advice on a resonator neck

[DaveW]

Hi
along with my OM from the previous post Im building a squareneck sheoak resonator for my son.
the neck is also sheoak with a jarrah lamination.
My query is should I install a truss rod ,when I started the neck I had presumed that because of the size of a squareneck it wouldnt need strengthening or adjustment but Ive seen them with and without trussrods since Ive started it.
Does anyone have opinions ?
Dave

[rocket]

Honestly i don't know anything about a square neck resonator but if it's made of timber, small enough to get your hand around, being pulled continuously in one direction by a bunch of steel strings, i think i'd be putting a truss rod of some sort in there!!
Rod.

[DaveW]

Yes Im beginning to believe I might as well just put one in and then I wont die wondering "whatif"
by the way you dont get your hand around the neck it sits on your lap,its probably 3 x the size of a D28 neck
Dave

[rocket]

Like i said!!

[ozziebluesman]

G'day Dave,

I'm no expert but I have been studing lap slide guitar for a number of years now. Most modern day Dobro style square neck guitars have a single action truss rod even though the neck is much bigger than a standard acoustic guitar. Like Rocket has already said there is a fair amount of tension created even when tuned to open D or G and the string gauges used are usually standard 56 46 36 26w 18 15. If it was me I would even put in some carbon fibre reinforcement either side of the truss rod which will improve the sustain of the instrument.

Cheers

Alan

[simso]

I for one would, but that being said, sheok is hard hard and heavy wood, so you would probbaly get away with not using one provided there was enough wood, but again I for one would fit one

[Chopper]

Hi Dave ,
On my square necks I install a 10mm square steel tube which is epoxied into the neck flush with the fingerboard surface. It also protrudes 25mm into the neck block, this is not glued as the neck bolts on.
Hope this helps,
John
www.copleyaustralia.com.au

[Taffy Evans]

On the square neck reso's that I have built over the years I have not used adjustable rods, but I have used carbon fiber or steel bar reinforcement, as mentioned above.

Some time back I had to replace the headstock on one of my square necks as the customer dropped the guitar. I'm glad this one had the carbon rod installed. I did not know until I had cut off the old peghead that I had cut through the rod as well.

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