Routing the Truss Rod and Carbon fiber Rods - Made Easy

If you have a topic you want me to make a video about use #TheElectriLuthier in the comments.
Here are links to all the bits and tools I used so you can check them out:
My 35$ Trimmer Router:
amzn.to/37KWjGn
Small handheld Router:
amzn.to/2EQdAkx
1/4" (Dia.) Double Flute Straight Bit with 1/4" Shank:
amzn.to/3d5gmEm
Round Nose Double Edging Router Bits:
amzn.to/2PXhMYP
Dual Action Truss Rods:
www.solomusicgear.com/product...
Dual Action Truss Rods (Will adjustment):
www.solomusicgear.com/product...
Carbon Fiber Neck Rods:
www.solomusicgear.com/product...
Check out my ‘Recommended Gear’ Page:
theelectricluthier.com/recomme...
My Download page, with the ‘Checklist’, Scale charts, and more…
theelectricluthier.com/downloads/
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase anything through them, I'll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. This goes towards keeping the channel running so I can keep sharing more tips about building electric guitars. Thanks for your support!

[@tomalexiou9573]

Highly informative instruction.Thank you for making it look easy!

[@nigelchapman1291]

Well, hi from the UK again. Great help again! My fretboard is hot out of the fret jig that I made spot on using your advise, and now I'm going to do an Electric luthier style truss rod slot! Good man! Thankyou.

[@YeOldeThrashDude]

Up until my most recent builds, I've always used a trim router in a router table for the truss rod route. If you work carefully, it works great, but only for squared lumber. Now I'm using a jig I built for routing pre-tapered necks from the top which is much more precise for that kind of job. Never considered using a guide on squared stock top-side. Brilliant and arguably time saving!

[@theelectricluthier1928]

Thanks for sharing.🙏 I have a jig myself and it is safer and more precise; just wanted to show another option.

[@williamscaramuzzi]

Yoav, please don't stop this channel!! Keep posting! Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us!

[@mrwaffles1394]

Thanks, Yoav! I'm actually doing a couple of test runs of routing out the truss rod channel. So this was timely. My first attempt was... a learning experience. But that's why I bought extra neck blanks!

[@theelectricluthier1928]

Best of luck! You can always experiment on scrap too. I have also have a jig for truss-rods but I wanted to demonstrate this method, because it is so simple.

[@Blast_HardCheese]

I just built my first two guitars from scratch (done a few kits and tons of heavy modding), and man... The first truss rod channel went perfectly. The second one I blew through my other 3 neck blanks on from the router wandering/tilting. Prepped 4 blanks thinking a straight line would be easy to route, but to have 2 extra just in case, now I need more wood lol

[@mrwaffles1394]

@@Blast_HardCheese I ripped them into strips then jointed and glued them to make another blank… at least they weren’t a total write off.

[@Blast_HardCheese]

@@mrwaffles1394 Lol, I've cut them down, I'm thinking of just gluing all the screwups together and making my 3rd guitar out of that mess

[@user-vr8yy3ob9r]

The extra carbon fiber rods were very good idea! Thanks for the tip!

[@theelectricluthier1928]

Glad you like them! 🙏 I think it's good practice, especially if your neck doesn't have the ideal type wood.

[@user-vr8yy3ob9r]

@@theelectricluthier1928 I've started building it from olive tree wood. Extremely hard to work wood but it's very common and free wood in my island. I'll let you know when it's complete 🙂

[@theelectricluthier1928]

@@user-vr8yy3ob9r I love olive trees (I have 9 around my house). It is a hard wood to work with. Make sure it's dry enough. Good luck

[@diegosantoyo4398]

@@theelectricluthier1928 first, congrats for the channel and a BIG thanks for the content shared. I am working with a local wood Couratari spp., Lecythidaceae. (Tauari on the street) which has a dry density of 650kg/m3 and volumetric shrinkage of 10.9%. Would tou reinforce with carbon? Second question, does the carbon bars don’t work against the truss rod? Making ir more difficult for it to work the neck when turned? Super thanks and congrats

[@yoavbinyamini]

@@diegosantoyo4398 The rods have a bit of flex to them but try and stay straight. Since the main objective of the carbon rods as well as the truss rod is to counter the pull of the strings they will mostly work together. Back bow is less common...

[@PastelComGini]

We pronounce it like e-pay, but without the final Y. Edit: it was very helpful. Thanks.

[@theelectricluthier1928]

Good to know! Here we pronounce it e-pey-a (which doesn't make it correct) but I went with what I think would be a more American version, A little IKEA. 🙂

[@gab.dinizferreira]

What is the ideal glue for carbon Fiber on wood?

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

The link you provided is for 6mm round nose bit; what about the 9mm bit for the end of the truss rod? Is there a better link for that? Thank you for this!

[@tomalexiou9573]

Hello Yoav, what speed do you set the router for truss rod channel cutting? Im using a Bosch Colt 1.25 HP.

[@rockline69]

Noobie here, I thought carbon fiber rods would make the neck so stiff that it wouldn't ever move, making the truss rod unecessary. If my understanding is wrong, what's different compared to Vigier's guitars necks (90/10™ System)? Anyway, your video is great. Outstanding job. Very inspiring!

[@marko2040]

Hello been watching your videos for couple of days downloaded your body template and im ready to start was wondering where can i find neck template for printing.. Thank you for the informational videos !!

[@theelectricluthier1928]

Thanks for the comment,🙏 I should be uploading some to my website, but don't hold your breath. There are many good templates you can find at electricherald.com. You will have to do some digging...

[@dutu000]

Hi! Another question... I routed the truss rod channel. It fits nice and snug.. What if the wood dries a bit... won't the truss rod get loose and rattle? Wouldn't it be better to glue the truss rod into the channel? Thanks :)

[@yoavbinyamini]

Once you set up the guitar your truss rod will probably be under tension and won't rattle, regardless of the channel size. You can always apply enough tension for that, without affecting the neck. Gluing the truss rod in will just make it harder (or impossible) to use it and adjust the neck. You could put a dab or two of silicone or rolled-up masking tape if you really feel the need, but it's really not necessary.

[@PEIMike42]

I've always wondered why the dont make carbon rods hockey stick shaped to extend into angled headstocks?

[@theelectricluthier1928]

Cool idea for those broken headstocks, but then you need rods with different angles. It may also be way more difficult to produce than just straight, and would be expensive. Not sure it's actually necessary. headstocks don't bend much..

[@dutu000]

Can I use an allen key truss rod to adjust from the heel? Instead of a wheel truss rod? (I couldn't find one with a wheel around here..)

[@yoavbinyamini]

Thanks for the question 🙏. You can, but you will create a problem of access. There are some guitars such as older Teles that have that and you often have to take the neck apart or some other uncomfortable procedures for setting up the guitar. I have seen guitars with access through the neck pickup cavity or even between the last two frets but they are all less than optimal. That's what the wheel was invented for. With a standard truss rod, I would prefer the adjustment to be on the headstock side. Just saying 🙂

[@dutu000]

@@yoavbinyamini I am doing a neck through body bass and I was think of creating a 40mm channel in the body between the neck pickup and the neck for access, covered by a plastic cover.. like in this picture (dotted in red line is the routed channel): www.crips.ro/truss_rod.jpg

[@barrychristian4050]

Just an observation, but 50% of your routing was in the wrong direction which probably helped cause the little misshap. Stumpy nubs has a great video on routing direction and uses the thumb and finger trick, thumb touching the edge to be routed, point first finger straight out, your finger points to the direction the router should go.👆👇or outside routing is anticlockwise inside clockwise.

[@yoavbinyamini]

Thanks for the comment and observation. 🙏 You are probably right, and I am familiar with Stumpy Nubs. In my defense, I will say that When I route the wrong way, it is usually due to some constraint and I am usually aware of it and therefore take extra care. That excludes going back to clean a route made in the correct direction' although extra care should always be taken when working with a router. This method would not be my first choice for routiing, I'd prefer using a jig, but wanted to show this simple method.