Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello all -

I'm working on my second guitar, my first acoustic and this is the first
time I've built my own neck. I've got my scarf joint cut and glued and my
heel block stacked and glued. I've finally figured out what I'm going to do
about nut width (1 7/8") and string spacing at the bridge, so I'm going to
draw my layout tonight. What I need is some help choosing the truss rod
design most likely to make me successful in my little endeavor here.

I'm building a 000 size guitar, a 24.9" scale (planning on mahogany b&s
and some species of spruce top). The neck is honduran mahogany. The
neck/body joint will be a mortise and tennon with two bolts and gluing
the fingerboard to the top. I'd prefer to adjust the rod from inside the
body rather than at the headstock. I'm looking at the different rod
designs available, and not sure what I should go with.

1. a compression rod sure does look easy to install, but doesn't seem like
it gives all that much adjustability in the event I screw something up a
tiny bit. I wonder if that ease of installation doesn't come back to bite
you in the butt.

2. a two-way rod sure takes care of the cons of a compression rod, but
it's a bit of a deep channel. Is it true that if the rod has square stock for
the top rod you don't need to glue in a spline? That would make it bit
shallower for sure. I appreciate the fudge-factor this style seems to
allow.

3. a martin-style rod certainly seems the traditional route to go, since I'm
more or less replicating a 000-18. Don't know the practical differences
between it and a two-way rod.

4. there are of course several other designs out there, and I could make
my own ala Cumpiano, but I don't think I'm *that* ambitious. Plus, it's
not wood, so I'd probably go through more than my share of material
before I got one right.

Thanks for any advice you guys can provide on this topic for me.

Jay Eckles

HI Jay, welcome to the OLF, just wait a bit, a lot to choose from in a couple of posts from now !
I can't really help you but others will soon chime in.


Serge

I use the StewMac hot rod in everything I build.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I'm using the LMI-type two way rod that Hesh uses, but Allied Luthierie sells them cheaper...If you go to LMI, DO NOT get the "Martin-style" two way rod they sell...it is EVIL ! And like Hesh, I enjoy cutting the 1/4" wide slot so that I can run it over my tablesaw to get a tight "press fit"...I can sneak up on the width and get it just right...and, the channel is shallow too, and no filler strip is req'd...also, no glue...okay, I'm babbling here...but you get the drift...

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

I use the StewMac hot rod and the LMI Martin style two-way rod. It depends on your preference. Both work great!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

3/16" compression

Here is a link.

http://luthiersforum.3element.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID= 3922&KW=compression+rod#forumTop

StewMac HotRod here, every guitar I've built so far, and I'll continue to do so. No fillet strip needed, and there are installation instructions under 'free info' at StewMac's website. Not the shallowest rod, but I've never had a problem making normal sized necks. I always pair it with 2 CF rods, not that they're strictly necessary.

Peterm, I'm intrigued...do you plan to put up a website? I'd love to see your work...I always enjoy getting a guitar into the hands of a gifted worship leader....

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Hot Rod here also

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Since most seem to go with the
two-way or a Hot Rod (which looks like Stewmac's version of a two-way), I
think that's the route I'm going to go. Think I'm going to get my stuff
from Allied.

Allied rods - by (buy) the dozen !!

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

What Tony said!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com