tsl602000 Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Hi people, I got my trussrod today and it looks exactly like this: http://pages.infinit.net/rmilette/Photos/L...russ_Rod_lg.jpg except the upper rod is a rectangle just as wide as the bottom (round) rod that has the nut attached. The trussrod is appr. 17 1/2"inch long. I pretty much have no clue how to rout the trussrod channel... what side of the trussrod should be up? Where should the nut be located (nut side or body side)? and should I drill a special channel for the nut (which is about 1mm wider than the trussrod... I know, may questions, but any help will be highly appreciated. It's a strat neck btw.... Coen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Typically you want the adjustment on the end to be on the bottom just like you have it in the picture except the rod needs to be mounted further into the neck of course. The route should be a tight as possible so it doesn't shake or rattle in the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Hi, i recently fitted a stew mac Hotrod ( as shown in pic) . the truss rod can be put in any way really! , which end the nut is on is just down to personal preference. Imho a rear adjusting truss rod is better because when you have it adjusting at the headstock , there is fair bit of wood removed, causing the neck to be weak at that point. Also, if you are making a one piece neck, the truss rod will have to be inserted from the bottom, if its a 2 piece(seperate fretboard) then insert it from the top(as in picture) The instructions that came with mine said that it should be inserted with the nut section at the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted January 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 Brian and John, Thanks for your swift reply! This is a wonderful forum. This is my first project and I need all the help I can get. It's going pretty well sofar. Got the body finished and continuing to work on the neck now. The photo is a pic I found on the web, not my trussrod, but they're very similar. Would it be a good idea to put sillicon kit (or whatever that soft white stuff that you're supposed NOT to put between the filter caps of a Fender amp is called...:-) in the trussrod channel before inserting the rod to make sure it won't rattle and stays exactly where I install it? Also, the Allen nut is slightly wider (about 0.015") than the rod. Should I drill the area where the Allen is located (I decided to mount it at the body side of the neck)? Thanks again! Coen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 I've heard of people coating them in white lithium grease so they stay lubed, I have no idea what the sillicon kit is. Some people from what I've seen will wipe them down with WD 40 which is really a bad idea because as it age's it tends to become thick and more like a film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 hmmm... yeah, I kinda knew you woulldn't know how what sillicone kit is.....:-) It's white stuff (sometimes translucent) that you could use to seal almost aything in your kitchen or bathroom. The tub's edge, the sink edge..... Anyway, thanks for your help !!! Coen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 yeah , i used silicone sealer(as per manufacturers fitting instructions) i put a dab under each end piece , and a few bits between the two rods themselves to help cusion vibration. Just dont put anything on the threads and you will be fine. yeah i drilled out the hole for the nut, i made it a little bigger than the nut itself , to make inserting an allen key easier when its all put together. hope that helps , John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Silicone sealer/caulk... that's exactly what I meant! I routed the trussrod channel today and although it was the very first time I held a router in my hands, it went pretty well! I cut the channel according to the specifications of the manufacturer, but the upper rod is about 0.7mm (0.0275 inch) below the surface of the neck (I make a two piece neck with rosewood fingerboard) and I'm in doubt if I should fill the bottom of the trussrod channel with some thin maple or not. The trussrod fits in nicely and doesn't move. John, what's the level of your upper rod compared to the flat surface of the neck (where the fingerboard goes)? Anyway, what a great hobby is this! Coen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 not exactly sure , think it was around 0.5mm which is fine it seems , as the neck is now assembled and there are no signs of rattle. and when i did mine , it was also the first time i used a router ...... nervous moments! john. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 ok, thanks. I guess I'm doing just fine then. You're building a bass, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 yeeuup! heres my progress so far: view the contents of this folder to see a few pics, www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~daveyj/ enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Lookin great :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 great pics. Nice headstock design! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted February 1, 2003 Report Share Posted February 1, 2003 thanks , i took my inspiration from the musicman stingray headstock. the body will be based on the new fender Zone Bass , with bevelled(carved) edges john. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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