Truss rods

Posted by Fomhorach on June 14, 2016 at 11:01pm

I've been looking for an alternative truss rod just to strengthen a long thin neck.

I've had a peek on e-bog for aluminium T-section rods but they seem just as expensive as buying an actual adjustable truss rod. 

What I was was thinking was a 10mm x 10mm (or smaller) T section rod to sandwich between two 20mm x 40mm depth pieces of wood to shape into something playable but all I can find is 1\2 inch. ( which isn't far off but I still think too big and might even weaken wood after I shape it into 30mm x 30mm with a D shaped back). 

Has anyone found something similar to what I'm looking for or a nice alternative that is simple to build with? 

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Replies

  • Scott W June 15, 2016 at 6:32am
    There is a video of her playing it at the bottom of the gas can banjo album here: http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/albums/egyptpunk-s-gas-can-banj...
  • Scott W June 15, 2016 at 6:29am
    Here is what I did with my daughter on her gas can banjo. It is a mild steel bar 1/2" wide, set in a routed groove in the 3/4" maple neck with the fretboard laminated on top. I was a bit concerned abou the depth of the bar and the neck, but took my time with it. It works great and it has plays like a champ -- dead straight still!
    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/albums/non-adjustable-truss-rod
    • Fomhorach > Scott W June 16, 2016 at 1:43pm

      Yup. That's where I got m answer from. Thanks.

  • Fomhorach June 15, 2016 at 4:40am

    Problem is solved. Thanks guys.

  • Richey Kay June 15, 2016 at 1:29am
    I agree with Walt. If you want to do it on the cheap, a flat bar on its side is the way to go. I use 10x3mm mild steel. It works out about 50p per rod. Extremely cheap and pretty effective. You just need to route a channel in the top of the neck, use epoxy to glue the bar in, then once it's cured, glue on the fretboard as per. I use it for my solid body 4 strings, and it works fine for 6 strings too. Obviously you don't get the adjustment benefits of a real truss rod, but it helps make the neck rigid enough for the string tension.
    • Walter Cengia > Richey Kay June 15, 2016 at 1:45am

      Yep 3x10mm is better and if you don't have a 3mm router bit, use a 6mm or 1/4 inch router bit and glue a filler strip next to the bar to fill the space.

      Walt

  • Walter Cengia June 15, 2016 at 12:43am

    Perhaps a little more information?

    How many strings on said neck?????

    What sort of wood for said neck????

    A standard guitar neck is only about 22mm thick x 42mm wide at the nut with six strings and sometimes there's no need for truss adjustment at all. If you're going to use a 30x30mm neck made of some type of hard wood, you should be able to put 4 strings on it with no truss required.

    Alternatively what Ive done in the past is to rout a 6mm truss channel down the neck at 10mm deep and just glued in a 6x10mm flat bar, steel or aluminium and then a fret board over the top, very simple and works well.

    Hope this helps.

    Walt

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