Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ben on July 13, 2010 at 4:28pm

The tension won't crack it, just really bend it. I believe there are guys that do them without a truss rod by laminating multiple pieces of wood together for the neck to make it extra strong. I've done this for up to 4 strings and its really strong. I do have a 6-stringer without a truss rod but it's a lap steel so the bow in the neck doesn't bother me.

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on July 13, 2010 at 4:32pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_rod
If you can build a neck that can withstand the tension of six strings then you don't need one. I perfer a neck with some relief so I use a adjustable truss rod and a thinner more comfortable neck profile plus I don't have access to big pieces of rosewood or ironwood or ebony. I am sure you will hear how so and so made his neck from pine and has no bow and never will.

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on July 13, 2010 at 4:38pm

Don Thompson said:

If you can build a neck that can withstand the tension of six strings then you don't need one. I perfer a neck with some relief so I use a adjustable truss rod and a thinner more comfortable neck profile plus I don't have access to big pieces of rosewood or ironwood or ebony.

Hmm... according to what's on the Wiki page, i wonder if a combination of heavy wood and zebra (steel and nylon twined) strings would help prevent bowing without a truss...

Don Thompson said:

I am sure you will hear how so and so made his neck from pine and has no bow and never will.

So-and-So sounds like kind of a tiresome person...

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Permalink Reply by Bear on July 14, 2010 at 9:30am

You'll never know till you just do it. I've made quite a few 6-string necks with no truss rods. Some are several years old now, and no problems. Here's the key: QUARTERSAWN hardwood (in my case, mostly cherry). A shorter scale length helps (eg. 23"). Make the neck using the natural (back)bow of the wood to counteract string tension; and use light-gauge strings (I use electric .009's). The combination of these factors has resulted in strong necks that invariably (for me, anyway) have the perfect amount of relief (i.e., slight bow necessary for buzz-free action) . Just call me So-and-So :-)

Installing a truss rod isn't difficult if you have a router, but it adds weight and expense.

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Permalink Reply by uncle Lou on July 14, 2010 at 9:57am

I use a 12 inch piece of 1/4 inch keyway $2.60 For the little price I put `em in, better safe then sorry

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on July 14, 2010 at 11:28am

Bear said:

Installing a truss rod isn't difficult if you have a router, but it adds weight and expense.

Yeah, it's not a problem of laziness, more of I don't have very many (read: any) big power tools at my disposal. I'd love to be able to stay safe, but unless someone has a MacGuyvered solution, I think i'm SOL for a while.

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Permalink Reply by uncle Lou on July 14, 2010 at 2:08pm

a chisel will work

Scotty C. said:

Bear said:

Installing a truss rod isn't difficult if you have a router, but it adds weight and expense.

Yeah, it's not a problem of laziness, more of I don't have very many (read: any) big power tools at my disposal. I'd love to be able to stay safe, but unless someone has a MacGuyvered solution, I think i'm SOL for a while.

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Permalink Reply by The Valley Boys on July 15, 2010 at 5:37am

You could try nylon strings if you're not using magnetic pickups. Classical guitars do not have truss rods. Nylon string tension is between 75 and 90 lbs. Steel string tension is 150 to 200 lbs. You can also do some pretty aggressive slide
with nylon strings. If you have a Dremel check this link.

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id...

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Permalink Reply by Fitzhugh on July 18, 2010 at 12:55pm

The trick to using chisels? Learn to sharpen them! I always wondered why woodworking sucked. It is the kind of thing I should love. This time around I bothered to learn to properly sharpen tools. Very easy, makes a huge difference, makes it actually fun to use them. Google "scary sharp method".

I used a dremel, and tried to go as cheap as I could.

Instead of buying a router bit I followed this video's suggestion (watch the series, he makes building guitars look so easy):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b3CWkHHSYE


I guided it with Circle & straight line cutting guide, just pressed against the neck by hand:
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/AttachmentsAndAccessories/Pages/Attachm...

I thought it would possibly be hard to control - no problem at all. Since I was using a too-small width bit I had to take even more passes - that seemed the trick, LOTS of passes, moderate pressure, and (as video says) emptying out the removed wood very often.

I went ahead and added some of the extra fretboard stock to the two surfaces of the guide which press against the side and top of the neck as it runs along - made a larger area of contact, easier to not rock or misalign. Magic of low temp glue gun... you can take such things back apart when you finally find another use for the guide (one that the added parts interfere with).

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on July 18, 2010 at 1:17pm

Fitzhugh said:

I guided it with Circle & straight line cutting guide, just pressed against the neck by hand... I thought it would possibly be hard to control - no problem at all. Since I was using a too-small width bit I had to take even more passes - that seemed the trick, LOTS of passes, moderate pressure, and (as video says) emptying out the removed wood very often.

Wow, thanks for the heads up... that little Dremel attachment looks like a Godsend. I bet it might even make the fretboard inlays... :-)

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Permalink Reply by Fitzhugh on July 18, 2010 at 4:34pm

The one I pointed to is only $10. It does do a good job of cutting circles using a spiral cutting bit (might come w/ guide, both came in a much larger set in my case). There are at least a couple router bases that would be great for inlays and better for this as well, check the dremel brand router base and check stewmac.com for their luthier's dremel router base. Stewmac.com also sells a different type of tiny router bit for inlays that they claim causes less tearout. All on my list to get/try... someday.

I think my main point was that it can be done - don't be scared off. Most of us are learning as we go. Some of us - myself included - are starting knowing very little. That's the fun of it (the learning part, not the knowing little part!)

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on July 18, 2010 at 4:38pm

Fitzhugh said:

I think my main point was that it can be done - don't be scared off. Most of us are learning as we go. Some of us - myself included - are starting knowing very little. That's the fun of it (the learning part, not the knowing little part!)

No worries, the posts have been very helpful -- especially yours. I watched the youtube video, and it showed me how easy this whole process could be. In fact, if I don't pick up the $10 alignment tool, I am thinking about picking up the $40 Dremel drill press and using a a couple passes on that to shape a 1/2 inch truss rod groove down the neck.

I love these forums. They're so helpful without being condescending or dismissive.

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