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I designed the neck around the SM hot rod low profile truss rod. 14 1/2 inch one. The next size up was 18, and that was clearly too long. But I changed the neck to 16 frets to the body join, and lost an inch or so. I think that I'll place it about where it is in the picture. I will close off what is extra at the heel.

Is there a better placement?

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Why be normal?

I’d probably put it a little further down the neck, so the active end of the rod, just before the nut, was part way between fret one and two. I don’t like having the end of the rod bearing on the neck too close to the nut slot. Depending on how you intend to mount the nut ie in a channel, directly on the neck or peghead surface, this area could be weak and not a great place for a stress riser.