John Abbett Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 All, Ok, you are probably sick of truss rod questions, but I just don't get it. Here is my confusion. I have a new nice neck, with a fingerboard. The fingerboard is 1/4 inch, and the neck is somewhere around 1 inch. If I understand the way it works, you tighten the truss rod, and it puts tension on the wood, which pulls it backwards compensating the tension of the strings. All that makes sense, but my confusion is, don't I have to be further back in the neck then center to pull it backwards? Everything I've ready says put a route in the neck, to fit the truss rod and put the fingerboard on, if I do that I will be slightly off center in the wrong direction, and tightening should pull the neck in the wrong direction. So I'm guessing I need to route as deep as possible so that the truss rod can be as far back toward the back of the neck as possible to get the leverage. Doing that will greatly reduce the strength of the neck, it will have a deep hole the entire length of the neck. Sorry to be a pain, but I'm missing something here. -John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Sometimes it's good not to over-think things. Use a dual-action truss rod. The flat bar goes on top. Route only as a deep as you need to have that flat bar rest flush with the surface. You'll want to route slightly deeper at the end to accommodate the nut assembly. Glue the fretboard on. It'll work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Remember a truss rod is only going to add a little extra stiffness to straighten the neck. Sometimes you need no assistance at all from a truss rod Take a truss rod (just the truss rod, not installed) and tighten it a little. Look at what it does to the bar that will be below the fretboard. You will note it bows peaking tward the center. This is exactly what it will do installed (apply most force up and in the middle). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 the responses so far seem to relate more to two-way rods. The original poster hasnt mentioned what sort of rod he is using, to the OP - gotta reinforce what mickguard says to make life easy on yourself , use a two way rod. easier to install and will bow the neck either way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Your right Wez, I was thinking of a double or single acting truss rod, not a traditional single rod. Maybe he will elaborate on what style rod he is using. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 what you suggested doing has always been lesson number one when i have been showing people how to build necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Abbett Posted January 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 I purchased a single truss rod from StuMac, the reason for this was I thought I could have a smaller route, so that I would have to remove less wood. Also, it was only 10 bucks or so. Like the price. If I don't spend a lot of green, I can build more guitars, and thus build more experience. I did read the neck building faq on here. It's really great. But I didn't see where it says how deep to make the route. I took from it to route just enough for the truss rod to fit under the fingerboard. If that is the case, I would be slightly forward of center of the wood mass combination of neck/fingerboard. Tightening would pull the neck toward the strings, not away. I still think I'm missing something, but in my mind, if the truss rod is forward of the center line by any amount and you tighten it it will pull toward the strings.. So, it needs to be slightly back of the centerline.. right? -John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digideus Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Take a ruler, push both ends together and you will see it will bend in the middle of the bar. Apply that to the truss rod where both ends are secured to the threaded bar on the bottom and when you tighten the thread, the flat bar will bow, pushing the two ends backwards towards the rear of the neck, thus working against string tension. Most woods dont need THAT much adjustment once under string tension, unless theres something very wrong with the wood!. You wont actually know until you build one I guess. Suck it and see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 if you are using a single rod it needs to be closer to the back of the neck like you say - or, as is more usually the case, curved so that it will try to try to go straight as tightened and therefore bow the neck back. i suggest you do some more reading on truss rod installation - particularly on doing a curved channel for a traditional truss rod since thats what you have ordered. Putting this rod just below the fretboard will give you a truss rod that is most likely ineffective. or you could spend a little more on a two way rod thats going to make your first neck easier to construct and therefore give it a better chance of success Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 I use these double acting rods in my necks-link They are very close to the double acting rods LMI sells, but these have a little finer threads. I do prefer flat bar over round stock, and these are very well suited for the thinnest of necks. They also require a standard 1/4" wide route which I prefer over Hot Rods. Installation is simple, you have two way adjustment (hopefully I never need it, but it is there), and no special tools are required. The rod is 3/8" deep and if you allow 1/8" behind the rod and use a 3/16" fretboard. You have a min. required thickness of 11/16" (.6875") which is a pretty thin neck IMO, at least thinner than I prefer. I would recommend giving one of these rods a go, for the reasons I mentioned. A traditional rod that is 3/16" is going to need to be around 1/4" below the fretboard. So you are going to need to be at least .4375" deep, plus a min. of 1/8" behind the rod and using a 3/16" fretboard you should have a min. neck thickness of 3/4". If you limit the bow to 3/16" below the fretboard you are just going to be able to match the min. thickness of the double acting rod I use. To me it just makes good sense and is worth a few dollars more and take advantage of the fit and function. Actually because I know I will use them I buy a dozen at a time and the price is only about three bucks more than a traditional rod. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 As always, Frank Ford (frets.com) is a great place to start. "All about trussrods": http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Da...trussrods1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Like the price. If I don't spend a lot of green, I can build more guitars, and thus build more experience. First thing you're going to learn is that you can't cheap out on parts. Building takes lots of time and effort, especially the first guitars. There's not much point in putting in all that effort when the results are compromised by cheap hardware. Besides, many of the things you purchase can be recycled if you don't like the guitar. Assuming you don't burn them But don't fool yourself, this is not a cheap hobby. You should pick up a copy of the Melvyn Hiscock book, it's essential reading and will help take a lot of the mystery away from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Abbett Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Thanks everyone for the advice. I will pick up a copy of the recommended book. I will get a dual action trussrod. or the other that is recommended. I'll look into it. I'm not trying to be overly cheap, but my attitude was that if a single action truss rod would do the job, and has been used in many guitars, why spend money on more then is needed? No need to waste money.. But I understand that it's worth it if it makes installation easier. This is my second guitar. The first came out real nice. But I purchased the neck with the frets and truss rod installed. So, this is my first attempt at the neck. -John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Abbett Posted January 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Thanks for the link to Frets.com. Somehow I missed that site. The info on truss rods is great. I have a much better understanding now. Plus the tips are great. -John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hi John, What I think you might've missed is the routed channel is curved. It was mentioned above. A single action rod is installed in a route that is cut deeper in the middle (5th to 10th fret as an example) than on the ends (near the nut and heel. A contoured filler strip is glued in on top on the channel to 'lock in' the rod which is now sprung under tension. The surface is then planed smooth and the fingerboard glued on top. -Vinny photo courtesty of Gavigan Heavy Industries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 The Hiscock book (Make Your Own Electric Guitar) explains single action rod fabricaiton and installation quite well. Pick it up, follow that if you want to. Some folks prefer the sound and lower weight of single action rods; personally, I like the sound and stability provided by a dual action rod with a pair of CF bars. Necessary? No. But I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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