ElRay

ALL: Thanks for the responses. I received clarification, they meant "The truss rod is as loose as it will go and the neck still has a back bow", so this is a can of worms that I don't think I'll open at this time.

As best as I can tell (at this point) is that it's a one-way truss-rod that can be tightened, but something is preventing it from being loosened. I'm waiting on clarification to see if the owner really means, "The Truss rod is as loose as it can be, but the neck still has a back-bow" -- That would be a different fish to fry.

I have an opportunity to buy a Classical Guitar that has been on my "Wish List" for a while for nearly free. The issue is that the truss-rod will only tighten and the neck has a slight back-bow. I had a steel-string acoustic that had the same problem, and that just took some patience, penetrating oil and a tight fitting Allen Key. If the truss rod truly needs replacing, how involved is replacing it?

Thank you for this thread and the pointer to it

I haven't posted much because my own build has been on a serious hiatus. I'm starting to restart, and picked-up some pick-ups. I have two X-Bars, but I want an X-Bar/Deathbar "set". So, I'd like to make one of the following trades: One 4" Chrome X-Bar for a 4" Chrome Deathbar Two 4" Chrome X-Bars for a 4" X-Bar/Deathbar set in Black Two 4" Chrome X-Bars for a 3.5" X-Bar/Deathbar set in Black or Chrome (maybe) Ray

Show me a double-blind study where the listeners can hear identical guitars, through identical equipment and identify the body, neck, fretboard, whether it's a drop-top (and if so, what woods are used), etc. then I'll give the myth some credence. Then, we'll get the same folks to listen to differently made guitars, through different gear, and see if they can identify the woods. Then, we'll test the "cut under a full moon" myth.

I was torn between killemall8's "Bubinga EXP custom" and Technology4Musicians's "H851". Being a sucker for headless guitars, I voted for T4M's -- Good thing, I tied it up. The only critique I have is the read strap pin looks like it would interfere playing seated in a Classical position. Switch to a recessed strap lock, and you've got a totally winner. Ray

Regarding Bob's comment below (Oddly, the editor won't let me put the insertion point after the quote.): You won't get a "truly one piece" look. First, saw cuts are not infinitely thin and grain lines are not perfectly straight. You will have offset on either side of the cut. Second, you plan to flip on of the pieces. There's no way you'll get the grain on the flipped side to match. Third, glue is not invisible. It's possible to hide the glue line well, but that often relies on a geometrical feature of the piece (a corner, an edge, etc.). There are reasons why binding, purfling, rosettes, and inlay stripes were added to guitars. Ray

I haven't thought about this since last summer when I realized that the bench was not going to be built that season. Now that I'm thinking about it again, drawboring very well may be the way to go. I'll deal with moving the bench when that time comes. Ray

I had thought of that (and I still want to to a set-neck like this), but I decided against it because I know (sincerely hope) that I'll be moving and will want to move the bench. I may still go that route. That's definitely an idea. I'm trying to remember why I decided to go the threaded rod route. Another idea was to make my own barrel/dowel nuts (pretty much the slugs you mention) by cutting, drilling and tapping rod stock. The final idea was to bore a hole through the cross pieces, flatten the bottom of the hole and use bolts & nuts. Ray

I've been collecting very much the same articles for very similar reasons. The current plans I have rough-sketched use standard dimensional lumber build-up in layers to create "virtual" mortises and tenons. The other key parts of making the base sturdy enough is to use offset holes/draw-bolts and run threaded rod through grooves in the cross pieces. I'll have to remember this thread when I get the plans into digital form. Ray

For those that missed-out the last time: They've got 17 more in stock. Ray

Depends on: What tonewood dust you mix into the resin What color mesh you use Whether you buy big containers of resin and pump-out what you need, or the pre-portioned packets Whether you add resin to hardner, or hardner to resin Whether you cut your cloth on the night of the full-moon ore not. Do I even need a Ray

I feel bad not voting for the SwedishLuthier's Electric Cello, but I've got a major soft-spot for headless, ergo guitars. Ray

To me, a neck-through seems much less problematic than a bolt-on or a set-neck. This is new territory for me, so I'm likely leaning on "conventional wisdom" more than I need to. Ray