Headstock Veneer/truss Rod Access

[ginner]

Hey, Ive got a question about how to make the truss rod access channel if i have a veneer on the face of my headstock. Normally I would use a router table with a fence to drill my truss rod routes, including the access before I glue the headstock ears on, and no problems. But now I have to have the ears on before the veneer which means I cant route the access using my usual method. How do you guys do it ? One thing I was thinking was to have a piece of wood the same thickness as the ears and double stick tape it to the heel section of the guitar to make up for the ears, but that seems a little risky to me. Thanks for any input.

[Bmth Builder]

Use your normal method

Truss rod slot then ears, then the veneer, and then you can drill through the veneer into the access slot that is alread routed into the headstock, and sand the veneer flush to the side of the TR access slot.

[ginner]

Use your normal method

Truss rod slot then ears, then the veneer, and then you can drill through the veneer into the access slot that is alread routed into the headstock, and sand the veneer flush to the side of the TR access slot.

Cool, thanks, but how exactly would you drill for it ? could you explain how you would set it up to make it perfect? Thanks.

[Hector]

Cool, thanks, but how exactly would you drill for it ? could you explain how you would set it up to make it perfect? Thanks.

draw a central line, drill 2 or 3 holes and use a chisel or a file to remove the material between them. mine turned out pretty cool!

[westhemann]

Drill?I guess you could but that is a bit chancy I think...

I use a razorknife because the veneer is so thin it cuts like cardboard.I just cut close to the edges and use a small file to clean up.

[ginner]

Rightous guys, this is all really clear to me now. I like the idea of using the drill because you can still have that little bit of veneer showing just behind the nut, but like wes says its a bit risky if you don't do it perfect. I think i might drill with a slightly smaller bit to reduce my chances of destroying my headstock and then use wes' method after. Thanks alot, appreciate the replies.

[Hector]

Rightous guys, this is all really clear to me now. I like the idea of using the drill because you can still have that little bit of veneer showing just behind the nut, but like wes says its a bit risky if you don't do it perfect. I think i might drill with a slightly smaller bit to reduce my chances of destroying my headstock and then use wes' method after. Thanks alot, appreciate the replies.

wes is right. if you´re using a thin veneer then, using a drill might not be a good idea.

the piece I used is not a veneer, it´s 2mm thick rosewood, so it turned out ok. use a drill press. using a hand drill would be to hard to control the depth of the hole. if you´re going with a thin veneer, then a razorblade would work just fine.

[j. pierce]

I used a router table - doing it the same way I did my truss rod channel before the headstock was on - neck fretboard side down, approaching the bit from the headstock side. Used a bullnose bit slightly larger in diameter than what I used for the trussrod channel. Stopped just shy of the nut. Ended up with results that look largely like those pictured by Hector. I like using thicker veneers for the top, because It allows me to use a Gibson-style two-screw truss rod cover. I find those more attractive than a three-screw modern type cover. Although if you get the fit perfect, you can use one screw and pressure against the nut to hold the truss rod cover on.

I did this before my fingerboard was attached, mainly because I wanted to do this before I put the rod in the slot - for obvious reasons, you don't want the router bit hitting the trussrod! Since it was after the ears where added and the board was tapered, I need a jig to keep my neck moving perpendicular to the bit so I ended up with a nice slot. I ended up attaching a rail to the mitre gauge that rides in the slot on my router table, and then holding the neck firmly against that as I slid the whole assembly along the track. I used one of my featherboards clamped in the track to prevent the whole assembly from sliding to far forward, but a block clamped on the table would work as well.

In the future, I'd probably make jig that's some sort of a board that slides through that track, with toggle clamps to hold the neck in place more securely to do the same job.

It ends up being more work, I guess, but my drill press isn't the greatest, and I find this method, while more involved, helps me do a more precision job by using the tools that I already have.

I'm also a huge fan of Scott French's truss rod covers, it looks like he uses a forstner bit to drill out a hole in the veneer, and then a hole saw to cut a matching, recessed cover. (Although he could use a different method.) It looks really killer. I've thought about making a small template that screws to the neck with counter sunk screws through where the tuner holes will be, to facilitate using a router to do something similar, but with a different shape. I like the idea of the flush-mount truss rod cover, but I don't want to ape on Scott's design motif.

[westhemann]

I like using thicker veneers for the top, because It allows me to use a Gibson-style two-screw truss rod cover. I find those more attractive than a three-screw modern type cover.

Keep in mind there are truss rod covers which rest against the nut and only use one screw...that is what I use.