguard material for custom p-guards to make up for the shipping. Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 17, 2003 Author Report Posted November 17, 2003 i have been looking there, it seems they are cut to fit, which is ok. also, they don't seem to have the nut that i need, the old one still has the piece stuck in it, and i don't think the bullet style will work. next question is, what to re-finish the back of the neck with? maybe this stuff, http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supp...es.html#details in a clear satin? Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Posted November 18, 2003 ok, i have decided i am going to make my own truss rod. if i got one from stew-mac, i'd have to thread one end anyways, so why not just do both ends? the one at stew-mac is made of stainless, is there any reason it HAS to be stainless? i have been to lowes, and all they have is steel, and plated steel. Quote
frankenstrat Posted November 24, 2003 Author Report Posted November 24, 2003 ok, so I made my own truss rod.....after searching around trying to find a replacement, unsuccessfully. i decided it would be easy enough to just make one. now, the search for an adjusting nut......i hope this works out...... Quote
frankenstrat Posted December 13, 2003 Author Report Posted December 13, 2003 ok, i am almost finished with this project. i installed the new rod, and made a new skunk stripe out of poplar, it looks different, but i think it looks good. i have installed it on the guitar, and it works fine. now, it just needs a little bit of sanding and finish. http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/guitarlan.../guitarland2000 Quote
DannoG Posted December 13, 2003 Report Posted December 13, 2003 Bravo Fstrat, it looks like you did it your way, learned a lot and have a working axe again. Quote
frankenstrat Posted December 13, 2003 Author Report Posted December 13, 2003 i had some fun with this project. i could have probably just bought another neck for short money, but i liked the idea of fixing this one. i also learned a bit from it. Quote
bluespresence Posted December 13, 2003 Report Posted December 13, 2003 That's the way I love to learn! Great Job! Quote
frankenstrat Posted December 15, 2003 Author Report Posted December 15, 2003 thanks. i'm glad i got this neck fixed, i have a MIJ strat neck that i had put on the guitar, after the truss rod broke, but i just couldn't get used to it, it has really small frets, and is shaped a bit different. i couldn't get the neck adjusted before, because the truss rod nut wouldn't budge, but now it plays better than before. Quote
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