Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm helping a friend of mine on a build and today we cut the taper on the neck. We used a jig to put it through a table saw to achieve the correct taper along the sides of the neck, but now the truss rod is not properly aligned. It is dead center at the back of the neck where the metal slug is (single action truss rod) but up at the nut it is 4-5 mm off center toward the 6th string side of the neck. We're kind of freakin out here... any advice? (We're aware that there is the option to re-rout and fill the empty space of the slot with wood, but that would be a real pain). Would it be fine as is? Our main worry is that the neck will twist a few years down the line. -Alex

I'll post Pics Soon

Yo, Alex, if I understand you correctly, I think your channel is a full 4-5 mm off to one side at the nut end....correct? If so, I think that's definitely too much, so I would advise filling the whole channel and re-routing right now, before you press on. You might leave it alone and get lucky with it. Or...in the worse scenario, you might later wind up pulling the neck, pulling the fingerboard, and then filling the channel and re-routing. Far better to deal with it right now. Alternatively, you MIGHT try routing down the true center and then filling the portion that is routed too wide, but I think that would be an even bigger problem. Not impossible, but a true hassle. Most everyone has done something like this at one time or another. I'll bet someone will chime in with a simpler fix than I have suggested. Good luck with it. Don't give up!

If you're adjusting the truss rod at the nut, it will look bad. If you do it through the soundhole, you might be ok. My friend's s off 3 mm at the nut end and so far, it's holding up.

But filling and rerouting is easy, as long as you cut the original channel straight. I'd redo it if I were you.

On that, was is the conventional wisdom on relieving pressure as you squeeze wood into a tight fitting hole with glue in it? Force it and clamp it? Drill relief holes?

Mike

_________________
Mike Lindstrom

also if it is off that much at the nut, you may (literally) run into problems when you round the back of the neck at the 0-1-2 fret area.....unless you go with a real fat "D" type profile.
i would consider filling it and using NO tuss rod....i have made 2 necks without rods and they are fine. i have had my strat for almost 25 years and i have never actually had to use the truss rod- and the action is as low as anything!
i also believe (not a swear, but a belief ) that solid wood necks are more resonant. they seem to be more alive feeling in the left hand....