Rocket Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 I have this very old what you'd call garage sale neck, probably from the 60's. Good to experiment on. Anyway I was going to put it on this body I have but when I checked if the truss rod was working. It seemed to be doing nothing. The neck naturally was fairly concave with truss rod slack. So I got crazy and took the fretboard off, which straightened the neck a lot. It only has the slightest concave bend now. BUT. When I tighten the truss rod it causes it to bend more concave and not straighten out. I tried this with strings on it also, so the strings pulled the neck to a curve then I tried to straighten it with the rod and it did nothing. It's a curved channel for the truss rod by the way. Adjusts at the heel. I can even see when I tighten the truss nut, the rod moves toward the back of the neck, not toward where the fretboard would be. This seems like the opposite of what it should do. Did they make it wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
low end fuzz Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 did you put it in upside down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted February 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 ? I didn't put it in. Someone in an Asian factory in the 1960s did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
low end fuzz Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 maybe so; even more likely; but if you took the fretboard off already (assuming you knew this pror) why did you not try flipping it over? not having it in my hands its hard to say for sure, (especially since i dont know how comfortably it fits in the slot) but it would make sense to me to put the pressure driven side towards the problem as opose to right back where it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted March 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 It was held it by these "fillets" I guess their called so I took those out. It's simply and 11/32" steel rod with a "T" as an anchor. The rod welded to this flat, rectangular piece of steel. I did flip it over so the side that was nearest the fretboard was facing the back of the neck. Didn't make any difference. If by 'flip it over' you mean to put the anchor at the opposite end and the adjusting nut at the headstock, I wouldn't even bother trying that as it would involve cutting things up a bunch. I was thinking, what if I put reinforcment on either side of the rod. Maybe not carbon fiber but a harder wood. What do people use, bubinga? Something harder? Then hope that it's enough to keep it straight in winter and in summer when I typically loosen truss rods, I would tighten this one. I'm running ideas because I really don't want to spend a dime on this. Just hone my skills a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 It was held it by these "fillets" I guess their called so I took those out. It's simply and 11/32" steel rod with a "T" as an anchor. The rod welded to this flat, rectangular piece of steel. I did flip it over so the side that was nearest the fretboard was facing the back of the neck. Didn't make any difference. If by 'flip it over' you mean to put the anchor at the opposite end and the adjusting nut at the headstock, I wouldn't even bother trying that as it would involve cutting things up a bunch. I was thinking, what if I put reinforcment on either side of the rod. Maybe not carbon fiber but a harder wood. What do people use, bubinga? Something harder? Then hope that it's enough to keep it straight in winter and in summer when I typically loosen truss rods, I would tighten this one. I'm running ideas because I really don't want to spend a dime on this. Just hone my skills a little. There should have been a concave piece of wood over the truss rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted March 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 There should have been a concave piece of wood over the truss rod? NO! there should be a CONVEX piece of wood over the truss rod forcing it into a curve with the centre of the neck lower than the two ends. Thus when you tighten the nut, the rod attempts to straighten and puts upward force in the middle of the neck counteracting the force of the strings. What is happening now is that longitudinal force is being applied just under the fretboard , like an extra string! Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 NO! there should be a CONVEX depends on whether you are calling the side of the neck with the strings the reference point or if you are calling the back of the neck the reference point,now doesn't it?I would bet you are both saying the same thing,but with different reference points in your mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 depends on whether you are calling the side of the neck with the strings the reference point or if you are calling the back of the neck the reference point,now doesn't it?I would bet you are both saying the same thing,but with different reference points in your mind. Yes quite correct. He did say he had removed the fretboard though so I presumed reference was being made from the string and fretboard side. If there is indeed a concave fillet applied from the fretboard side this would most definitely be "made wrong" Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 It's a curved channel for the truss rod by the way So it would be a single-action trussrod I think ...when I tighten the truss nut, the rod moves toward the back of the neck, not toward where the fretboard would be. This seems like the opposite of what it should do...That really is strange. Not sure if others have sorted this out yet but have you got any pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 I just had to come back Are you turning the adjusting nut the correct way? Maybe there's a left-hand thread or something If the rod moves to the back of the neck it sounds like you're adding pressure to it rather than pulling it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 If it has the proper insert, concave convex whatever, the curve faces down the flat up. then it must be the rod. Then the rod is spinning with the nut my first guess. You keep turning nothing happens.......... The T or L portion is broken at the heel of the neck, however they secured it, it came apart or broke apart. Weld it or buy a replacement. Or make your own from some rod and a tap. Could be bottomed out but that would mean the nut would no longer turn, or its bottomed out and the rod is broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted March 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 The rod isn't spinning with the nut, I know that. I took the rod out and inspected it. The anchor "T" part is secure. Also, to be clear as I can: with the neck laying fretboard side up, the channel is curved concave - meaning it's deeper in the center - and the rod was being forced concave by fillets, to follow the channels curve. As far as the nut, it goes in at the heel, goes in really smooth, CW to tighten. Everything seems normal with it. It did not have a washer, oddly. The nut was directly compressing against wood. So I added a washer. Didn't change anything though. I don't have any pictures or a way to take any digitally, sorry. Does a single rod have to be curved like this? What if I filled in the channel and made it straight? I suppose that wouldn't change what the rod is doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Does a single rod have to be curved like this? yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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