Graphite /carbon fibre neck rods

[TRBboy]

Hi folks,

I want to get some reinforcing rods for the bass I'm about to build, but it seems to be a bit of a minefield.... 

ToneTech are one of the few places that sell 'guitar specific' ones in the UK, but their fairly expensive and quite deep (10mm) which I think might be pushing it if you want a fairly slender neck profile. 

There's various vendors on ebay etc selling carbon fibre square rod for other applications, which is not only far cheaper, but there's far more choice of sizes (I'm thinking maybe 5mmx5mm? See here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402268193172) 

Just wondered if anyone has any advice on this? I've browsed some old threads, and it seems like people use all sorts of different graphite and carbon fibre products for neck reinforcement. 

Thanks for your help. 

Oli

[HazBeen]

I use 6-6mm rods in my builds (when I do a neck). Just got myself some 600mm long ones for my upcoming build.

Get them here: https://tlcguitargoods.com/en/carbon-rod-van-6x6x600mm.html

Edited August 21, 2020 by HazBeen

[TRBboy]

55 minutes ago, HazBeen said:

I use 6-6mm rods in my builds (when I do a neck). Just got myself some 600mm long ones for my upcoming build.

Get them here: https://tlcguitargoods.com/en/carbon-rod-van-6x6x600mm.html

Superb, thanks for that @HazBeen!

How much does the length matter with these? I'm not entirely sure what length truss rod I need (see seperately post... 🙄), but I've been advised by one BCer that I probably need a 580mm truss rod. The bass will be 34" scale 5 string, 24 fret, BUT I'm planning on extending the neck tenon further into the body so that I can avoid having a neck 'heel' as such and allow better upper fret access (a bit like on a Dingwall). 

The link I posted above, I could get two strips at 500mm of 6x6mm - do you think 500mm would be sufficient? 

Thanks

[HazBeen]

Graphite rods help stiffen the construction, so you can often have a slightly slimmer neck, and it does help a bit against deadspots.

But many builders do not use them at all. I.e. a well constructed neck does not necessarily require them. Logic therefore dictates a shorter rod could also work.

Whilst I just want to note that I build for fun/hobby, having done multiple but not loads of necks, I think you certainly could use 500mm rods.

However, I personally try to keep my rods the same size as my trussrod minus the adjustment bolt, meaning I am using 600mm rods and a 630mm trussrod for my upcoming 35” scale 21 fret neck. 

How adventurous are you feeling, I guess is the question and answer 

[TRBboy]

8 hours ago, HazBeen said:

Graphite rods help stiffen the construction, so you can often have a slightly slimmer neck, and it does help a bit against deadspots.

But many builders do not use them at all. I.e. a well constructed neck does not necessarily require them. Logic therefore dictates a shorter rod could also work.

Whilst I just want to note that I build for fun/hobby, having done multiple but not loads of necks, I think you certainly could use 500mm rods.

However, I personally try to keep my rods the same size as my trussrod minus the adjustment bolt, meaning I am using 600mm rods and a 630mm trussrod for my upcoming 35” scale 21 fret neck. 

How adventurous are you feeling, I guess is the question and answer 

Thanks so much for that HazBeen, really helpful info! 

My main reason for wanting to use reinforcing rods is that I've decided I want to use all native british woods on my build. So, whereas I normally like a maple neck and fretboard, I'm going to be using figured sycamore. I'm assured it'll be plenty strong enough, but it is a bit of an unknown factor, so I feel like I'd rather over - engineer it than go to all the effort of making the thing only to have the neck go all over the shop. 😊

[Malcolm Davies]

 I sometimes will bring wood into the house  for a couple of weeks, just  enough wood  for 1 or 2  necks if the wood has been standing in  my work shop for  a couple weeks, this will  helps condition the wood to the IN virement further  ,  i will then  re machine  the wood ,  but it has   to be  dry to start with , if the wood wants to miss behave (Twist wind in the length, Shrink further at the heel )it should of done by  then ,this will help with confidence  be for you turn, it into a neck  ,

 

 

[Rexel Matador]

I used these in a build https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113988807342 - well, actually I haven't finished it yet, so can't completely vouch for them, but they seem pretty solid.

I went for 6mm simply because I already had a router bit of that size. I might have used smaller ones otherwise.

Regarding length, I suppose it would be good to have them about the same as the truss rod, but probably not essential. There was a bass build on the Crimson Guitars YouTube channel a while back where he used four 4mm rods, two on each side. Perhaps you could do that and sort of stagger them so they run the whole length of the neck - the inner two starting at the nut end and the outer two ending at the heel end.

[Slappindabass]

I got mine from a kite manufacturer.