Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Questions and answers for beginners. If you have a question, so do most other people.
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sammyjit
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 7:43 pm

Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by sammyjit »

So, I have just finished the binding on my 000/OM kit. I have just set the dovetail. It fits snug. The distance from the bridge position on the body to the flat straight edge laid across the neck is about 3/32. The center line however is an eighth of an inch off the center line of the body. I'm hoping that is tolerable?

Anyway, my next question is about the truss rod that came with the kit. What do I do with it. It's wrapped in blue tape. I'm assuming I should unwrap the tape. It fits nicely in the neck and can easily lay the fret board over top of it while in the body.

Once it is installed in the neck, I was hoping for my next phase of the build to glue the finger board to the neck and drill the tuner holes. Does the final gluing of the neck to the body happen after the string setup or before? Just wondering what not to officially stick together before its due time.

Anybody know where to get a long accurate ruler for doing minute measurements for the bridge placement procedure?

Thanks,

Sam
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by tippie53 »

DO NOT TAKE OFF THE PLASTIC COVER !

Did you sand the neck and body for the fret plane ? ( See dovetail neck set addendum )

Then I like to glue the truss rod and fretboard at the same time. Then sand true the fretboard. Then fret. Finish and glue to body.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
sammyjit
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 7:43 pm

Re: Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by sammyjit »

I didn't remove the plastic cover! No worries. I set the neck based on the 5 videos (Blues Creek Guitars) for the dovetail neck set. (Didn't see the dovetail addendum until after I was done setting the neck. I'll look at it again). It took some thinking and a little common sense, but I think i did ok. I spent about maybe 6 total hours of finite sanding to get it where it is right now. I didn't rush it. I can't even pull it out of the joint without a hammer. Like I said earlier, the bridge measurement to the fret plane is 3/32 of an inch and I'm an eighth of an inch off of center line for the neck. (hoping that is not too noticeable).

For gluing the truss rod, is LMI polyvinyl glue okay? That is what I used for the entire guitar so far. Here is a link to how I have the truss rod installed. (slid all the way back into the channel) https://www.dropbox.com/sc/qx3e3yu2v144 ... FDKUESE8ha

There are other photos of the neck. I couldn't get the gaps to completely disappear as you will see.
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
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Re: Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by tippie53 »

that glue should be just fine. looking forward to some pictures
.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
MaineGeezer
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by MaineGeezer »

I put no glue on the truss rod at all, figuring that it has to be able to flex to work it's not going anywhere, and minimum tension on it will keep it from rattling.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by tippie53 »

actually the glue is there as a filler to keep it from buzzing. If you ever get a truss rod buzz it will drive you nuts.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
sammyjit
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 7:43 pm

Re: Truss Rod Questions and Other Stuff

Post by sammyjit »

Here are pictures of how I have the truss rod installed. And some extra photos of the neck joint. https://www.dropbox.com/sc/qx3e3yu2v144 ... FDKUESE8ha
Hope that URL link works. if not I will find another link.
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