Today we pick up our SJ neck, already in progress. Our first photo shows the ‘rough’ neck, with the classical style three-piece layup of the heel block, the running stock, and the peghead clearly visible. We use this traditional method for its superior strength and stability. After the neck pieces are glued together as shown, the tenon for attaching the neck to the body is cut; the tenon sides then get a thin cross-grain mahogany lamination on each side, once again for superior strength and structural integrity.
A channel for the truss rod is then routed into the running stock. The two-piece over/under rod of 3/16 inch steel is set into the channel; a 1/16 inch mahogany cap is glued on top of the rod, so that it is completely embedded into the neck. The rectangular rod has greater bearing surface than a round section device. Notice that the rod works independently of all other parts, and that it is designed to oppose perfectly the tension of the strings. (Truss rods are designed to ‘true’ a guitar’s neck, NOT to adjust the action.)
