Hotrock Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Alright dudes! I'm installing my truss rod toninght and I just want to know exactly how to do it. I really don't want to balls it up and being the truss rod virgin that I am.....etc etc. The truss rod is a gotoh unit. Number 9587 in the photo in the following link: http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/ttwp10.html Do I need a fillet over the top (like in a tutorial I read)? I know about oiling the threads and rubbing the rod with candle wax to stop it sticking. I'm a bit worried as it seems to have no anchor plate to stop it moving up the neck. The rod is installed from the front with a finger board stuck over the top. Cheers guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 This rod looks like a two way version of the martin style U-channel rod. This is a very simple rod to fit, and will seat in a straight channel in the neck. The rod does not need an anchor block since it doesn't actually pull against the neck - the rod acts against the u-channel it sits in and causes the channel to bend, taking the neck with it. You can use it effectively with or without a fillet. You can also opt to epoxy it into the neck, or leave it unglued. If you glue it it will add significant stiffness to your neck, which will reduce the possibilty of dead spots or wolftones. If you opt not to glue you need a very positive fit into the slot to avoid rattles or lost movement. The simplest way to install it is to epoxy it into the slot with no fillet. The slot needs to be a good fit and the rod should lay flush with the top of the neck blank. If you are not confident that you can get it perfectly level with the top surface of the neck you can glue on a very shallow fillet and then plane/sand this flush with the neck blank. There should be no need to wax this rod if you glue carefully - the back of the rod should be sealed with a narrow strip of masking tape which should keep glue out of the u-channel and away from the moving parts of the rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted December 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Cheers setch. Just a few things: Does the masking tape face out of the channel when glueing? Do I glue the back and sides of the rod? Do I remove the masking tape after I've fitted it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted December 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 And happy 200th post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Tape side down. Glue the sides of the rod into the channel. The easiest way is to apply a decent amount of glue to the sides of the channel and the rod, rather than a bunch on just one surface. This should keep the bottom of the rod pretty glue free. The tape stays on, and will remain in the neck for good. Thanks for the happies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted December 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Nice one geezer. Just got to finish a bit of sanding and then throw the truss rod in. It should hopefully be bandsawed on Thursday so it all needs to be done by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 just a question for Setch on the topic. can you epoxy Hot Rod truss rods inside their channel? Page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 can you epoxy Hot Rod truss rods inside their channel? I've not used a hotrod, but i'm 99% certain you can't. At least one of the two rods in the hotrod design needs to turn for the rod to work, so gluing it would be a bad idea. The u-channel rods have all the moving components inside an aluminium channel which is sealed off with a strip of tape. This means you can glue the channel in without affecting the rods operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 yes you are so very right. i wasn't really thinking when i asked that question. i wasn't very specific in what i meant too. i meant could you glue the steel ends of the rod inside the channel - so it doesn't move? if that last question was stupid, how would you recommend installing a hot rod so it is secure? Cheerz! Page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 I think Stew Mac just recommend that you make the route for the rod a nice snug fit and press it in. I'd take that with a pinch o salt though - since I've not ever used a hotrod my advice isn't based on anything concrete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryeisnotcool2 Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 i use a dab of silicone caulk one on each end at the rod boltblock things and one in the middle on the bottome rod, the sylicone is rubbery so it helps take the rattle out, i have changed over to a rod the allied luthier sells, its cheaper and its chromed so its protected a little better, instead of 20$ its like 11$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted December 16, 2003 Report Share Posted December 16, 2003 Nice - simultaneous post. I'd listen to Rye - if his last guitar is any measure he knows what he's talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryeisnotcool2 Posted December 17, 2003 Report Share Posted December 17, 2003 thanks setch, i like the hot rods, and that is what i used on the RH1 that is up for the voting, but i switched to allieds truss rod mainly for the price, i put one in a guitar im building for a customer and it works really well! plus if i ever wanted i could leave the adjusting allen nut exposed cause its chromed and they look really nice! also with allieds they give you the allen with every truss rod, so i save even more money ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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