Truss rod access from where...?

[viento]

Access to adjust the truss rod is possible from the soundhole or from the peg head.
What is to prefer? Pros and cons ?

I´m asking because I am building a 12-string and have to consider the truss rod.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by viento

Access to adjust the truss rod is possible from the soundhole or from the peg head.
What is to prefer? Pros and cons ?

I´m asking because I am building a 12-string and have to consider the truss rod.

The main reason to avoid headstock adjusting truss rods is the loss of strength where the headstock and neck meet.

[printer2]

Doing a small open headstock guitar right now. I am going the headstock route as I do not see having too much tension on the neck as it will be lightly strung and a shorter scale. I added a volute to make up for the material lost from the truss rod access. I would be a little more hesitant on doing the same for a 12 string as you have more strings resulting in more tension on the neck. Also the headstock will be longer which would give further mechanical advantage for any knock on the headstock to break it off.

[viento]

I forgot to mention that this 12-string will be a 27" scale baritone.
So the access to the truss rod from the soundhole will be best, I guess.

[Tom West]

Originally Posted by Ned Milburn

The main reason to avoid headstock adjusting truss rods is the loss of strength where the headstock and neck meet.

Also I think a bare headplate looks cleaner and more elegant.
Tom

[redir]

Originally Posted by Tom West

Also I think a bare headplate looks cleaner and more elegant.
Tom

On the other hand a nicely crafted truss cover or, as I prefer to do it, a hole that flares out through the sandwich layers of the peg head overlay offer a sort of art deco functional design kind of look.

[Tom West]

Originally Posted by redir

On the other hand a nicely crafted truss cover or, as I prefer to do it, a hole that flares out through the sandwich layers of the peg head overlay offer a sort of art deco functional design kind of look.

As they say.............whatever floats your boat or turns your crank. Like so many other things with guitars, it can come down to personal preference. But Ned's point about being a weak area should not be overlooked.
Tom

[John Arnold]

As a repairman who has repaired scores of broken headstocks over the last 30+ years, I have a strong preference for truss rods that adjust at the soundhole.

I am going the headstock route as I do not see having too much tension on the neck as it will be lightly strung and a shorter scale.

Even with less string tension, I still prefer not to have the adjustment at the headstock. The primary cause of headstock breaks is a fall which impacts the neck in a 'whiplash', and string tension does contribute. But it also can happen with looser strings, such as during shipping. The other contributing factor is heavy tuners, the heaviest being Grover Rotomatics.
If you still are dedicated to headstock adjustment, my recommendation is an Allen type adjustment nut, rather than a hex nut. The hex nut requires a larger cutout to make room for a socket wrench.
It looks like Gibson, Guild and Taylor would have learned that by now......

[redir]

Yup it does weaken the area. Also it tends to get marred up from overzealous users too. Some builders put it through the soundhole in almost impossible places to reach for that very reason. I got one in now, a 12 fretter, and I don't have an 8in Allen key.

[stanron]

My personal preference is for head adjustment. In over 50 years of playing all my guitars adjusted at the head, and I've never had a break at that point. I wouldn't say I am particularly careful, luck perhaps?

[Ned Milburn]

It must be remembered that steel string headstocks are much thinner than classical and flamenco headstocks, and yet they carry nearly double the tension.

A variety of means to strengthen steel string headstocks has been used, including back-laminates, volutes, combos...

Myself, since I both prefer headstock truss adjustments and think the steel string standard headstock is weak by design, I have created a headstock design that has a thicker spine than standard steel string, but with routed "plates" on the back side to enable the same size tuners (tuner post length is fairly standard, so the guitar headstock must be made to fit the available tuners).

[printer2]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

As a repairman who has repaired scores of broken headstocks over the last 30+ years, I have a strong preference for truss rods that adjust at the soundhole.

Even with less string tension, I still prefer not to have the adjustment at the headstock. The primary cause of headstock breaks is a fall which impacts the neck in a 'whiplash', and string tension does contribute. But it also can happen with looser strings, such as during shipping. The other contributing factor is heavy tuners, the heaviest being Grover Rotomatics.
If you still are dedicated to headstock adjustment, my recommendation is an Allen type adjustment nut, rather than a hex nut. The hex nut requires a larger cutout to make room for a socket wrench.
It looks like Gibson, Guild and Taylor would have learned that by now......

I have some lightweight mini open tuners and Allen key adjustable truss rod. Along with the volute I am guessing I can get away with it.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by printer2

I have some lightweight mini open tuners and Allen key adjustable truss rod. Along with the volute I am guessing I can get away with it.

Should be fine. Remember, while guitars with headstock cracks are common, guitars with zero headstock cracks are still far more common. For storage, transportation, and usage (user) and wood choice/construction (builder), it is important to identify weaknesses so as to give them the proper degree of care.

[Rodger Knox]

Are you making your own truss rod, or using one of the commercially available rods? With a 27" scale, you'll need a long enough rod to put the relief at the right place on the neck if you use soundhole adjustment.
The length won't be so critical with headstock adjustment.

[viento]

I have bought a 46cm / 18.110 inches truss rod with Allen key.
My only problem is that I have already closed the box and still have to make the tenon and mortise.
The fingerboard has not yet been glued on.
I have to drill the hole for the Allen key side into the body through the neck block plus the first brace.
Maybe I better make the truss rod a bit longer... Btw, the neck touches the body at the 15th fret.
I will get to this problem when I'm back home again after my holidays. Then I can also post some photos...