Dean Reeves Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 I hope this is the right place to pst this, don't want to step on any toes... I am planning my "dream bass" (mind you it's really the "budget version of my dream bass" lol) and I've been learning about truss rods. I know I don't know much, and this is probably a misconception, but shouldn't the truss rod run the entire length of the neck? My design has a 27 or so inch neck (36" scale) and the longest truss rod that I've seen is 24". Is that long enough? Also, while I know it's not a requirement would any of you suggest using carbon fiber neck rods? The neck will be laminated maple>walnut<maple (1 1/2" > 1/2" < 1 1/2"). Also a Cocobolo fingerboard. Do you all think that this setup would be strong enough to handle 5 strings without the carbon fiber supports? Thanks in advance for the input! -Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm99 Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Dean, You're definitely in the right place, and if you were to step on any toes, you certainly wouldn't be the first! I'll let someone else answer the truss rod question, but I can speak to the other ones. I would say that you don't need carbon fiber rods, but it's better to have them than not to have them. I put them in all my necks. They're cheap, easy to install, and they lend a lot of confidence. All in all, sounds like you're approaching the project thoughtfully, which is great. Sounds like it'll be a good neck. -Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Reeves Posted April 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Thanks for the tip, I will definatly take it under advisement. It's just that while carbon fiber supports are relatively cheap, an extra $40 in my pocket seems pretty great. Arkansas (where I live) just added new taxes to cigs to compund the fedral tax, and a carton is between $60 and $70 dollars now. The rub is it's gonna cost me over $200 to TRY Chantix Anyway, the cheaper I can build the better. Now I just need to figure out how to do the truss rod and I'll be golden :o) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm99 Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 $40?! You should be able to get cf rods for under ten. They're cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dugg Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 (edited) I stopped using the big 'beams' of CF like stewmac sells and switched to installing three thinner CF rods at the three (cross section) 'corners' of the neck. I get the thinner CF rods at my local hobby shop and they're nowhere near as 'spensive as the stewmac ones. Besides model airplanes and helicopters, people use CF for kites. Heres a link to a good kite site; http://www.goodwinds.com/merch/list.shtml?...solidflatcarbon Edited May 1, 2009 by dugg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I have a standard bass truss rod in a 36" scale neck (neckthru) and it works fine. Mine adjusts at the headstock. There's no reason to not go with CF bars - you'll spend way more on the rest of the hardware. They will keep the neck stable over time, and because they are stiffer than any equivalent amount of wood, you can make the neck a little thinner if you like (just be careful to plan the bar thickness and the back contour carefully so that you don't carve into the bars when carving the neck). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Reeves Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Thanks for the tip on the kite parts, sounds like a deal! I was looking at sewmac and their c--f supports were $18 each Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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