Trussrod question

[mullmuzzler]

...StewMac 1/8" double-action rod... any good? Your expiriences & opinions please!

mullmuzzler | OSSMT

[Devon Headen]

I've heard it was good. I'm just about to place the order for mine now. In the cart and everything . I'd like to know about this too. I'm a little dissapointed that you have to buy their bit to install it though. I can't find that size anywhere else.

Devon

[mullmuzzler]

Aw, man, that s**ks! How much for the bit?

mullmuzzler | OSSMT

[Devon Headen]

I think it's 19 something...right around 20 bucks

[mullmuzzler]

That's more than for the rod! Monopolists!!!

mullmuzzler | OSSMT

[Devon Headen]

http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?a...atalog/sku.html

[Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars]

Love em. Dont need their bit. I use a 1/4 flute bit. works fine.

[krazyderek]

the thinest 1st fret you can have with a hot rod is like 21.5mm isn't? and i had to make a special template for routing the slot with a regular router bit

[Devon Headen]

so you can have extra space in the cavity and use the 1/4" bit?

Devon

[Southpa]

I installed one in my previous guitar. Liked it so much I ordered another for the next one. It was perfect for a 1 piece mahogany neck w/ 1/4" rosewood fretboard and medium jumbo frets. When I adjust a truss rod I like to see instant results. You could see the strings move up or down off the fretboard as you turn both ways. I went out and bought the required 7/32" router bit, a real oddball, lol. They always manage to make you spend just a little bit more. Like fitting my Grover tuners required a 25/64" drill bit. Go figure, that size isn't part of a regular set.

As far as routing the truss rod slot with a 1/4" bit, its definitely do-able. Whats in between the brass blocks doesn't matter just make sure you shim them tight so they won't rattle later on.

[frank falbo]

I was pleased with the bit itself. At least it was a good bit, you know? I love the rods, and I use them almost exclusively. My only complaint is that I would like to see the allen wrench head version welded to the "other" rod. What I mean is, because you have that gap between the rods, you could leave about 3/8" more wood under the allen head if it were on top when installed, rather than on the bottom. On one of my own personal guitars I actually flipped it so now clockwise bows and counter clockwise backbows. But it looks great and I feel better with more wood right at the head, since that brass anchor is pretty big there. If you're going to do a volute I'd say you can have a neck thinner than 21.5mm. I have one that's almost an Ibanez wizard thickness. But I thinned the fretboard by about 1/16" so I'd have more neck wood for the rod, and it has a volute, too.

I like to make the depth for the two ends, and then come up about 1/32nd for the length of the rod. Even with the tubing on there it sits higher than the ends do. Its not much but if you're carving thin like a wizard it could be the difference between success and firewood.

[Primal]

When I was gonna buy that truss rod, I was just going to use a 3/8" bit and then hand-sand 1/16" off the top and bottom to accomodate the nuts.

But then I found the LMI truss rod. Its the same rod, but it only requires a 3/8" slot.