No truss rod is necessary, and here's why: laminated necks are stronger than one-piece necks, and in this case, the fretboard is a laminated joint 1/4" thick. And I always chose a length of wood that has a slight bow, and build the neck with the bow curved down so that when string tension is applied, it tends to pull the curve straight up and the neck straightens itself out. This neck is very short anyway, so the wood doesn't feel the tension as much. The neck runs straight through the inside of the box, but doesn't come out the bottom, though it could. This gives additional support to it, so it doesn't pull away from the side of the box.
Question? Do you need a truss rod to support the extra tension of eight strings? I don't know if the short scale length makes metal bracing unnecessary or not.
Thanks, John ... I'm pretty happy with it, but need to cut the grooves deeper in the nut for the bottom strings, and maybe change some frets at the high end, but it plays in tune right up the neck. Just doesn't have the volume and resonance of a commercial mandolin, but, hey, what can I expect ... it's hand-made out of a cigar box, right? Ain't supposed to be perfect! :)
Man! I was going to compliment you even if that was factory neck. Amazing work. Good job.
I hope it plays well for you, I was playing one of my 4 string cigar box mandos this morning. Just not as good as I want it to be. Short scales are tough to get just right.
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Thanks! I like to overbuild my necks a little anyway so laminating them and adding a fretboard on top should be all the stiffness I need.
No truss rod is necessary, and here's why: laminated necks are stronger than one-piece necks, and in this case, the fretboard is a laminated joint 1/4" thick. And I always chose a length of wood that has a slight bow, and build the neck with the bow curved down so that when string tension is applied, it tends to pull the curve straight up and the neck straightens itself out. This neck is very short anyway, so the wood doesn't feel the tension as much. The neck runs straight through the inside of the box, but doesn't come out the bottom, though it could. This gives additional support to it, so it doesn't pull away from the side of the box.
Question? Do you need a truss rod to support the extra tension of eight strings? I don't know if the short scale length makes metal bracing unnecessary or not.
Sounds like you are close to where you want to be!
Thanks, John ... I'm pretty happy with it, but need to cut the grooves deeper in the nut for the bottom strings, and maybe change some frets at the high end, but it plays in tune right up the neck. Just doesn't have the volume and resonance of a commercial mandolin, but, hey, what can I expect ... it's hand-made out of a cigar box, right? Ain't supposed to be perfect! :)
Man! I was going to compliment you even if that was factory neck. Amazing work. Good job.
I hope it plays well for you, I was playing one of my 4 string cigar box mandos this morning. Just not as good as I want it to be. Short scales are tough to get just right.
Thank you, Uncle John ... yes, everything but the box is hand-crafted.
Very nice. Did you make that neck and fret board?