Keeping the neck angle

[dorable]

I've been working on a stew-mac dred kit, (mahogany, bolt-on neck) and I've finally gotten it to where I should be able to string it up and play.

Except for one little problem, whenever I start to tighten the strings the neck pulls forward changing the angle and making the strings unplayably high. I've probably goofed somewhere really simple and obvious, so any suggestions/thoughts are welcome even those you feel should go without saying.

[Tom West]

More info,pictures etc..........................???
Tom

[marioed]

Hi dorable,
Check that the neck is firmly attached to the body and the bolts are snugged up. Make sure the neck is not pulling away from the body under string tension. Next check the neck angle without strings. Start by adjusting the truss rod to get the neck flat with no relief. Then use a 24 inch straightedge down the center of the fretboard. Slide it towards the bridge until the end of the straightedge is right at the front of the bridge. The bottom of the straightedge should be just touching the top of the bridge or even a tiny bit above the bridge. I usually set the neck so I've got about a 1/32" gap above the bridge before stringing up. If the end of the straightedge is below the top of the bridge you may want to reset the neck angle.

If the neck angle is ok without strings try stringing it up and checking the relief and neck angle again. If the neck is flat and the end of the straightedge is no more than a tiny bit below the top of the bridge you should be able to adjust the action at the nut and saddle after setting the relief you want. If the neck angle still goes bad check your braces under the neck area, especially the transverse, and make sure the neck block isn't shifting under tension.

Regards,
Ed

[dorable]

Pre-stringing the neck angle is great and the bolts are snug. With string tension the neck- well I suppose "rocks" is the best word- rocks forward leaving a little-bitty gap and can be forced back into the proper angle, but the bolt isn't loose.

And ugh that truss rod, I'm never buying/building another guitar which requires accessing the truss rod through the sound hole.

[Brackett Instruments]

Since the bolts aren't loose they're either bottoming out, or pulling out.

[Tom West]

Assume you are saying gap between bottom of heel and body. Sounds like your bolts are botteming out but not pulling the neck tight into the body.There should be no gap what so ever. Try shortening your bolts about a 1/16".
Tom

[Tony_in_NYC]

Originally Posted by dorable

Pre-stringing the neck angle is great and the bolts are snug. With string tension the neck- well I suppose "rocks" is the best word- rocks forward leaving a little-bitty gap and can be forced back into the proper angle, but the bolt isn't loose.

And ugh that truss rod, I'm never buying/building another guitar which requires accessing the truss rod through the sound hole.

Ditto what Tom said about the bolts bottoming out inside the neck. Shortening them should fix your issue.
As for adjusting the truss rod through the sound hole....well you really shouldn't have to adjust it after final set up. I have almost never had to dial in relief. Build the neck flat and the strings will pull the relief into the neck most times. If you have used a double action truss rod, you can remove relief if you have too much, but again, you should not be doing it very often. And never use the truss rod to adjust the neck to lower the action. You should be adjusting the action at the nut, saddle, and with the neck angle when building the guitar. The truss rod is there to help dial in relief to your preferred specs, not to adjust the action.
Post pics of the finished guitar!

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by dorable

And ugh that truss rod, I'm never buying/building another guitar which requires accessing the truss rod through the sound hole.

Not sure what issues you are having with it, but I've been doing it that way for 30 years without a single issue. Many makers/factories do it that way. Given the choice, I'd never have it adjustable from the head.