2 way truss rod - should the nut be at the top or bottom when installing?
- Thread starter newuser1
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bottom is the normal way
From the stewmac website:
Hex Nut Hot Rod Truss Rod
(link removed)
Hex Nut Hot Rod Truss Rod
1/4" hex nut design for electric guitars and banjos. Smooth two-way action corrects upbow and backbow, giving complete control over the neck.
Easy to install. The Hot Rod® fits in a straight channel. For proper operation, this truss rod must be installed so that the active rod (the rod with the adjustment nut) is below the passive rod. A wooden filler stick is not required.
Our Hot Rod neck adjustment system features twin rods in threaded brass collars. The stainless steel active rod turns for smooth neck alignment, with 2-way action. The Hot Rod requires an access cavity for the adjustment nut, and a straight 7/32"-wide x 7/16"-deep slot (measured from the bottom of the fretboard) for installation.
From the stewmac website:
- (link removed)
Hex Nut Hot Rod Truss Rod
(link removed)
Hex Nut Hot Rod Truss Rod
1/4" hex nut design for electric guitars and banjos. Smooth two-way action corrects upbow and backbow, giving complete control over the neck.
Easy to install. The Hot Rod® fits in a straight channel. For proper operation, this truss rod must be installed so that the active rod (the rod with the adjustment nut) is below the passive rod. A wooden filler stick is not required.
Our Hot Rod neck adjustment system features twin rods in threaded brass collars. The stainless steel active rod turns for smooth neck alignment, with 2-way action. The Hot Rod requires an access cavity for the adjustment nut, and a straight 7/32"-wide x 7/16"-deep slot (measured from the bottom of the fretboard) for installation.
bottom is the normal way
From the stewmac website:
- (link removed)
Hex Nut Hot Rod Truss Rod
(link removed)
Hex Nut Hot Rod Truss Rod
1/4" hex nut design for electric guitars and banjos. Smooth two-way action corrects upbow and backbow, giving complete control over the neck.
Easy to install. The Hot Rod® fits in a straight channel. For proper operation, this truss rod must be installed so that the active rod (the rod with the adjustment nut) is below the passive rod. A wooden filler stick is not required.
Our Hot Rod neck adjustment system features twin rods in threaded brass collars. The stainless steel active rod turns for smooth neck alignment, with 2-way action. The Hot Rod requires an access cavity for the adjustment nut, and a straight 7/32"-wide x 7/16"-deep slot (measured from the bottom of the fretboard) for installation.
Thanks Marty,
Would installing the nut at the top cause any issues?
wabashslim
Friend of Leo's
YES - the rod would bend the wrong way!! Great if you want to turn your neck into a ski!
The reason it's installed that way is so when you rotate the nut clockwise (tighten the rod) it puts back bow in the neck to counteract the pull of the strings.
If you install it upside down, it will be backwards from every other guitar in the universe...except for those guitars where the builder goofed and installed it upside down
If you install it upside down, it will be backwards from every other guitar in the universe...except for those guitars where the builder goofed and installed it upside down
The nut would be turned opposite but
I guess you could find out but " this truss rod must be installed so that the active rod (the rod with the adjustment nut) is below the passive rod. " isn't sounding too wishy washy.
eallen
Friend of Leo's
It won't cause any issues as it is a two-way rod. I have done several upside down. You will have to rotate the nut the opposite direction than normal. Any decent tech should figure that out pretty quickly.
Eric
Eric
I'm a decent tech but that would throw me for a loop.
Jim_in_PA
Friend of Leo's
Aside from what's already been mentioned, putting it in "up-side-down" would also require that the access hole be in a different place than "normal"...
The link you included is for the low-profile rod, not the regular one with two separate rods...
The low-profile one is flat on the top and rounded on the bottom. There's not a big difference in where the nut ends up on that one, but the flat part is meant to sit flush with the top surface of the neck/snug against the bottom of the FB. That low-profile one is nice and easy to use by the way! I'm only using those now.
For the regular Hot Rod, it depends on the neck design and thickness. I've used 'em both ways; just gotta remember which way to turn the nut...
The low-profile one is flat on the top and rounded on the bottom. There's not a big difference in where the nut ends up on that one, but the flat part is meant to sit flush with the top surface of the neck/snug against the bottom of the FB. That low-profile one is nice and easy to use by the way! I'm only using those now.
For the regular Hot Rod, it depends on the neck design and thickness. I've used 'em both ways; just gotta remember which way to turn the nut...
(link removed)
It appears that installing this upside down may put your truss rod nut cavity partially in the end of the fretboard.
"Working with a rectangular neck blank makes it easy to clamp the work in a vise and to set up a fence for routing a straight channel"
It appears that installing this upside down may put your truss rod nut cavity partially in the end of the fretboard.
"Working with a rectangular neck blank makes it easy to clamp the work in a vise and to set up a fence for routing a straight channel"
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eallen
Friend of Leo's
Good link Marty.
I do all my 2-way trussrod routes on a router table while the neck blank is still in a rectangular shape. I setup my fence 1-3/4" from the bit centerline, mark start and stops, set the bit depth, turn the blank upside down with the low E side against the fence, and route. A great way to do numerous blanks at the same time to have them ready for when desired.
The bump on the adjuster is not near as pronounce an offset in the actual rod as the illustrated picture shows. The photos in the link you included shows more accurate. The only reason I can see for upside down is in a head adjust. Flipping it moves the hole right under the fretboard for the access hole directly in the transition radius. At the same time, the difference isn't enough to merit it for me. I was more responding to the OP question on "if" it could be done. Normal install just requires a bit more angle in the access hole.
Eric
I can't help but wonder if the active rod (with the nut) is the one doing the actual work of moving the neck wood and that moving more mass requires the active rod below the passive rod. This is a physics problem I guess. You'd have to determine the mass above and below the rods.
eallen
Friend of Leo's
I don't know about a physics problem but I know the mass below my neck sure takes a lot more effort to move! [emoji849][emoji6]
Eric
