I need the advice of 6 string builders out there. I want to make myself a nice CBG: 6 strings, pup, string through design, real tune-o-matic bridge, but I was wondering what type of reinforcing for the neck I would have to do. I use oak with poplar finger board, I figured I'd be laminating a piece of poplar between two pieces of red oak to make it wide enough for 6 strings. My question is do I need a type of truss rod and if I do, how in the heck do I go about doing that? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
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In the olden days, they didn't use truss rods. However, they did have very beefy v shaped necks. The beef was more in the thickness than the width. Laminations would make the neck stronger, you can also add carbon fiber rods. I think Martin used to add ebony rods. Okay, this article I just found said Gibson also used a maple strip under the fingerboard, similar to Martin's ebony strip.
If you want to go with a "real" truss rod, I would use a double acting truss rod vs. a Gibson style truss rod. Two reasons: 1) The Gibson style only corrects for upbow, not backbow (I've had to take several guitars and clamp them in a neck heater to correct for this - sometimes that doesn't even work, then you have to remove the frets and shave down the fingerboards - not fun), and 2) when you route the channel for a Gibson style rod, you have curve the route channel, which is also not easy to do.
On my current build, I am using a double action truss rod from Luthier's Mercantile vs. the Hot Rod from Stew Mac. The reason is that you can use an easily available 1/4" bit vs. the special expensive bit from Stew Mac. You can route the channel with a Dremel, you don't need to use an actual router. I have both, but I am going with the Dremel route this time because it's safer.
I have taken the finger board off a steel strung electro-acoustic recently and found that there were 2 carbon rods in the neck to resist the compression of the strings. This does not allow for any adjustment in neck arc and action but then again the action on an electro-acoustic is a little higher for slide playing etc.
If you laminate the neck, you may not need the truss rod, especially if the center piece is tough (I might use maple instead of poplar). But then again, I'm ignorant, not having built a 6-banger yet. Theory says that the laminated necks can be tougher than any solid neck, given reasonably straight grain and density in the component pieces.
I've built some 6 stringers without trussrods, from simple planks of hard wood. I didn't even use a fretboard since the neck height was 27mm each time. To be on the safe side, my necks are broader (nut width about 40mm+5mm to each side ). The guitar players aren't used to such broad necks, they have to get used to it (strange, they don't complain about the necks of acustic guitars...). IMO the truss rod and the composite design dump some vibrations, while necks without that vibrate better -this is an extra plus since CBG have a small body. I can't proof this, it's only a feeling.
Of course, a simple wood without composite design is more prone to temperature variations.
Replies
http://www.frets.com/FRETSpages/Luthier/Data/TrussRods/trussrods1.html
If you want to go with a "real" truss rod, I would use a double acting truss rod vs. a Gibson style truss rod. Two reasons: 1) The Gibson style only corrects for upbow, not backbow (I've had to take several guitars and clamp them in a neck heater to correct for this - sometimes that doesn't even work, then you have to remove the frets and shave down the fingerboards - not fun), and 2) when you route the channel for a Gibson style rod, you have curve the route channel, which is also not easy to do.
On my current build, I am using a double action truss rod from Luthier's Mercantile vs. the Hot Rod from Stew Mac. The reason is that you can use an easily available 1/4" bit vs. the special expensive bit from Stew Mac. You can route the channel with a Dremel, you don't need to use an actual router. I have both, but I am going with the Dremel route this time because it's safer.
Skeesix
I've built some 6 stringers without trussrods, from simple planks of hard wood. I didn't even use a fretboard since the neck height was 27mm each time. To be on the safe side, my necks are broader (nut width about 40mm+5mm to each side ). The guitar players aren't used to such broad necks, they have to get used to it (strange, they don't complain about the necks of acustic guitars...). IMO the truss rod and the composite design dump some vibrations, while necks without that vibrate better -this is an extra plus since CBG have a small body. I can't proof this, it's only a feeling.
Of course, a simple wood without composite design is more prone to temperature variations.
Good luck and happy new year!