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LMI Truss rod?
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=12366
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Author:  LanceK [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:13 am ]
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Hi Folks,
How do you install this style rod?



I am just guessing here, but does the rod go in the bottom of the slot and the flat bar go against the bottom of the fretboard?

Thanks

Author:  Rod True [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:15 am ]
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That's how I do it. I got that from both John Mayes and Paul Woolson.

Author:  Rod True [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:15 am ]
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Also, check out Allied's site, they have some good instructions for installation.

Author:  LanceK [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:16 am ]
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Thanks Rod!

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:19 am ]
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ep flat to the bottom.

Author:  peterm [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:20 am ]
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Same way I do it... works great!

Author:  Rod True [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:26 am ]
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So do both Michael and Peter epoxy the flat bar to the bottom of the channel??

Do you guys use a spline or just run the round stock up to the bottom of the fb? Would that way make the nut harder to access at the sound hole end and stick out of the head stock at the head stock end???

Just wanting to learn.

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:29 am ]
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No No I put a small bead of silicon caulking in the channel t eliminate any rattle but that is it

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:31 am ]
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Also the nut works fine as peg head accessed truss rod. No difficulty at all reaching it.

Author:  GregG [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:43 am ]
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I do it like like Hesh says....the welds need to be filed down otherwise it does not like to slide into the 1/4" slot.

Greg

Author:  Pwoolson [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:48 am ]
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MP, are you saying you put yours in with flat bar in the bottom of the channel? I'm not sure what you meant by the previous post.
These are intended to go with the round bar down and the flat bar at the top of the channel. The flat bar effectively acts as a splin making it unnecessary to add one. (Though I've done that on a couple of guitars where I got a bit over zealous with the depth of the channel).
As Hesh said, kiss it on the belt sander to make sure the welds are flat and it should slide in firmly. I sometimes put a dot of silicone in the bottom of the channel right about the middle (lengthwise) as that's where any rattle would be if there were any. But once you bring it up to tension, is should be a non issue.

Author:  Jimmy Caldwell [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:05 am ]
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Lance,

That's a one-way truss rod. Give it a couple of turns before you put it in and you'll see that it goes in with the flat side towards the fingerboard. I've used the same rod on lots of guitars and it works very well. You will need to file the fixed end down (A couple of swipes across the belt sander will do it.)

Author:  Mike Mahar [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:05 am ]
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Hijack.

At the ASIA symposium Mark Blanchard had a few examples of his double action truss rod. At first glance is looks just like the LMI rod but it is very different. The LMI rod uses opposing thread direction and the rod works like a turnbuckle. The Blanchard rod has the threads running in the same direction but the head and tail nuts of the rod have different thread pitch.

When you turn the shaft on the rod the head screw goes faster than the tail screw causing the rod to bend. The effect is to have a truss rod with a 6:1 gear ratio. These rods are the smoothest rods I've ever seen and you could bend the rod substantially just by turning it by hand.

I haven't build a guitar since I've seen them but I'm definitely going to try them on my next few. Mark has licensed the design to Allied and they are available from them now.

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:05 am ]
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I guess the way I stated it it does appear that way. but no the the flat bar pushes against the FB momentary confusion Shoud have said flat to the botom of the FB. My bad

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:10 am ]
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I love these truss rods by the way. I had read some post where people have had some weld and nut breakage but I have 15 or so in guitars and not a problem. I did have one from Allied that had a bad weld at the nut on it. but caught it before it went in.

Author:  Steve Saville [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:10 am ]
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[QUOTE=Jimmy Caldwell] Lance,

That's a one-way truss rod. [/QUOTE] I don't think so. It is double acting.

I believe LMI and others recommend putting it in a little deeper and having a thin sheep if wood between the rod and the bottom of the freeboard. I do that some times.

Author:  L. Presnall [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:45 am ]
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[QUOTE=MichaelP] I love these truss rods by the way. I had read some post where people have had some weld and nut breakage but I have 15 or so in guitars and not a problem. I did have one from Allied that had a bad weld at the nut on it. but caught it before it went in.[/QUOTE]

It may not be my case you're speaking of Michael, but I had the nut broken off a "Martin" style rod from LMI by an over zealous "tech"...there was a long thread on here a while back about how to fix it since the shop didn't offer...Mario espoused profusely about that type of LMI rod and I will never use those again...but the "Allied" type we're discussing here is terrific! Did you say you use headstock access to the nut? I'd like to change over to that way soon...any wisdom for me?

Author:  Jimmy Caldwell [ Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:49 am ]
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You're right. It looks exactly like TRSTA which is a one way rod.

Author:  fryovanni [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:38 am ]
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I really like the Allied rods, never had a problem with them. I have used the LMI and older version of the Allied which worked fine for me also. I have always installed bar up.

Peaec,Rich

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 3:28 am ]
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[QUOTE=L. Presnall] Did you say you use headstock access to the nut? I'd like to change over to that way soon...any wisdom for me?[/QUOTE]


Yep I sure do.

Author:  Michael Dale Payne [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 3:30 am ]
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Sorry Larry I hit the post button too soon

Really nothing to it other than being sure the nuts is set back far enough to not make contact with the truss rode cover on the peghead

Author:  SimonF [ Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:56 pm ]
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I just noticed this thread. I strongly suggest those who use the two-way
rods made by LMI and Allied - to use a spline. Early on one of my first
few guitars, I had a very tight fit and I thought everything was good - and
the truss rod rattled once I strung it up. I believe that if I had put some
caulking at the ends of the rod I would have been fine.

However, I strongly believe that using a spline is a superior method. The
spline takes up some of the slack in the rod. You can rap on the back of
the neck as hard as you want and you will not hear the rod. Adding a
spline is a very minor step in the neck process and I believe you will be
much happier with this method.

Best of Luck,
Simon

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