SguitarM527 Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 ok i ran into a probem. luckily this is only my practice neck but still id like to correct it. i routed the truss rod pocket. i am using a fender hot rod with a fender style adjust ment nut as shown below: now, when i routed my truss rod pocket on my practice neck (made of 3/4" plywood), everything fit except this adjustment nut: now, does the nut screw off, or how do i fit it in, when i drill the access hole on the peghead, how do i get it through. this is my first guitar so ivenever done this before. please help. here are some more pictures, just for reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 that truss rod you have is designed to be adjusted from the heel not the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 ok then, i had a hunch something was wrong. so where would i make the access cavity? at the neck-body joint? i would just have to make the truss rod cavity wide enough to fit the adjustment nut at the heel of the slot correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82DeanZ Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Howdy, Don't forget that the headstock will drop about 1/4 in from the underside of the fretboard. Look at a Fender neck from the side to see what I mean. This is how Fender avoided having to angle the headstock back (that and the use of string trees). Also, you need to extend the routed truss rod channel about 3/4 in past the nut. These two things together should give you plenty of room for the truss rod nut and provide access as well. I bought the same slotted truss rod from Stew Mac and had no problem installing it for adjustment at the headstock. I went so far as to email Stew Mac tech support and they kindly replied that there is no problem installing the rod this way. You're doing great! Keep on going! Best Regards, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82DeanZ Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Forgot mention that you should widen the channel at the very end where the adjuster sits. Keep the channel narrow all the up to the end of the brass rod holder thingy then widen the last 1/2 in or so. Best Regards, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 You drill a hole the size of the adjustment screw at the heel of the neck in the center of the neck blank. you'll need to start your route channel further down the neck from the headstock. You route appears to start at the nut. Lay the truss rod on the neck blank with the adjusting nut about 1/4 " from the heel end of the neck. make a mark on your blank where the truss rod ends and that's where you start your channel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 ok so i can install from the headstock. now if i go 3/4 in past the nut, wont this entire channel be sawed off when i saw the headstock to 1/4in lower? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82DeanZ Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Shouldn't be a problem since the truss rod channel is 7/16 or about 0.44 in deep and you're only shaving 0.25 in off the top for the headstock drop. Like I said I have the same truss rod exactly and installed it just as I've described no problem. Here is a picture that shows the truss rod channel extending into the headstock: If you want to see the rest of the guitar and some other progress photos check out this thread: My JEM Project You're doing fine. Trust me! Best Regards, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 You can't install this from the headstock end. the adjustmant nut HAS TO BE AT THE HEEL! Like This Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
litchfield Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Thanks Litch! I wasn't about to take apart my Strat to show it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82DeanZ Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 With all due respect to you more experienced builders, I have to reiterate that I did contact Stewart MacDonald about this exact issue. Here is the reply I received: Dear Mr Smith, Thank you for contacting us. You can install the Hot Rod to adjust either in the heel or the headstock. I'll provide you with a link to the detailed instructions on our website. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. Best regards, Mike McGovern Stewart MacDonald 1-800-848-2273 www.stewmac.com Again, with all due respect, I have finished installing the exact same slotted Hod Rod truss rod with the adjustment at the headstock end and have tested it out and it works just fine. I recall someone else on this forum did the same thing with no problem as well. I suppose it's up to SguitarM527 to decide what he feels more comfortable doing. Personally, I didn't want to have to take off my neck every time I needed to make a truss rod adjustment. Best Regards, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 ok thanks for all the replys. now, if i do want to install it with the adjustment at the heel, do i have to fit it with any kind of "cover" on the end, or just install the neck into the neck pocket as normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 I was just providing the Traditional way to install that particular rod. Anything can be done but I personally think that would be stupid to install it at the headstock unless you used the hex adjuster rod, but to each his own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a bicycle made of anarchy Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 just install it, no cover needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SguitarM527 Posted July 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 ok well none-the less, installign from the heel sounds easier. so if i do do that, i dont have to provide any sort of cover right? id just rout the channel, cut out the neck, drill a hole the size of the adjuster, and boom? am i missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Of course the Hot Rod can be installed either way, but the question is how much headstock do you want to lose? The allen head is what I consider the only appropriate model for headstock adjustment. You can't use a lock nut with that big barrel adjuster, it will be in the way. The idea is to leave as much wood as possible at the headstock. I don't mind head adjusted truss rods, but you have to be smart about it, like using a volute or whatever. My beef with the Hot Rod allen head is that it's threaded so the allen head goes on the bottom when it's headstock adjusted. If it were threaded so it could be on top, I could save another 3/16" or so in the depth of the channel right there at the end. I actually did it on one guitar, and it was great. The rod adjusts backwards but I don't care because I would rather have the extra wood. Its a birdseye maple neck with no volute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Oops I started typing that response before your last response. Anyway the only thing you might want to do differently is to drill the hole first, while the neck still has all its wood. Then route the channel. It should be cleaner than drilling into the channel. That would get pretty chippy and you'll blow time filing and chiseling the fibers away. Just make sure you use a depth stop. There's nothing wrong with going slightly oversized (1/64th) on that hole either. You don't want the adjuster binding against the hole, plus I've seen slightly crooked welds on Hot Rods before. So it rotates eliptically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Scott is right, the one you bought is designed to adjust from the heel area. Notice, I used the word designed, you could possibly make it work with the adjustment at the headstock, but I wouldn't recommend it. That's why I buy either the allen or hex head. I personally like the allen, but each to his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Scott is right, the one you bought is designed to adjust from the heel area. Notice, I used the word designed, you could possibly make it work with the adjustment at the headstock, but I wouldn't recommend it. That's why I buy either the allen or hex head. I personally like the allen, but each to his own. Thanks Frenzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 My beef with the Hot Rod allen head is that it's threaded so the allen head goes on the bottom when it's headstock adjusted. If it were threaded so it could be on top, I could save another 3/16" or so in the depth of the channel right there at the end. I actually did it on one guitar, and it was great. The rod adjusts backwards but I don't care because I would rather have the extra wood. Its a birdseye maple neck with no volute. You shouldn't have to turn the truss rod backward. You can, but if someone down the road adjust it, they might be in for a suprise. To install a standard Hot Rod Truss in a Fender we did it like this. All you need to do is stop close to nut area on the main truss rod slot. That will leave you with enough wood to make the angled adjustment hole. Then, set up a drill press like this to drill the hole at the right angle to just meet the truss slot. Be very careful to not drill past the 7/16" depth though. It should look like this and works great, the slight angle doesn't hender the allen when your adjusting it. Word of advice: Build a scrap headstock with enough neck wood to test, first for practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtailed Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 There's also the Wolfgang way of doing it: access through the finger board just past the 22nd fret. Adjustment at the heel without needing to remove the neck. You have to use the rod with the spole wheel adjustment though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted July 23, 2004 Report Share Posted July 23, 2004 You shouldn't have to turn the truss rod backward. You can, but if someone down the road adjust it, they might be in for a suprise. Right. I didn't "have to" but It was my own personal 7-string, and it just bugs me that the allen head is on the "bottom rod". If it was on the top rod, then you could do what I did on that guitar. I routed the straight channel from end to end (of the brass collars) and then I routed a "U" shaped channel that was almost 1/4" shallower just for the allen head. So I gained 1/4" of neck wood at the headstock. If you're drilling through like a strat, then you don't really "lose" wood because you have it on top of the allen head, but that's not structural up there. Mine is a pseudo angled headstock with no volute, and I wanted more wood there. It just seems silly that on angled heads you have to remove all this extra wood so the allen nut can lay deeper in there. Especially if you're going to drill for a Floyd nut, too. I suppose if they reversed it, you wouldn't be able to get it in a strat headstock because it would sit too high. Anyway, I am way too particular about headstock wood. I want every ounce there that I can get. But I didn't want you to think I had to reverse it or anything, I just did it for my own guitar. Otherwise I've always installed them the "right way" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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