Official Luthiers Forum!

Question 1
Doing my first OM style build...and first steel string. I already have and plan to install a 2 bolt martin style bolt on neck.....I have the OLF OM plans and the Jim Williams Guitar manual (very vague and only discusses making your own truss rod) and a bit weak on truss rod installations. What typetruss rod should I get for this project (single/double) and is there some detailed instructions on proper installation of these truss rods.....Do instructions come with a truss rod purchase.
Question 2
Bending sides this week.......and may actually alter to a cutaway. That may also make blocking alterations necessary with a bolt on neck. Any special input or advice on a cutaway and bolt on neck? I didn't see anything in a forum search on this.
Kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Kent:
Due to its design features the truss rod from allied works the smoothest and is very small and easy to install in a thin neck. Highly recommended....

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The Biggest Little City, Nevada
www.hammondguitars.com
I love building guitars!

I gather you expected a set of plans to give you hardware fabrication and installation info. I made the OLF plans to be as universal as possible but still match what I do. I use Allied's two way acoustic truss rod. If you follow the OLF-OM plans and want peg head adjustment then truss rod channel is routed as shown on the plans. If you want sound hole adjustment then you will need to channel the neck block and add a hole to the UT brace for wrench access

I disagree on the OLF plans being week on truss rod installation info. There is a pretty clear detail showing the adjustment end section view at the peghead in relationship to the nut with two different nut installations.

Whether you use a single action or double action rod is up to you. a single action will on apply downward bow as a double action can apply bow in both directions.

On the OLF plans I also did not tell you what materials or hardware to use. That as well is up to the individual builder. I did not tell yo0u how thick to make your top as each set is different. Same thing on the back and sides as well. I only gave brace thickness as a guideline for pre carve.

I did not intend the plans to be a "How-To" instruction. But rather a builders plan set. To be truthful this is typical of most acoustic plan set. That is to give the general dimensional details but not the individual component specifications because there is so much that subject to the wood used and the way each builder builds that is not reasonable to write these things in stone on a plan set. For "How-To" there are lots of good publications out there. My feelings is the how to info also requires a why synopsis to go with the “How-To” and that would turn plan sets in to a book real quick.

On the cutaway I have details of a Venation cutaway (one pieces bent cutaway) on the plans. If you want a Florentine cutaway there are several tutorials here on how to build a Florentine cutaway. The only braces that a cutaway affects are one side of the upper X brace and one side of the UT brace.

Kent I don't use Martin necks but IIRC they are pre-slotted for Martin truss rods. If this is the case your choices will be either rods from Martin's Guitar Maker's connection or rods designed to fit Martin necks available from the usual suspect vendors/sponsors.

I agree with my friend Mikey that the Allied rod is the best on the market but I don't think it will fit a pre-slotted Martin neck.

The new Martin 2 way rod is also a find piece. I have never had one fail . I am not condemning the LMI one but from experience the one that Martin is selling is a good piece. My best advice is if you bought the neck ,gets all the parts for the neck from the same supplier. Mixing things will often cause problem

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Hey Michael P.,
I am VERY satisfied with your OM plans. Very detailed. It looks like you covered everything a person should know. I'm also aware you had to be generic with your truss area on the plans. I'm just not experienced enough to fill in any blanks. I'm the guy that has ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE of how to install a truss rod...of ANY kind. I was just looking for some input on what truss system might work best for the OM and my bolt on neck and what installation instructions may be available for which system I might use.

You should be proud of your plans. They're great!

I'm a novice guitar builder...but a perfectionist... and I tend to loose sleep over every detail.

Kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

This is a slotted OM bolt on purchased from LMI......So maybe my best bet is to order a truss rod from them. I guess the big question is do I order a single or double. I don't know how to adjust a rod anyway. That's a whole "nothe" thing to loose sleep over.

Thanks all.
Kent

_________________
Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Then it has a 1/4" wide x 3/8" deep Truss Rod slot. the LMI single or double ation or the Allied double action either one will work just fine.

Allied has good installation instructions on their web site on how to install their truss rods. And they are very well made.

Am I hearing this right, master carver Kent bought a pre made neck! You're carving is pretty amazing.

I'm waiting for OLF OM plan to arrive. I'm looking forward to seeing and using is. Maybe we can bumble through it together Kent.

Good Luck,
Danny

Looks like this specific neck will house a few options of truss rods. Thanks for all the replies. I'll check them all out.

You heard right. YES...Master carver bought a pre made neck. My idea was to buy a couple preshaped necks (save a little time) and carve them as neck displays at shows.or on my website. My asumption was that it might be possible to actually sell a carved design heel or peghead on a preformed neck that was fairly universal in shape and size. ...rather than me carving a section of a blank stock.....and then the potential maker having to shape and build a neck around a carved design.
So....being old and deserving of changing my mind, I decided to go ahead and make up a couple guitars to go with the 2 premade necks I carved designs into. Thennnnn....someone can see a finished product and they can send me their own preformed neck for me to carve.
All of my banjo, guitar neck carving designs have been on the individual builders premade necks.
Someday soon...I am going to shape my own neck. I have a neck blank sitting on my table...staring at me.
Kent

_________________
Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com