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How ironic that I have a truss rod problem just as the other thread is discussing 1-way, 2 way, and no-way adjustable truss rods.

I was ready to install the neck in my 1953 J-50 and I noticed that it had a rattle. My first thought was that the truss rod needed tightening, so I did that. The truss rod nut will tighten, and I can put a bow in the neck by tightening it. But, even with the rod over tightened, I still get a substantial rattle when I tap on the fretboard. Just to go over what I have already tried:

Adjustment nut and washer at the nut is tight and snug.....Check.
Washer and cap at the heel end is tight and snug.....Check.
Bone nut is tight and not rattling........Check.
Tuners are removed.....Check.
Fretboard is tightly glued over the heel after neck removal....Check.
Fretboard appears to be tightly glued all the way down.....Check.
Fretboard appears to have never been removed or tinkered with....Check
No cracks in peg head or neck........Check.

I can make it rattle by tapping anywhere on the neck, but it is the worst when I tap the fretboard between frets 3 and 6. It sound exactly like the truss rod is rattling, but I don't understand how it can be rattling while it is over tightened.

My hope is that this can be handled without removing the fretboard since the neck is pretty clean and unmolested at this point.

Any help would be appreciated.

James

Put the neck back on. It will probably go away under string tension. If it doesn't go away remove the dot between the 2nd and 3rd fret, drill a small hole, and inject some rubber cement around the truss rod. (I think a 53 J50 has a dot there, if it doesn't remove the 3rd fret, and inject cement there)

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Thanks Woody,

I had been thinking of trying exactly that, but I was not sure if anyone had tried it.

James

You should always put a few dabs of pure silicone sealer like the stuff used for fishtanks along the bottom of the channel. You should also apply a wrap over the rod even if it is the single rod type. Electrical tape or some other thin vinyl type tape works well...Mike

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