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Truss rod instalation - to shim or not


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I've done it both ways using a shim as in Luthier tips de jour [about 4:41 min in] and using the old tape over the slot and hope no glue gets on the rod method. I have had the latter go wrong a time or two and recently had the joy of pulling a rod out installed as per the vid way. Defintely not fun and a trickier to get the rod out without mongrelising the channel.

interested to know your preference and the reasons behind it

thanks in advance

 

 

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Only ever done it without the shim, with the flat back-bar flush to the neck/fretboard join, plus tape over the rod. Never had an issue with glue ingress into the channel binding the rod.

When building thinner necks you need as low a profile channel as possible. Routing a channel deep enough to accept the rod plus a fillet on top removes too much meat from the neck to guarantee stability.

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7 hours ago, curtisa said:

Only ever done it without the shim, with the flat back-bar flush to the neck/fretboard join, plus tape over the rod. Never had an issue with glue ingress into the channel binding the rod.

When building thinner necks you need as low a profile channel as possible. Routing a channel deep enough to accept the rod plus a fillet on top removes too much meat from the neck to guarantee stability.

Likewise.

SR

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yep i see the point for a thin neck. This one's a fatty with over an inch thick at 12..Having cut the slot and access at the headstock I'm committed with this current build.

The weld on the rod adjuster head failed on initial adjusting test and had to pull it. Worked fine in the test before I installed it. Luckily it happened before neck was glued into the body. I am definitely thinking on the tape method from here on. It was a real pain to get out.

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Old_Picker

 

What I do to avoid this, which only takes a few seconds is apply a dab of silicone in the slot where the threads will be (both ends), When you push the rod into the slot, the bead will ooze around the thread and you can wipe it with your finger to smooth it off and make sure the thread is completely covered.

 

Once you do this, then the glue will not bind your threads when you laminate the board.

 

Also, check your messages on the other forum we spoke on, I've had an outgoing one to you unread for a week.

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