A few quick questions on truss rods and their installation!

[Nay]

I'm just putting diagrams, dimensions and a bucket list together for my up and coming Tele build and there is something I'm wondering about.

Some fender style necks, such as their all maple ones, install the truss rod from the back to keep their neck as a solid chunk of maple (I'm assuming).

Whenever I look into this and read up peoples in-depth builds I've found most people doing rear routes with a radius curve. I've also noticed some Les Pauls with and angled route.

What I'm asking, is why do they do this? Is this important? Would I have to do this?

My logical assumption is that people are building more vintage-accurate models using purchased or homemade reproductions of older style truss rods. Is this right?

A final word to elaborate my question if I'm rambling here. If I wanted to make a neck for say a Tele or Strat, with a rear routed and skunk-stripe covered neck, could I just do a straight route and install a modern 2-way rod from the likes of Stew Mac? And that it doesn't make a difference if the neck is bolt on, set or straight-through?

Cheers.

 

[DoneOne]

Would I have to do this?

yes, it's vintage correct because it saved them from having to glue a fretboard on, but you can also do a maple or rosewood etc cap on the neck as they started doing in the later 60s - no stripe.

and yes, I've seen people using 2 ways in a skunk striped neck... but also with the easier cap. TDPRI forum old build threads are your best bet for ideas. the single action curved rod is favored by those that think less is more in terms of tone.

the straight angled compression rod - I haven't seen that used in anything but mahogany necks. Maybe others here have. my suspicion is that hard maple needs the leverage of the curve to bend it to where you want. Gibson started using a curved s/a rod in about 1960 when the necks got noticeably thinner.

head or heel adjustment... maple fender style headstocks generally don't snap off like gibsons do so the preference is cosmetic and in ease of adjustment

 

['59_Standard]

Just an aside. Damian Probett's build thread showed a curved TR installion on a LP - always nice to see an artisans work. The thread

 

[Nay]

Cheers guys. I'll look into the thread there too.

But I'm wondering if I can avoid making an elaborate jig for a Telecaster neck. I'd rather route a straight channel and put a standard/generic truss rod in than make a replica of anything. I'm sort of checking that you don't need a curved truss rod because there is no neck angle or some strange reason that I've completely missed.

 

['59_Standard]

You don't have to use a curved rod, no - bear-in-mind there will be a difference in tone between the two rods.

You may find this of use, too:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLY3iN1Atn4"]O'brien[/ame]

 

[Nay]

Thanks. Its just looking at all the builds here and on other sites it seems that people use different truss rods all the time, but never explain if there was a reason.

 

[emoney]

I've heard it said the Leo Fender argued against truss rods from the get-go, so I can't imagine making the route straight, for a modern trussrod, would hurt it one bit. I recently built a Tele Neck out of Ambrosia and I'm not using a truss rod at all, so there.

 

[Nay]

I recently built a Tele Neck out of Ambrosia and I'm not using a truss rod at all, so there.

Last time I had Ambrosia, I just used a spoon. No truss rod needed.