#1
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Non-adjustable truss rods?
Just wondering if there many non-adjustable truss rod guitars in the Custom zone?
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#2
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I have a John Kinnaird West Coast with non adjustable carbon reinforced neck. He offers a truss rod as an option. So far so good with it. Neck has been extremely stable even in drop tunes.
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#3
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I’ve had two guitars by J Kinnaird. One with adjustable truss rod and one with ebony bar. No trouble with either.
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“You got time to breathe, you got time for music” ~ Briscoe Darling __________________ |
#4
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I use truss rods in 98% of my guitars but in my Pre-war inspired sub 3# OM-ish guitars I use a carbon fiber bar.
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#5
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When asked, or just because I love the lighter weight, I use a couple of carbon fiber bars instead of an adjustable steel system. It saves about 3.5 ounces. Once the set-up is right, it is highly unlikely to need further attention . . . unless your set-up preferences change, or you want a different string tension. Since I build most of my guitars for specific string tension, I certainly don't advise using other than that guitar's specified strings on any of them.
Do not confuse ebony with carbon, both their strength and their stability are in completely different ball parks. |
#6
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Many of my guitars have carbon rods. All the guitars by John Slobod. One by Burton LeGeyt. One by Howard Klepper. Great for light weight, and if done properly they never move. At least not in the years I’ve had them.
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Circa OM-30/34 (Adi/Mad) | 000-12 (Ger/Maple) | OM-28 (Adi/Brz) | OM-18/21 (Adi/Hog) | OM-42 (Adi/Braz) Fairbanks SJ (Adi/Hog) | Schoenberg/Klepper 000-12c (Adi/Hog) | LeGeyt CLM (Swiss/Amzn) | LeGeyt CLM (Carp/Koa) Brondel A-2 (Carp/Mad) |
#7
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So is a light weight neck important to the end result or more of an aesthetic choice and comfort thing?
Last edited by jay42; 12-06-2022 at 11:18 AM. |
#8
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CF rods.
Quote:
They have worked great for years now. The D tubes are lighter than the wood they replace, and the necks are very VERY stable. I think it’s interesting to remember that the golden age Martens that now cost as much as a house all had Ebony rods in the neck. Martin didn’t start using adjustable truss rods until the 60s I believe… John K’s lightweight necks, combined with the 12 fret design certainly leads to a nice light and comfy Instrument. I am quite lazy, and I don’t want to have to hold up the Headstock of my guitar I have enough to do already. Ha ha ha. I know there’s a number of high-end luthier‘s using carbon fiber in the necks. I believe most also use a truss rod, but I know some do not always do so. Hope this information helps Merry Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/Festivus/solstice Paul.
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4 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS: Big Maple/WRC Dread(ish) Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC Big Tunnel 14 RW/Bubinga Dread(ish) R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro 96 422ce bought new! 96 LKSM 12 552ce 12x12 J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut More |
#9
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There are also titanium truss rods available if anyone is looking for the functionality of an adjustable truss rod combined with extremely light weight.
My Kraut 00 has an adjustable titanium truss rod.
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John Tucson, AZ 2020 Kraut 00, Swiss/Brazilian, build 2018 Eady EG Pro Electric, Redwood/Mahogany 2013 Baranik Meridian, Blue Spruce/Cocobolo, build 2008 Baranik CX, Blue Spruce/African Blackwood 2008 Breedlove A20 Masterclass 12-string, Adi/IRW 2003 Thames classical, Euro/Brazilian Fodera Standard 4 Fretless bass, figured walnut |
#10
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Quote:
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Circa OM-30/34 (Adi/Mad) | 000-12 (Ger/Maple) | OM-28 (Adi/Brz) | OM-18/21 (Adi/Hog) | OM-42 (Adi/Braz) Fairbanks SJ (Adi/Hog) | Schoenberg/Klepper 000-12c (Adi/Hog) | LeGeyt CLM (Swiss/Amzn) | LeGeyt CLM (Carp/Koa) Brondel A-2 (Carp/Mad) |
#11
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Quote:
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#12
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Yeah, the relief can be adjusted. I suppose you could mess around with the tang thickness and attempt to adjust relief. Or you could Plek the desired relief into the frets, but then you might have a slight fret height discrepancy. Better to know what you want at the outset. Yeah, it can be changed but it’s a pain.
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Circa OM-30/34 (Adi/Mad) | 000-12 (Ger/Maple) | OM-28 (Adi/Brz) | OM-18/21 (Adi/Hog) | OM-42 (Adi/Braz) Fairbanks SJ (Adi/Hog) | Schoenberg/Klepper 000-12c (Adi/Hog) | LeGeyt CLM (Swiss/Amzn) | LeGeyt CLM (Carp/Koa) Brondel A-2 (Carp/Mad) |
#13
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Quote:
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David Webber Round-Body Furch D32-LM MJ Franks Lagacy OM Rainsong H-WS1000N2T Stonebridge OM33-SR DB Stonebridge D22-SRA Tacoma Papoose Voyage Air VAD-2 1980 Fender Strat A few Partscaster Strats MIC 60s Classic Vib Strat |
#14
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This info is from guitarhq.com:
Neck Truss Rod. 1928-ish: Ebony neck reinforcement under fingerboard for strength. Late 1934: Steel "T" bar. Thickness varies, but generally speaking both sections of the T is 0.125", width and height is 0.525" (kind of like Flexible Flyer sled runners). The bar is glued into the neck with Hide glue. 1942: Ebony neck reinforcement under fingerboard (war time shortage of steel) 1945/1946: Steel T bar again used sparatically (varies between ebony and steel during these years.) 1947: Steel T bar. 1967: Square steel bar. 1985: Adjustable (inside body) steel truss rod. -Mike |
#15
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As Mike has pointed out, Martin began using a non-adjustable metal rod in the 1930s. The company stuck with tradition until 1985 when it finally embraced the adjustable rod.
To this day, many in the Martin community prefer the non-adjustable rods, probably because they correspond to Martin's golden era 1930s guitar. Gibson began using the adjustable truss rod in 1924. But, like Martin, had to abandon it during WWII when the US government limited metals in stringed instruments to no more than 10% of an instrument's weight. During WWII, Martin switched back to its ebony rod. Gibson used a maple rod, in the shape of a V, which ran the length of the neck. I am particularly fond of the WWII-era Gibsons without the metal rod. They are lighter and, to my ear, sound a bit better. I've had no issues with my two 1943 Gibsons that lack the metal truss rod. Here is one of them:
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John |