Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by HOGS GRUNT on February 17, 2010 at 12:14pm

Truss rods are a good idea however many strings you have. 3 & 4 string CBG's are normally OK without but, any more, then you will need a truss rod to react against the string tension.
If you google, or utube, truss rods you will find many articles on truss rods and installing them. It is relatively easy to install but a router is a must.
Truss rods can be made but they are cheap enough to buy if you work out the amount of effort it takes to make one.
Look up O'Brien Guitars on U-Tube as I am sure they have a video of truss rod installation.
Hope this helps.
Hogs.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on February 17, 2010 at 12:37pm

A truss rod is there for these reasons in order of importance:

1. To set neck relief
2. To correct changes in neck relief due to temperature and humidity levels
3. To help counteract string tension.

If you're making a serious guitar neck with a laminated fingerboard, etc, etc, the neck itself is strong enough to counteract the immediate tension of the strings when tuned to pitch. In other words, if your neck doesn't have a rod you're not going to see it bow immediately the first time you try to tune up (assuming that you haven't carved the neck pencil thin). If you can carve a good neck, it will be stable enough on its own to counteract the strings. That is not to say that tuning the guitar will not change the set of the neck; it will. It's just that the change will be so minor that you typically won't be able to notice it without a relief gauge.

Where the truss rod is a real life saver is over time. If you leave your guitar tuned at all times then you're constantly exerting force on the neck. As temperatures change along with humidity levels, the wood of your neck will expand and contract. This activity softens it up. If the strings are exerting a load on the neck while it's going through these changes, guess which way it's going to bend? So after a couple years of abuse, you may find that you have to give your rod a small turn to get things back where you want them.

One of the most important uses of the truss rod is to give you the ability to set your neck relief. When a guitar string vibrates, it actually describes a long curve that runs from the saddle to the nut and this curve oscillates all over the place. If you have a perfectly straight neck, the string will buzz on the frets unless your action is set rather high. If you want to play with a fine action, you need to put a little forward relief in your neck such that the fingerboard follows the same curve (very slightly) that the strings will form when plucked, which will help to keep them from slapping frets. If you don't have a truss rod, you don't have this kind of fine control and must therefore set your action a bit higher than many "shredders" would prefer.

In my shop, anything over 4 strings automatically gets a truss rod. I will put a rod in a four string if the nature of the guitar requires it (high precision/quality expectation). I have a supplier for truss rods that I use exclusively. I get good quality shrink-sealed two way rods at 18 1/4" for about $11, including shipping.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on February 17, 2010 at 4:27pm

I have made a few with a truss rod per se. That is I have put in a 1/8"x1/2" iron bar (Lowes or Home Depot in the US) which runs the length of the neck. I dig a 1/8" wide by 9/16" deep channel with a bit and glue it in. Makes a GREAT truss rod BUT is not adjustable.

I defy any string to bend those necks.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on February 17, 2010 at 5:54pm

I havent build anything with over 3 strings so far.I have built several with frets.I build my necks as 2 pieces laminated together to form a very strong log from which I cut the back off in the shape I want.
I havent experienced any form of bow so far.And I think ,way back in my mind hidden away is the excuse of not wanting to deal with neck strength issues is why I havent built any with 4 or more strings.
At the same time in my area what I would have to charge for a CBG with the amount of hours in it for a truss rod etc. would be more then people around here would be willing, or able, to pay for.
One of these days I'll probably build a trussed neck.We'll see,,,,

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on February 17, 2010 at 7:37pm

Takes longer to set up the router than it does to cut the slot and drop in the rod. Compared to all the work we put into carving these things out, putting a rod in the neck is pretty trivial.

Roger Martin said:

I havent build anything with over 3 strings so far.I have built several with frets.I build my necks as 2 pieces laminated together to form a very strong log from which I cut the back off in the shape I want.
I havent experienced any form of bow so far.And I think ,way back in my mind hidden away is the excuse of not wanting to deal with neck strength issues is why I havent built any with 4 or more strings. At the same time in my area what I would have to charge for a CBG with the amount of hours in it for a truss rod etc. would be more then people around here would be willing, or able, to pay for. One of these days I'll probably build a trussed neck.We'll see,,,,

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on February 17, 2010 at 8:12pm

Your right on the actual slot install itself Josh. But I dont use a separate fretboard.My necks are very simply made, as simple as possible.The cost of buying up say, a darker wood for a fretboard, cutting and sanding to fit , then bonding the fretboard to the neck isnt cost effective for me.
I sell my 3 stringers for what the market will stand in my area, about $77.95, so time spent/cost is important for me to keep in mind when I'm designing a build.So I base my prices on how much I have tied up in that piece , usually roughly about $8 to $10 total cost wise, then add my time involved and come up with a price that covers all my time and cost and the markup for retail.Thats the ugly part of selling retail,my landlord could care less about my latest beautiful piece of art, he just wants his rent.
In my area if the cost to the customer goes over $100 its going to sit there for a while.I cant afford for any stock to sit for any length of time.So I build based on what sells here, that means no frets, no nicer looking fretboard, and NO electronics,,,,
My choices here are building nicer looking higher end stuff that doesnt move, or building lower end pieces thats affordable to the people that are my customer base.
My shop is retail based in that my rent is due every month, sales, or not.So I cant have 1 piece sit more then a week or 2 at most.
I really dont care for retail all that much, but if I dont make as much as possible on each piece I simply cant build at all , so build in as many numbers as possible is how I do it , ALWAYS keeping in mind what the market here can stand.

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