STAHLER Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 Do any of you make your own truss rods ? I would like to have a go at making one for my new neck, i have found a bit of info but any advise will but great.truss rod 1 truss rod 2 The neck will be a thin wizard style, so any advise on which rod is the best will be great . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mailloux Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 I was also looking into making my own truss rod. Probably will on my next guitar. I'm building a 5-string bass with a very thin neck, I used a U-shaped rod in it like your "truss rod 2" link also with two carbon fiber rods. That truss rod is in my opinion much better suited for a thin neck. The other one will not leave enough wood at the back of the neck once you've shaped it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted February 25, 2004 Report Share Posted February 25, 2004 I was also looking into this a while back. Decided that life is too short to make your own truss rod and I'd be much better off parting with a fiver. I agree with Phil, the U shaped one would be best for a thin neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STAHLER Posted February 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Ok the U shaped one it is then. What do you think if i used a square section in stead of the U shape, do you think that would be better ? Thank you for your replys, anymore advise would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Don't quote me on this but I think the fact that it's a U shape is fundamental to it working. I'm not very good at truss rods. Are you making one for any specific reason? Or just because you want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STAHLER Posted February 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I am going to be making a neck soon for my latest project, and i thought of having a go at making the rod instead of just buying one for a change. I have seen some rods like the U shaped one but using square section, but i dont know which would be best for a thin neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 In that case you need someone with more knowledge than me . Sorry dude, don't think I can help, but there's LOADS of people about here that will actually know for sure. Hope it goes well. Are you in Manchester? Bet it's raining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STAHLER Posted February 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Ok thank for your help Hotrock. I have just found more info on the truss rod, for some thing that looks so simple loltruss rod info I have put the link in to help anyone else that want to make one. Well i live in a small town near Manchester and no its not raining (for a change) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 You might want to have a look at carbon rods as well (for a bit of extra strength) I know Wes swears by them. My bro lived in Rochdale, it was always raining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I have always made my own single action Gibson/Fender style rods. Curved channel routed in neck etc using a 5mm (3/16") threaded rod. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mailloux Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Stahler, The U channel truss rod I used is from a company called ABM. It's in reality a square channel one, not U. So, yes, you can use a square channel. In my truss rod, though, there is tape that was wound around the rod itself in the middle of the lenght of the rod. This makes it bend backwards easier (or so the luthier that sold it to me said) He also mentioned that I should install the rod "with the open side of the channel again the neck wood. (facing downwards from the fretboard) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 if you wanted to have a local metal shop make some dual action rods, what type of steel would you have to use for the best results? other then just "hard" steel, what strength specifically would i need, i want to try and get some rods made with that side adjustment tool that gotoh used to make ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Mild steel should be fine. The rod is either under compresion or tension depending on the design and needs to be able to bend slightly. So using anything too hard like tool steel is counterproductive. You may want to use a piece of stainless if you're worried about corrosion. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 that kinda makes sense actually, anyone else confirm that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Check out the way Driskill makes truss rods. Might be interesting to read, so I thought I'd give the link. Also has some good pictures of brazilian rosewood... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Theres a company out there (the bloke who runs it had something to do with Fender) who route the centre laminate of the neck and install a truss rod before glueing the laminates together. Someone gave me the link when I was looking at doing my own rod. Looks like a good way to go about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Its a wonderful design. They also leave the two halves for awhile before planing them and glueing them, so if there were any "hidden tensions" within that piece, they'll show themselves once it's been cut in half. It's more stable than a one piece I think. There were some old peavey necks where they just took 2 seperate pieces of maple and joined them down the middle. That was dumb. I mean you could have the treble piece warping into a backbow while the bass piece was in an S curve because you couldn't use the truss rod properly to get the neck straight. Each piece had a mind of it's own. I think it has to be the same piece so you are matching density and grain direction. And you can't flip one of the pieces around. That's almost asking for a twist. On a three piece neck you can flip the middle piece because its flanked by those other two, and its symmetrical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 I asked our structural engineering department what steel would be best. The reply was: Tool steel is way to hard, the best would be spring steel if you need very high tension. It's designed to bend. Tool steel is designed to resist wear but will chip easily. (A bit like diamond, won't wear easily but a sharp blow with a hammer and you've got diamond dust) Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 AAaaahhhaaaa. After the last 15 minutes trawling the net I've found it: http://www.glguitars.com/frameset.htm Look in features and then Bi-cut neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 cool thanks keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kings_x Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 I bought the stuff to make the "truss rod 1" linked at the begining of this thread. Has anyone made one of these? I understand how to make the truss rod itself but have a couple of questions: 1) Can the rod be put in the opposite direction than what is shown in the picture. In other words, can the adjustment nut be at the peghead? 2) Can the routed channel be straight depth wise or should it be curved (deeper in the middle)? Anyone? Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJohn Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Good links.I like #1 better.But I like the tension dispersion of #2.A combo would be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 I think it has to be the same piece so you are matching density and grain direction. And you can't flip one of the pieces around. That's almost asking for a twist. On a three piece neck you can flip the middle piece because its flanked by those other two, and its symmetrical. Incorrect. You MUST flip one of the pieces in a two piece neck, cut from a single pice of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 no no rhoads, i think he meant 2 peice don't flip, 3 peice DO flip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 no no rhoads, i think he meant 2 peice don't flip, 3 peice DO flip Ya, re-read my post "Incorrect. You MUST flip one of the pieces in a two piece neck, cut from a single pice of wood." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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