No pictures on this one to protect the identity of the builder.
Worked on a Luthier built arch top that the commissioner had been struggling with because no one could get it set-up properly so that it does not have fret rattle noise.
The client paid thousands for this thing and needs to play it in his gigs but has been either cringing from the poor set-up or avoiding playing it even considering selling it to the next unhappy owner.
See why there are no pics.... This is not unusual by the way, I see it often with Luthier built instruments with single action rods.
It seems the builder did not account for fret compression when building the instrument and built it with so much neck back bow that string tension alone can't over come the back bow even when the truss rod is slacked (and may possibly rattle....). Again I would guess that I see this one half a dozen times a year.
So we are basically asked to save the instrument so it can be played without the owner hating every minute of how it rattles....
Solutions are available for him that are not very expensive, more solutions with higher cost are also available.
First increasing string tension by increasing string gauges can pull the neck forward and over come the back bow. Next setting action higher can over come fret rattle when a fret plane sucks for reasons of poor workmanship or slight back bow.
A fret dress where we mill the mid neck hump out and even mill in relief with a slack rod is a possibility if the frets are not overly worn. These frets are new and this is a possibility as well.
Moving up in price a refret where the fret board is straightened and the fret slots are deepened since we make them more shallow by milling the hump out of the board is a possibility too.
The client was thrilled that there were answers to his issues ranging from $85 to $450 and he was even more thrilled that in only an hour since he was from out of town we could make it playable with heavier strings and setting the action ever so slightly higher.
He will be coming back driving nearly six hours again for plan b when he has more time and we will either refret or dress the frets milling in relief for that useless, slack single action truss rod.
The client is not happy with the builder, this is not uncommon in our world either since after all people don't come to us because everything is hunky dory.....
. The instrument is otherwise well built and I told him that. Now and with some time he may grow to appreciate it.So the point on this forum of mostly builders? Use a stinkin double action rod because all of this trouble and more such as when an instrument is permitted to dry out can be avoided with the instrument remaining playable simply by using double action rods.
Many decades ago it's likely the same was said, perhaps with colored stones on cave walls..... about using a truss rod at all. But these days we have a number of very good options with quality double action rods that can be had for a song.
After all the entire satisfaction that your clients receive from your creations may depend on it...... That pretty rosette means nothing if the thing sucks to play.... Guitars ARE ultimately tools for musicians.
Thanks.
