Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello, fellow guitar lovers. This is my first posting in this forum. I just recently developed a passion for building guitars, electric right now and accoustic later. I have about three decades of pro experience in the custom cabinetry and woodworking field, so I'm going into this with confidence and a focused mind on the challenges to precise milling and fitting. I am privilaged to be able to build in the shop where I work. My employer is quite interested since this personal project is other than a cabinet or piece of furniture.
I am planning to use StewMac's HotRod and it calls for a pretty deep groove. The neck's thickness w/o fret board will be 9/16" at first fret and taper to about 3/4" in the 12th to 15th fret area. Would there be a problem with a 1/16" deep groove in the fretboard to allow a shallower grove in the neck? Thanks.

It may make it a bit harder to remove the fingerboard for repairs later. Other than that, it works fine.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

J.D.
Go for it !!
Nice idea !
Some of us will use it also .

I see no problem removing the f.b.

Mike

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Mike Collins

Why not just choose rod that is less obtrusive and unnecessarily tall?

I love a lot of things StewMac creates and offers, but the hot rod is a particular piece where I just see absolutely no redeeming values, or qualities that place it equal to or above the alternative designs. In other words, I can't think of a single good reason to choose it.

Check out Allied Lutherie's new rod. It's a brilliantly simple design. Rather than a reverse thread on one side, there is simply a course thread on one end and a fine thread on the other. The reverse thread design with the 10-32 threads effectively end up as though you are tightening a rod with a 16 thread. Not great in my opinion and experience. By using a 24 thread at one end and a 32 at the other, Mark Blanchard's design at Allied gives the equivalent of a 128 thread, or a standard 32 thread through a 4:1 gear box if that's easier to picture. Perhaps a little more geared down than I would prefer (I like some feedback in the form of torque when I'm adjusting a rod), but if I had to choose between the equivalent of a 16 thread and a 128, I'd personally choose the latter.

Or if you don't want the overly smooth turn, LMI's rod is the same design but with the reverse thread / courser adjustment. Either way, they both work as well as the Hot Rod, but are 1/16" shallower. The choice seems a no-brainer to me. Of course, opinions and experiences will vary. I've personally repaired at least a half dozen necks from various builders in which the Hot Rod split through the back. Just unnecessary depth with no advantage in my opinion.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I'm with David. Both the LMI and Allied rods are great.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Thanks, Mr. Collins, I appreciate experienced opinion. I delve into this humbly and willing to learn and unlearn.

I would recommend making the groove in the fret board a little wider than the one in the neck, though. On second thought, from a novice mind you, could one use a slightly raised truss rod to help align the fret board during glue up if the groove in it matched the neck's?

I've done something similar using 1/4" carbon fiber tubes half in the neck and half in the fretboard. Does very well to align everything when gluing but I don't think I would try to do that with a truss rod.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"