Official Luthiers Forum!

Ever used one of these shorter acoustic rods in an electric? I sometimes have wondered if the 18" rod is really necessary and perhaps a shorter rod would actually allow for a more fuller range of motion because it isn't as encumbered with resistance as a longer rod. I might be totally wrong in that theory. It's just a thought. The 14 1/2" rods are also lighter.

I like them as long as possible.... Just in case.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I hear you. Although if a 14 1/2" rod is good enough for getting relief on an acoustic it seems that it ought to work equally well for an electric. These shorter rods are of course used on acoustics simply because the area of the neck where you install the rod is a few inches shorter than an electric neck and the remaining 6+ frets worth of fretboard are mounted over the acoustic body where a rod cannot be installed.

If you are talking about the double action rod, the 14 1/2" can work in an electric, but the adjustment needs to be at the headstock. That will put the max relief at the sixth or seventh fret, which is where you want it. If you put the adjustment at the heel, the max relief will be too high up the neck.
A shorter rod will not work better, that theory is totally wrong.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

I just mean that I think it's possible that the shorter rod would actually put more forward bow and backbow into the neck when adjusted to it's extremes than a longer 18" rod. The rod is of the same build quality and stoutness of it's longer counterpart. And it has less overall resistance because it's shorter. And exactly like you said, the middle of the rod would land right about where you would want the maximum relief. It's possible that it would be better and more efficient.

I'm not saying I'm totally convinced a shorter rod would be better. I just think it's possible and an interesting idea.