Advice needed - truss rod rout

[Guitar novice]

For my challenge doing a 3/4 size tele. I'm making a single action truss rod so I need to make a curved rout.

I have a full size neck plan that shows the curve but what do I do for 3/4 size. The neck is normal thickness but length is shorter (obviously). It isn't exactly 3/4 cause apparently 3/4 isn't 3/4 (no idea)

Anyway full plans show that the rout is 1/2 inch deep in middle. If I do this on a shorter neck then the curve is much greater. Don't know if that is a prob.

Any help is appreciated as its going to hold me up soon.

Cheers

[guitarbuilder]

I'd probably keep the angles the same at both ends as well as the depth in the middle. Just redraw the curve through those 3 points. You could flex a thin piece of wood and use that as a guide for a pencil or use CAD.

[emoney]

Just make sure of your cut as it applies to the back of the neck. If the neck is going to be proportionally thinner a standard depth might now leave enuff wood on the back.

[Guitar novice]

Thanks guitar builder.

Im thinking of measuring the length of the 3/4 plan vs normal plan. Work out what % ren is and apply that to the depth of the middle section. The full plan shows depth of middle as 1/2inch. If the pln measures 80% shorter then I'll go .4 inch deep. I'll mark on mdf the two ends and the middle point. Then I'll bend the rod nil it hits 3 points and tn trace it.

That will be tomorrows effort.

Cheer

[Guitar novice]

Originally Posted by emoney

Just make sure of your cut as it applies to the back of the neck. If the neck is going to be proportionally thinner a standard depth might now leave enuff wood on the back.

I'm going with standard width but haven't thought tt throug properly. It's for a 6 year old so maybe I should thin it more.

[guitarbuilder]

Maybe you can just add a steel reinforcement instead of actually doing a real adj. rod? I had an import kids 3/4 neck here that has no visable adjustment rod in it.

[Jack Wells]

What is the scale length of you small sized guitar? Forget all the 3/4 stuff. The literature calls all small size guitars 3/4 size. It's meaningless. The curve of the truss rod on a Fender is made up of two different radii. See this drawing.



Divide your scale length by 25.5. Multiply this by the radii shown in the drawing to determine the curve for the truss rod channel in your neck.

As an example I started building a small Telecaster with a 22.75 in scale length (same as the Squier Mini-Strat).

22.75/25.5 = 0.89
0.89 x 255 = 227 in.
0.89 x 115 = 102 in.

These are the radii of the curve for a 22.75 scale length. However I doubt that the curve needs to be exact. Anything close should work.

[guitarbuilder]

Are you doing a one piece neck or gluing on a separate fretboard? You may want to consider a hot rod type rod or you can make a ric style rod in any length. Those have a metal adjustment block and are only one way rods. They are easy enough to make and fit into a flat slot. Those are obviously easier options than making a special jig for a one-off neck.

[Guitar novice]

Thanks jack.

My scale length is 22.625. It rounds up to 89% which puts same dimensions to yours.

I'll give the jig a shot tonight. Did you leave the neck the std thickness or did you bring it down.

Guitar builder. I am using a fretboard. I thought about the stew Mac hot rod but went the harder route as I wanted to try making my own truss rod. The steel rod is a good idea but again I'm using the challenge to build up some skills for my next build. (it seems addictive)

Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it.

Cheers