fate CAUNLDy ‘& bass | Bye ever pebaygc. ap David Raymond *Make Your Own Electric Guitar and Bass Dennis Waring and David Raymond Reena seme ETL Thomas Randall g Cea ea LgContent Intioduction 4 Guitars Through the Ages 5 Constructing a Six-String Guitar 8 Tools and Materials 9 Explanation of Tools 9 Jigs, Templates, and the Router 12 Wood Lore and Selection 12 Design Considerations and Preparation 13 Body Shape 13 Parts ofthe Guitar 14 Headstock Design 15 Neck Considerations 17 Neck/Body Connection Options 19 Nech/Boay Angle 19 Bridge Types 20 Creating a Fullsize Patten 22 ‘The Guitar body 24 Preparing Wood Stock 24 Making the Pickup/Neck Pocket Master Template 25, Routing Process for Pickups and Neck Pocket 27 ‘Cutting and Shaping the Body 28 Routing the Electronics Compartment 29 Bridge Placement 30 ‘Neck Screw, Femule Holes, and Truss Rod Nut Channel 32 Carving the Body Contours 32 Neck Pickup Wiring Holes 33 Neck und Headsiock 34 Wood Preparation 34 The Neck 35 The Headstock 37 The fingerboard 39 Preparation 39 Cutting Fret slots 40. Fingerboard Inlays 40 Gluing Fingerboard to Neck 47 Fingerboard Arching 42 Instaling eis 43 Finishing Frels 44 Hingerboard side Dots 45 Assemblage 45 Filing Neck to Body 45 Tuning Mechanisms 46 The Nu 46 Instaling Pickups 49 Hlectrcnies Compartment Cover 47 Strings and Setup 48 Finishing 48 sanding 49 Staining 49 Sealing Woods 50 Grain Filler 50 Topeoats 50. Rubbing Out and Polishing 57 Finishing the Fingerboard 57 Wax 57 Constructing a Bass Guitar 52 ‘The Neck 53. ‘Truss Rod and Headstock 54 Fingerboard and Inlays 56 Installing Frets 57 The Body 37 Assembling the Body and Routing for Electronics 58 Pickup Cavities 50 Body Roundover and Body Contours 59 Fretting 59 Prefinishing 60 Preassembly 60 Setup 60 Appendix 67 Master Drawings for Guitar and Bass 61 Guitar Patterns 62 Bass Patterns 64 Playing the Bectilc Guitar and Gass 66 Hlectranics 71 Wood and Tone 89 Finishing Options 92 ‘Tool Sharpening 93 Index 96“The muta probably the most poplar musical iretrumert in the ‘would. This temarkable device wit its many vatant forms has crossed al geographical boundaries and is now played i an enorrnous verity (fcitral contexts. From ican bets to heavy metal, Asan pop to Fast Indian cassia, ls ongoing aptabity sae Initiess, In recent decades, the electiication of the guitar, expacttly in 8s seld-bouy fou end the dominance of Arvericait popula cutute, have transformed musk sansibitis gobally. Ofeing nearly untied tonal varity the electric guar has become one & the most prominent Instruments in jazz. pop, rock, and world music today, Altnough muchas been writen about the eecte gultar an ts constnuction there remains a lmitec amount of practical materat ‘lin teach of te amateur woodworker. This book emphasizes accessibily” a clear, methodical step-by-step process resulting in ‘at acive,functanal instrument. 8 using conmen woea>vorking ton, easyto-onder materials, and avalable resources tor finding ‘lctronic comparients and other naraware, this volume provides all the necessary information forthe aspiring instumert maker anc these seeking a belie unkerstanding of the instumert. In adihion te Instructions for bullding a tandavd Gating soll ‘body model ya, ete are cectons for making. an elecrc bass guitar The guitar section contains detailed bseussons of major procedures comenion to oth guitar and bess. Options ard references for further devesopment and enhancement are found inthe Appendic ‘this took Hectic guitars and basses are excelent vatices for creat in bot nutang and paying, Every aspect at thelr design ftom the shape to the electronics to the muatoral they are made fron, apen to tinkerng, customizaticn, or altout revolution. Sollébody electric Instruments representa urigue arwalganvation combining t= oldest ‘elements of musical instumert making knowleage, a “bestoF selection from the history of electronic stunning visual design, ard capacity to ‘ncorporateew ideas. Throughout ther short sory, these Instuments have benefied ‘om the efforts of imovators representing ‘many dverse backgequnds. lecirca engineers. aerospace technicians. fine woodworkers artists, and even those seeking cheaper means of ‘ass-procuiction have contbutd enormeusty tothe advancement of the elecc guitar and bass. The result @unigue opportunity fo te Dulide's personal expression on many level One season forthe constant aevancentent of eecnk:stnge Instrument design isthe aecessbilt ofthe consiructon process. White technology has save tore dificult or the average peisan to wine ther car or Px household appliances. not to mertion Pull beter versions ofthese Rem lectc gular and basses OF the highest quay comin tobe bull by incdvetua in hme werkshops These Inotiuenis use eatvely simple, adtional, and:eften oi fastioned technologies to generate unde that continuonisy challenge and excite both players and Isteners People seeking to enter tis Held today’ ave access tn tescarees that were undrezmed of a decade ag. A large Varley of tools, nardware, ekeronics, and wood is avalabe from a ‘number ot specaly suppers, art the internat has trough’ a rowaliion Inyacces> to nvormaton, Ideas, anid experiences of rstumment makers 4 allover the wort. This unkque coranation of new and oa makes these Msrumonts amieng the most rewarding pursuits of the creative ‘echnicnly netted incvidua, “This book outlines the process of building an slece guitar and bass. The struments are designed to Mustrate the fundamentals ot ‘ct gular and bass construction. Stop-bystep procedures procuce Frstraments that are straghttonvard out of high qualty While many of the steps require dauriraly precise operations. they are faxitaed by te use of jigs, patems, and templates that allow the patient. persistent haginrer to produce professional reculs. Our Insiuctons seve as an Inoxtection to the kinds cf shop procedures and problem-solving sis used by mocem inshumert makers ‘The two lnsruments outined inthis book ulize a comtinattn ‘radional and modem design features. They are capable fa wide range of musical ives wth versatle yet accessible elections and fonsnicion details thot have been chosen to enfiance fone and Playabiy. However the possibile for designing your oan puter or bass ave almost endloss, and the reader shoul fee fre to explore as rien options as possible to bud an instrument that fs personal ‘needs, This book Incudes advice on ayallable woods hardware fectrenies. and possibie design variations. Learn, how these tars ‘ome together to produce a urique Instrument i. fescinaing process ‘ou can enrich your own instrument making experience tthe following ways 1 Read otter Looks and pertdlcas about intrumert makhg, Goto ‘your library, Send away for further Invocation. Searcy relevant wel sites and chat rooms on the itemet 2. Play as many diferent insurents ae posaibie to familie yours wih their designs arid features, Sek out the knowtecge ard opions of playors salespeopie repairers and bulders whenever posable. There |s a grea! deal of knowledge avalable and you wil fine tha people are happy to help when they hear that you are buiding your own Instrument 2. Reseauch the availabilty of tutaing materials (wood tuners slags, ec), Begin gathering materials eary. Collect relevant cotalogues and send away for haré-tovnd items. Collecting materials may take some ‘ime and eert but you wil ascover some wood scurces and make ‘vaiable connections inthe process, 4, Gather toc as you requre ther, Theres no need to buy a stot “nse when you may use only ene or two oF them De selective when buying some ote specaty glzmos since hey may be use ely to the preduction builder, Whon feasible make of improvise your wn ‘oot. gs, and templates, 5, Afler studying the instuctions and thinking through the ops; ‘ud patently and cansistenty.one step al atime. 6, Expect to make some mistakes: They ae part ofthe creative process ‘and often kee to new and better methods,Guitars Through the Ages Coupling a stretched sting to 2 volume of enclosed alr-the principle of ataching a sting io a resonator-undoubledly dates ta prehistory ver tine, musical Bows, tyres, haps, zithers, and fue of al shapes and sizes formed a family ree of chontaphones: Members cf the Lite ‘emily of istiuments whicy includes suka’, feature a neck body. ‘elationship: sti run from the body af the Instrument over a Drhdge, to the end ofthe neck. Makers ofthese eay gullartKe instruments utfized gourds. tees animal skins. plant fers, and other afl resources, Mery ancient cvitetiors reco lute mnstrument ‘ypes. From these weilsprings conte the Greek bouitcakl, Turkish saz hinese ppg tncian sitar, Russian balalaka, Havatan ukulele, Ain ngon, American banjo, and hundreds of ether variant forms. ‘ore has tot the guitar, with ts familar hourglass, feune-lznt ‘asi shape, wis intinduced to Spain by the Arabs. By the 14th Gentury fad difused tvoughout Europe, and by the 17th century ‘had begun to displace the bow-shapod lute as the picked stringed ‘rumen! of mole, Cosey connected withthe ckterh a related striged instnsment popular fram 1500 to 1806), early guitar forms had various nurnbers of stig, usualy tour 6 si, atten doubled layor pias ith sx shgle stings came inte vogue, Since thi srimngementatforoed a ample playing technique than iis Dredecesirs the sbestiiry guitar bocame the standard Bul that was ony the beginning Because the guitar traveled easily it accompanied would exploration ftom Spain throughout the western hemisphere ant Dejond. By the late 1300 and eary 19th centuries, i had achieved its sloss shape and string arrangement. and was switty ganing in pial Europo and elsewhere, classical repertites wore ‘developed speatcally forthe nstument: With #ech relocation it tinued fs evolution of shope an functor suk the expressive needs of diferent cares In fate Tath-century and early 2oteentury United States, the aur caught on as a popuiar instrument accessibe hyough malt tide sows such as Sears, Reebuck Co, and Montgomery Wari, Ditigthe American Victorian period the guar became an Afordableallemiative to a plano or reed organ forthe parlor. As ts Aualiabilty and populsnity increased, it necarne the instrument of ‘hole fo: blues end other folk musics. y ie turn of the cenkuy, ‘loneeirg American instrument makers heyan to feed the wowing Dlsest in guar and popuvar musk. Wh movators such as Martin an Gibson ips sores of leser-known luthiers, the guitar sem ‘caine one ofthe most played of all nsituments. As the 201%, Ceaiury unfolded the introduction oF steo! strings and areh-4op and metal sopaior sys further expanded musical applications Found Info. jazz blues and dance ruse of all kinds by the 19305 the count: hllow-bouy rcery: ha reached a high level of matunty, Soon musicians sch as ley Puckett. the Carter family, mm Ages Bob AVIS. and fate, Hank Willams, Doc Watson, and Merle ‘Tri estab the guitar ax the quintessential instrument for ‘oui mui Flom this point cn, companies such a¢ Gibson, Rickenbacke, Epiptione visHone. ang others experimented with amitying the Nollowsbody guitar so it could he heard inthe larger and louder ends ofthe 1920s and 1830s, Oe ofthe ist players te adopt the early elecrc guitar was Charlle Chrstan, Al the time, the roe of the guitar in large jazz bards was to proviae ehordat accompaniment 2s Part of the thythm section, whieh wae the only way Kt could be heard ‘er the tmimpets trombones, and saxophones. contrast Cristian | ted the increased yelume of fis electric instrument to play flowing singgente soios with a tone that caused! a sensation i hal the percussive attack of a sgitar bul the power of a own. Electfcction had succeeded in making the gular louder, and such players as Chistian responded by creating new roles forthe instrument. It ‘would be tne last time. By the post World War It era, the eletrc waar wes gaining acceptance veh jaz, blues, and country musielans. Mearighie eral gitar makers and players continued to experiment with aiternatives to large. holow body gultars to alow loiter valores without feodbacie that nowing souna ‘hat occas when an armpites sour vibrates a guitar shen te-anpies the vibrations). the solution was to make the body more soi Companies aich as Rickenbacker, Slingetland, Vi Tone, ara invidunt Paul Bigsby, Les Paul, and others, had bull ultrs that were, In woke orn par, mage of sata pieces of wood Some wvere adapted from Hawtin style guitars layed on the lap with aside) that had been both sol and electri or years, thers ‘were deslaied as Spanish guitars, aterm then used fer any guitar Played uptight rather than across he fap. wth so many innovalons ‘werking toward the same: end, the acta invention of the solid body lectc euitar fs tmpossiie fo atrnute to any one person. H was however an ikea whose time nad come While the ongin ot ine stld body electic was the result of the effor's of many, the form of the instrument as we know i today Is largely due to one man: Leo Fender, In 1956, the Fender campany, released the Bioadeaster 3 sold body Spanish-atyle guitar which, for te fst time, inconporated many of the features tha have Become Industry standards. With a bolton maple neck @ body mee fom a Single slab of wood, highly adjustable ridge, and interchangeable parts the modera slecsic guitar had arrived Renamed te Telecaster tn 1952, It remains in production to ths day. practically unchanged in 50 years and sill very popular. Fender's compeiiton di not think ighiy of his puta at dst. They falled to See thal with ls simplfied look and bolttogether comsituction were the very features that made ita powertul and functional mstrument whase sound ara! look would redetine popular 5‘music. Wiin a short tne, Fender's success crew almost all ofthe ‘major Irsbument marutacturers Ito the sold body eectic gular ‘market The Gibson company sought Out Les Pati, whose ideas they had dismissed a few years eater. The roslt wos th Gibson Les Paul guitar, the only sell body model that today metihes the Feriders tn Status as a date -Meanvste, Leo Fender was again plocing revolution, 1951, ne Iniroduced an entirely new concep, the elecic bass guitar. The Precision bas. so-called because ts Hes allowed It to be played tune more easily than the frtless upright bass, changed everything. ‘made possible a sound tat we take tor grarted today, but at that time had never been heard before: loud bass. Designed much the the Broadcaster the Precision produced a deep, percussive sound that ‘rough the basstine forward in the musk, was much easier to play than an upright, and could be picked up quickly by guitar players. Like the Broadcaster, inroducsd standards that remain today, I's Stil avallabe m a forry that ts remarkably uncharged from the ‘original model ‘During the 1950s the electric autar became increasingly popuéar Inbiues jazz, county, and the {atest sensation, rock and rol. Sole body electric guitars and increasingly sophisticated ampiicaion were [pricey sulted to thls new kine of popular music. vas the electre ‘bass, however, that propelled rock and rol into a new dimension. ‘with is abit to brage the gap between daums ara gular with a povierul, diving sound Together the nev instnamens meant that a small ensemble o musicians cout fit lage room with music as ever hotare “The 1950s saw the birt of many of the instuumerts that would shape modern music to the present day. Gratch initaduced sem hollow moses such asthe Whe Falcon, Country Genteman, and ‘Tennescean whose tonve defined the roccabily sound, Rickenbacker began to produce solld andl sertsotl electrics with unique sing and Innovative constuction feshures. Danelectro manutacture the Siverione Instruments sold though the Sears, Roebuck catalog, Mat used newensive, non-traditional materials sueh as masonite ard pine to produce Unique, earful tones, The pstck tue plckups found en Daneiectros make an aty,ecay tone that fk nto a surprisingly bioad range of musi and several manufacturers make popular recreations of these plkups today, 1 1954 Fender Introduced the stratocaster Developed by Leo Fender and Fred Tavares it pioneered the use of a highly egonomic booy, an innovative tremelo bridge and integrated pickguard ant fectronics. It would prove to he the most popula fand the most Inte) elect guitar of alt ime. Gibson graced the decade with a muenber of remarkable achievements under the leadership of company presttent Ted [MeCarty. Among those were the £5335, a thin, hollow electric guitar ‘with a so%d block insige extending fora neck to apiece. This guitar combined! sold body sustaln with hollow body richness, making for an extremely versale Instrument Inthe middle ofthe decade Gibson ‘employee Seth Lover invented the Humbucking plekup, solving the problem of noisy stigle col pickups and creating a powerful now tone in the process, Toward the end of the decade Glson brows) ‘ut its radical ying V and Explorer gutars Commercial flops at fist these future desig went on to become classics ‘The 1960s were as revoluionary for electc pukars and asses ‘as they were for spelety, Gutabased bans dominated popular ‘music, and overdriven tube arnplifes, fumboves, reverberation, and ‘wahrwah pedals created new sor landscapes, Mukarack recor |umed the stidlo into a musical insturmant, and atfordable teovions and tfensistor radios changed the way must: and musicians reached ‘heir auclonces. Inthe eariy part of the decade, guitar companies focused cn producing everincreasing numbers 16 supply a growing demand as musicians found previously untmaginedt ways to use vie snovadve Instruments plongered in the previous decade. Hectic gukars had become big business, and the etfors othe early pioneers pad blessomec! beyong anyonw’s wildest expectations. By the end a! the (60s, however, the industry locked very diferent ty 1965 Loo Fender sold the Fender Company 10 C8, resuting in \what many conskler a dark age n the company’s history, Qulty contol sipped and innovation wae replacse with marketing, geared foward the confusing cuiturat climate of the times. Notable products ‘ofthis era include the palsey Telecaster and the Wlidwoad seves, ‘which used wood with colorfu stripes mate by injecting dye into the roots of trees, Throughout the late 1960s, the dominance ofthe large ‘American guitar cormpanies was undercut by the grovih of ‘expensive foreign Imports, resulting in o general decline I beth profits and cualty control Smuttaneously, though. semeting was happening thet mould breathe new ile into the electric guitar and has {As the 19605 turned inio the 1970s, several fdlyiduals ans small companies were experimenting with new technsques n etre stringed insumment construction, One of te most important oF these ‘as Alembic. Base in the confer af the San Francisco paychedolc scene, they produced instruments with highsualily active electronics neck-through-body construction with exotic haroods, and han! machined biass hardware As the decade progressed, they were Joined by the kes ef Car Therrpson, Remarc Chave? Reco lat 8. © ich, vellete-Ciron, Stuart Spector, Dean Zelinsky (of Dear Gute) ‘Wal basses of England, and Paul Hamer and Jol Dantzig ft Hamed, Amen otter, estab) sting a traction of sll manuracturers producing innovative, high-qualty inaruments go Fender parcipated in this trend wath his work atthe Muse ‘Man Company, which employed many orginal Fender workers. The popular Stingray ass Is favored for is mocem, aggressive ‘one and ‘lassi fe. Fender Inter went on fo found the C-& L Company with his ol# partner George Fulton, progucing gulls ard basses that ‘ombined classic Fender features wth continuing innovation and 2 high standaid of quality, ‘Meanwhile other designers experimented with non tradhional ‘ater to ripreve fone and stability. Tavis Bean ball aurinam> ‘ecked guitar, while Geof! Gould used his experince fy the ‘aerospace industry to produce necks made entirety of carbon ibe, founding Modulis Graphite, These necks were use! by companies such as Alembic, Zon, Music Man, aed others, Another welcome devclepment of the 19703 was te grow of the aftesmarket parts industry. As players became more Hvoved in mocitying and even building thelr own inskuments, companies such as Schecter, Mighty We, and Boogle Bodies beyan to offer replacement parts for hot redding guitars and basses. DIMaxzis| produced the Super Disiortion humbucker, a high-output picyp thatbecame very popular with tock musicians, and helped star the replacement pickup industry, which today gives players en enormous ange of choies in pickup design ‘The 1800s saw futher growth th novation by sill companies and te avaliabifty of resources for home instrament butlers. In 1961, Ned Steinberger made a adic! design statemtert with hs headless, nearly bodies, all-graphite bass, With a very consistent response betveen aotes and a tone that can be desctbeat as ‘extremely neutral was the ultimate taremers iv minimal. Not sarprsingyislook mode a greal impact on anettet new phenomenon at the tie. MTV. Steinhergor made several ather novable achievernents during the 1980s, inluctng the Trans-enm; a tromelo ridge that keeps whole chords tune 3¢ thelr pith is ‘rules, and can be siopped in place at ciferont postions 19 transpose the entre instrument. ‘The other big terneto advance ofthe 1980s was He Haya Rose system By locking the stings at both beldue and rut i! was capabse bf jemarhable tning stability througn brutal bending, rom strngs slack against the neck to a majorthied up. was put to grea use by ‘he Neavyrmetal bands o! the era, most notably Edvard Yon Halen. fdfical to understate the influence of Van Halen on the 1980, not Diy on playing styles nut aso necause ne bulk his xv guitar, ombining a Fenderstyle body with a Gibson humbucker, and atmos orvexstent elecronics fone volume knob, labeled “lone. Suckenly ‘everone vas slapping togethor guitars from parts, dscussing the Derells of one pKHup over another, and generally showing a great ‘orestn ne incvidual bits tht go moa gultar or bass. The Senecter catalog had pages ful of Fendersile parts mace of all kinds of exotic woods, a3 wel as parts o finish the rest of the mstrumen. Seymour Duncan and DiMario offered wide selections of aftermarket Dickaps, and instrumen-bulaing supply companies suc as Stewart: ‘Maconelcs and Luthiers Mercantile mace an increasingly wide range of parts and materials avaable to builders, ‘The 1980s Saw 2 grea! deal of sonic exploration on both guitar are bass wile many plyyers pursued vituesi speed, others found ays of creating highly textual sonic landscapes thratigh creative se ‘fetes, tecinioue, and the recording process. Gultar sythesizers Tong antlpate. finaly overcame technical chstactes arid were put to Widespread use, wih both inkiguing arc appaling results ‘Toward the end ofthe 1980s and the early 1990s, acoustic gular saw © revival in popula, help along by arTV's popular Unplugged series of tolevicedl concert. Viewers were treated to such Unthokable sighs as the rock ban Kiss, thot makeup, performing ther 1970s coliseum favorites on accustic guitars wae a lend that foqeshadowest an eppreclaton atthe guitars roots that would htinue throughout the 19908 ‘Tie emly 18903 saw w wreat revival In galtar-based musi based largely on the grunge rock movement. Salis of ekacric and acoustic ‘gla anu basses Soares, arxé once aga news companies, large and nal, were drawn into the indusiry, Mary players favored lear, Speci amplfcation, abandoning the enormcs racks of ecronk: gear that were popular in the 1980s. Lo ones apd alee) {unlogs became ‘ashionaple, and players began to reexplore vintage Festumens,ampiifers ard eflects with a nev appreciation for thet “caupites Along wi hi: rend carve a vigorous rao! for antique eect ‘nstruments and assoclated paraphernalia, This even extended to 1970sea Fenders, which have become quite valuable, making those: fof us who remember seaing them hanging. nes, in music stores "not 1 long ago” fees somewhat vintage ourselves ‘The 1990s saw small manulacturers continue to turn out high |quatty progressive designs, especaly In the area oF pickups and tube amplifiers, One surprising reason for this the al of the tron Curtain in Easiein Europe. in me eaity 19908, former Soviet vacuum tube manufacturers began selling thelr products inthe West, justin te to meet the demand created by a great revival of interest Inthe sound ff vacuum tubes In guitar amplitianion, recording equipment, ond ome stereos, Vacuum tube manufacture has all but disappeared in the US and Wesiem Europe, and the availabilty of Russian brands has nelped insure that tube ampitiers, whose tone and response Is so Important to the sound and technique ofthe slecvi guitar, wil be around 20° @ lore ume to come, ‘Another Interesting fact ofthe 19905 ls that the large Armenian suitarcotmparies saw a revival in quality and prestige. Both Fender and Gbson benetited from new ownersip,vebulding trelr nares ‘with high-quatty reissues of viniage mosels, new designs and pricey «custom shop instruments Both campenies have Benefites om a slong demand for highend models by protessional players and collectors alee BBectic bass achieved a high degree of desipn sophistication In the 199105, as manutocturers mee te innovations ofthe 1970s standard features, anc began to produce very good madern versions of vintage models Five, six-and seven-sning Desses, which stave 10 fain popuianty nthe 1980s became common. Rass playors have tenided fo be more eccepting of Innovation and new design fact usta by a history of new featites appearing on basses fest, Inthe late 1990s, many guar players finaly naced the exta strings on basces and followed ut, using 7-sting gars to great effec a revival of rieiabbased 10ck, The ‘ones created by Bown flectrie guitars and hasses were stngly influenced ty He digital, revolutan, as computerbased recording, sampling, and inexpensive home reccrcing equipment tumed players Into producers. flecronic ‘music, which has been predictes t replace guitars since te late 19606, made great advances In technique and popularly in the 1990s, and at one point inthe midate of the decade many indust'y pundits were again predicting doce and gloom ae the grunge rovernent ran ts course. As usually happens, the new styles provides ‘ech musical ground for elecie gatars and basses to explore ‘seems that people will never tre of the grattcaton of picking @ string. regardless ef what sound comes outConstructing a 6-String Electric GuitarThe tools needed 10 bulld an electric guitar are common to Most woodworking shops and avallabfe at home centers and hardware siores. Moreover, many of the procedures in this book cart be accomplished in varying ways using a variety of tools. Some tools end jigs may be made from scratch or Improvised for a special skuation, Geheraly, f you ave some bask fhand and power tools you wi feed only a imited range of fra equipment te bulé most Instuments. Naturally, power fois expedtte the process ehortnously. Using hand tools can take more time, especially in ‘he ming stages, nut with some Perseverance, success fs insured, Overall a halance of hand tools and power tools isthe best. Both types tequire some practice and Sk to master ‘You may mill the inital wood stock by machine, usuaity at the place of purchase or with your own equipment Theveater, the router (Fig 1) becomes an important too! for the beginning steps of making the body (see p 8). As you proceed to more dletalled work, hand tools become the requirement. A good Collection of basic shop took such as screwdhivers, X-aclo, knives, scissors, wire cutiexs, tape measure, hammer. pliers, wrenches, etc, (Fg 2, 3| are indispensible, A vatiety of drawing tools for making the master drawing, Preparing templates, anc marking wood include rulers and stiaight edges of various lengils, French curves, squares for fight angles, a compass, and other implements, shown below, ‘Transparent plastic rulers are useful for lining up paris anc ‘other measuring procedures (Fig 4), You need twa types of saws~one designed to cut straight Ines and one to cut curved tines, For cutting straight lines, use a sharp handsaw, table saw, Fadial arm saw, o bang saw. Skill saws and Jigsaws may also be Useful for such operations {Fig 5). A small backsaw is particulary usetut tor hand sawing smaller pieces of wood, Curved or itregular cuts may be executed by hand wlth a coping saw or fretsaw (not the one used for cutting fret slots but for making ‘ornate cuits) Use band saws and jigsains for complex cutting such as shaping the body form and fashioning ornate head siocks as well as for cutting smaller pieces of wood. 5 Hanasaws ‘A-band saw (Fig 6) is fally Indispensitve for this project (in Band sawparticular, cutting out the body and neck shapes), and easily the most efficient tool for general sawing, Band saws are sold In various sizes depending on the application (the standard 14 Ins sufficed, f you do not have access to a bane saw, contact a local woodworking enterprise or friendly ‘woodworker tor assistance, DRILLS ‘A manual twist dil, brace end bit, electric hand du (Fig 7), oF ‘ell press (Fig 8) are needed for making accurate holes. Thera are many excellent brands of inexpensive hand-held electric drfls avaliable. Electric guitars require diting many holes for components, tuners, etc. (our guitar features a total of 67 holes! A stationary drill press is the preferred too! for the most accurate drlling processes, ‘The necessity for precision, and stue ‘and logistics of hole criting, may dictate which toot Is best to use PLANES AND SPOKESHA\ Harel planes, electric thickness plaries, jolnters, and electric sanders can adjust the thickness of wood and smooth surfaces to aceurate dimensions. industrial planers and jpiniers are recommendied for the inital miling of raw wood, {Fig 9} Your local lumber store or woodworking shop can help in this preparation, Hand planes come in a vatiety ot sizes and siyles designed for specic purposes (My 10} ancl require some practice to masier. Use a block plane and jack plane to plane by hand. Power sanders such as an oscilating spindle sarider (Fig 11) and bench-top belt/disc sander (Fig. 12} make {for efficient work but require a light touch because they temove Wood very quickly. They ate, however, expensive and Dat press 7 Electric hand crits and anit bis ointer by no means essential, Hand scrapers (fig 13), electric palm sanders, and sandpaper blocks (Fig 14) ate important for leveling and smoothing wood when there is not too much to remove, A draw knife ‘goed for quick wood removal from ‘curved surfaces, ‘especially for shaping the neck (rg 10) Spokeshaves ismall planes with hardlies on the sides) ‘come In various configurations, Curved and flatface types are particulary useful for contouring the body and neck and getting Into tight places, KNIVES AND FILES Sharp knives, one or two chisets, and a matiet are useful tor Temoving small areas of wood [Fig 10). files come ina wide aay of sizes, shapes, and degrees af coarseness. For general Use. we recommend a standard 8 in hal-round, bastanecut ‘wood file and an & In rasp for faster wood removal A lat mill metal-cutting file Is good tor fretwork CLAMPS. Camps are important for holding wood stable wlle cating ‘and gluing, Spend some tine exernining verlous kinds (Fig 15) and ask other woodworkers about their preferences. A bench 10 Wood shaping too’ 17 Oscillating spindle sarider 73 Hand scropers 14 Sanding blocks ard small power sanders ence‘ise oF Black and Decker Workmate are also useful in these fol@s. Companies that deal in specialty tools feature a wide variety of Clamps, vices, and other tools designed for speciic {purposes to make the building process easier and more efficent SPECIALTY TOOLS {See Rultar maker's catalogue for hundreds of specialized ‘ool: for instrument makers end tool treaks. A few of these are extremely useful and are worth purchasing for building, even one instrument, Others are only economical when used © for more extenstve production, Considered indispensible are a tretsaw to cut fret slots (unless you buy a pre-sfetted fingerboard), fretend nippers for trimming the ends of freshly installed frets sh with the fingerboard, and a fret te for rounding the tops of the frets «after leveling [Fig 16) ELECTRONICS TooLs A soldering iron {45 watts |s ideal, too much power can \samage fragite components, tosiv-care solder with a low ‘melting point, and a wire cutter’strigper (Fig 17) wil be Necessary for instaling the clectronic components. Alligator tps, a hemostat or a similar device may be used for a heat Sink, clipped enio the wives of capacitors, resistors, etc 10 ‘ver the heat of soldering away from these sensitive parts, TeFrting toes rr ey We use small copper clips with a length of stripped wire soldered on, as these conduct heat weil without being heavy enough to bend the parts that they are clipped onto. Test leads are wires with clips at ether end, useful for ‘experimenting. You may want to make speciaity versions of these, such as a length of coaxial cable with a % in jack at ‘he end and two clips at the other, or testing struments before they are fully wired. Lengths of heat-shrink tubing are Indispensable for insulating exposed wires, capacitor legs, etc Lastly. a digital multimeter is an inexpensive tool whose uses ‘exiend far beyond instrument making. GLUES Most any tnodern wood glue vill give good service If propery applied. Each glue type has its own properties and ‘equirements: follow label directions. Natural animal based plues have a long-trmedium drying time. dry clear. and can be softened with heat and moisture In case disassembling Is needed. These come in dry form and need mixing with water and heating, Modern hide glue Is now available which doesn't tequire this preparation. White glues are also widely used in Instrument making. Recently Aliphatic or yellow glue has become prevalent since it diles fast and Nolds extremely well However, yellow glues tack quickly allowing ittle tine for positioning and ciamping, Except for waterproof varieties, these can be softened for disassembling with the patient application of water and heat. Epoxy is a word thal covers @ wide range of products that are generally useful where a strong bond or filing property is desired. They come in a variety of types for highly speclic applications, most of which fe Nt useful for Instrument making. except those specifically designed for laminating tropical olly, or hardto-vond woods {Or which other ghies are not suitable. Never use rubber ‘erent of contact cement for laminating. Hot Glues and Krazy Giles may be used for specific applications, Polyvinyl acetate, powdered resin, and resorcino! glues are also useful in special ‘cases, Research other specialty glues as needed TAPES Dratting tape is useful to protect surfaces trom scratching or Imarring. Unlice masking tape, it doesn't leave a residue. a0 17 Bectronks toolsDouble-sided carpet tape (Fig 18) Is used to temporarily blade, %@ in diameter roller bearing, and 14 In long shank. | ‘cere jigs ancl templates to pats tis often better than “The roller bearing wil follow the template. The longer than: Camps because t wil nat sip or create obstructions.on the standard shank is necessary forthe required depth of cut. Use ‘working surface. The tilcker cloth types are best {@ foUnc-over bit to quartertound the edges of the guitar i SAFETY EQUIPMENT body. Safely equipment for protection of eyes, eats, and lungs is essential (Fig 19). Use safety glasses, hearing protection, dust ‘masks, and dust removal equipment. HARDWOODS AND THE ELECTRIC GUITAR Our electric guitar fs made trom three pieces of wood (Fg 21): body tmehogany), neck (maple), and fingerboard (ebony), Spend time ane effort to make good jigs and templates. The Many hardwoods, and even some softwoods, are suitable for Success of each step is determined by the precision of each making electric guitars and besses. Maple, mahogany, aide, preceding step, and ash are probably the best woods for general use, while ak is rarely used because of ils open grain and tendency to develop checks and cracks. Sycamore, poplar, welnut, cherry, beech, and birch can also be used. (See Appendix for 2 discussion of Wood and Tone, p 88.) ‘The router (p-9) Is a versatile and powerful tool that is ‘essential but requites some familiarity before launching into Inticate and complex cuts, For specific router Instnuction ‘consult your local bookstore. Experiment with the router om scrap wood be‘ore you begin te project Erotic woods, highly figured woods imported from topical Tou Wines et feat iro Eis for the gullay profet- Use @ regions of the world, are often favored by professional TRH Di with a bearing top for templates when cuting cig MKetS OF feted acouste Instruments because of the the caves for pickups, eectionks, etc. TIS DLS 2 in ong, hardness ond beautiful deep colors. Variotes such as has a stiaight % in diameter cutting edge with / in long, rosewood, Zebra wood, cocabola, abd ebony may be used bout their expense, sometimes toxic nature, and isues of extinction of endangered species are worth considering, 20 Router bits ‘Makers use these woods for electiic guitars for thelr striking visual qualities even though their tonal quaies vary Exotic Woods and highly figured maple are cosy ‘and dificult to work, thus hot recommended fo} te novice Before you begin your plan, consult your local hrarchivood dealers to find what woods are most avaliable in your area ask woodworkers about Wood charactersties, anc experiment with scrap samples of each type, HUMIDITY 18 Tapes 19 Saely equipment Humilty an important ‘consideration In the making and maintenance Of instruments, Wood in 12‘ost commercial lumberyands has already been dhied in targe kilns to a degree of usablity. Nevertheless, be sure to inquire ‘bout how the wood has been dried and what moisture content to expect. After milling the fumber, we usually tet it Condition in-out workshop before we begin working It After ach main component has been cut from a plank, stack the pleces wth stips OF wood between them so that air may ‘ireulate around each piece, Since the stability of the neck Is criical, we usually precut the wood near to Its final shape and allow tt stabtize at least a few weeks in an enviinament of moderate humidity. It can then be trimmed to Is final shape with confidence POINTS TO WATCH ‘| Wood expands when humidity is high and shrinks when humility is low. 2. 50% humiaity jor afte driet) is a good working. atmosphere. 3. its better to work in a dry atmosphere, A completed ‘instrument wil swell without much harm, but shrinkage due fo dryness may result in separations. ancl cracks, Try nal to Ive oF laminate on rainy or excessively humid days, 4 Lise an inexpensive humidity gauge thygrometer) during, the bung process. invest in a dehumidifier or humidifier necessary, Protect the finisied Instrument ftom extremes of humidity and temperature, 5, When Wood contains too much moisture, the tone will sie. fit gets oo dry, the wood will shrink A guitar sterea fn consistenly moderate humidity will hold its setup better, Avoiding frequent adjustments, especially regarding the truss tod “GRAIN CONFIGURATIONS ‘The grain con‘iguration (ee right) makes the guitar body ‘sully attractive, Most wood cut in modern mils is passed nowy a saw so that the resulting face grain pattern is d ‘choice of instrument design ts based on aesthetic and tional considerations, The most enduring designs have been those that successfully combine visual appeal and ‘payotily. duced in greater numbers than etyy other electric guitar, NS esssftape has pessed nearly five decades without ted, end is right at home among today’s curvy rations and P whorled of irregular ark! the end grain passes from edge to ‘edge rather than trom face to face, This slab-aut| woed is fine for the guitar body. Quarter-sawn wood with a grain configuration of long straight parallel lines and an epd grain of vertical annul rings is sometimes preferabie for the neck for its silfness, especkaly when using a softer wood such as mahogany. Quartersawn boards are difficult to find because the mifing, procedures, used today yield wood mostly cut on the siab, Laminated hhecks can be arranged to orient the grain vertically even when made from slab-cut boards, as in our bass. See Appendix (p 89) for more information on Wood and Tone, Note Wood is sold in nominal measurements, The actual ‘measurements of the board are somewhat less due to wood shrinkage and wood remaved through the milling process. Quattersawn wood Flat sawn or sabcut wood ES aration aulomoblies and consumer goods. This futurstic design was based on careful considerations of comfart and playability, an ergonomic approach that was far ahead of its time in the mid 1950, Vaviations of this shape were used for Fenders Precision and Jazz basces (Fig 1) ‘The Slatocasier boy Is derlved from the classic acoustic shape, rounded with a central waist dividing it into upper and Jower bouts. The upper bout has large cutaways on ether side of the neck, forming a palt of horns, This shape accommodates ail the Important poinis of Interaction with the Player's boy, ti you plan to design an unusual boely shape, 13ros ar {ie 1 Conmo hohs # fame rene 1 Econ empartouet cover 4. Shin for eck outing sons. and frre Fingettrard fa Tine rod compare ils features to these of a traditional body style to tack ls shape and sie, comtane wih poston of wats ove avoid unanticipated problerns with balance and playability shape, can be designed to provide for optimal paying poston siting. Fig 2.8 3), Also see drawing Body Shape, p 15. or standing. LOWER BOUT, DASS SIDE (AL Pking am rea here, Shape and WAIST TREBLE SIDED) Most commen place for gitar a cart beveling here determine where the hand is positioned over the player's leg when sitting, We usually leave the back edge somewhat stig, The Stalceses design ploneered beveled edge for added lvounded to Keep instrument from stpping forward on em, oe Sear on nonin Placement and shape of wait wil determine struments postin LOWER BOLT, TREBLE SEDE (Bl Best site for the main electronics, Aen ane tn oid seta De nS an De penta, ‘enable tt Cl ot wy of lk tea Des sould abw som Suna gaern cearete HORD/CUTAWAY, BASS SIDE [9 Length of upper nom etnies placerent of strap conrecor, which influences Dalance and WAIST. BASS SIDE (Here Iretrment nod nas greatest contact a os ae Wiiet ea resvaoee mie ee cecene ie | oo eer 4es ales trstrument thang wih is headstock slighty eater to ‘he payer's bogy than previous designs, vec tor many players ‘makes for bete iof-hand technique. also eiminaes note eainess an inpustant corsideration for basses, especialy those luih more than four stings. doaly, instrument shavlé hang fa ‘doe playing postion without neck having. a be Meld up by the let hand ‘HORM CUTAWAY. TREBLE SLDE ( Cutaway allows ful access 10 upper tts. Hom completes shape of was allowing alternate place ‘orinsinmint to siton player’ leg. ‘The dsigh of the sretocaster does not work for everybody. Some players prefer the "gia" of sharper edges, or a neck ‘hat sits farther from the body. The arched top and back of a ‘Gibson Les Paul provide an effective alternative to the Siraiocaster’s contours, Heavier body woods may balance well “wha shorter bassside hom, oF none ata, bul basses ainest ays balance best when the neckside strap ‘onnectoris posiioned closer to the neck, inthe area of the “2th 15th het. ‘When working out the final shape of the instrument body, it ‘heppful to ince the placement of the pickups, knobs and aches as well as the bridge. These components, with thelr ‘geometric shapes, interact visually with the outline ofthe Boay shape se c 2 Sirotocaster playea sting The headstock’s main purpose is to provide a place for the tuning machines. The arrangement of tuners determines how the strings pass through the nut slots, Ideally. it allows the strings to pass in a straight line as they cross the nut, reducing tuning aificultes caused by friction in the nut slots. At the same time, the sirings must have ample down-bearing. pressure at the nut to achieve proper tone arid to avoid being, pulled out of ther slots when hending strings, Fender headstocks put all the tuners on one side, allowing the sings to pass straigii through tie nut, and putting the tuners In an easly reachable location, if somewhat tightly spaced. ‘Traditional headstocks using even riumbers of tuners on each, side allow for more comforable spacing, but usually require that at least some of the strings make an oblique angle through the rut. Some designers avoid this by angling the skles of the headstock toward a point atthe tip, creating an arrowhead shape that brings the luners farthest from the nut loser to the centertine, The design we chose for our bass has a slighily tapered shape thet minimizes unwanted string angle hile retaining a more classic look, Headstock Designs 3 stratocaster played standtgAnother option in headstock design is the angle of tne peghead In relation to the neck. Traditionalyy, headstocks angle back rom the neck to achieve proper string tension ‘over the nut. This requires that a joint be made between the neck and headstock pieces (A, 8, and ©) or that the neck be ‘carved from a thick enough plece of wood to fit the headstock (0 and 8, Headstock angle can vary. ranging from, ‘about 10 to 20 degrees depending on the desired raracterities. A sharp angle will create a strong downward ‘tension across the nut, sengtienng tone and sustain in the open (unfreited) stings. However, it also increases fiction ‘through the nut slots and exaggerates the tendency af the strings to saw thetr slots deeper over time, especially when Used with a vibrato bridge. Shalfower headstock angles offer biter tuning stabilly, and many builders feel they produce an open-stiing tone that is more consistent with the sound of the fretted strings, ‘One drawback of angled headstocks on an electric guitar or bass is that when the inctrurent is laid on its back it rests on the end of the headstock. This flexes the neck in the same direction as the pull of the stings, causing a possible warp. It the instrument is dropped or knocked over and lands on its, Headstock Angle Options ‘A Angew headstock cut form a thin board necessitating joint 1B _Lecating Joint in heastodk ually sed beneath a Separate headstodk faceplate << Locating ont in neck. beneath Ingerboard ‘This orfangernert often causes buzzing atthe Ft fret as ‘wood an elther sie of the joint reacts diferenty to Mostite changes pullng the fingerboard ove of flat © Flat headstock back, the tip of the headstock usually hits frst and can result in-a crack or break Necks whose truss tods are accessed at the peghead can be especially susceptible to breaking if they Use a hex nut for adjustment, which requires tha enough ‘wood be removed from this ertical area to allow @ wrench 10 fit over tie nut. The problem can be avoided by locating the adjustment nut at the body end of the neck, or by using {nuss rod with an Aller-wrencn type of nul. which only needs ‘smal hole or chanel for access. Additionally, the neck: headstock joint can be strengthened with a volute, a feature that leaves the wood thicker in this vulnerable area, These imieasures create a very stiong headstock that will survive almost any fall An alternative to angled headstock is the type used on Fender guitars and basses, These headstocks are parallel a the neck, set back about a half inch from the surface of the fingerboard (see E at lef. The neck may be made from a plece of wood just under an inch (when a separate fingerboard Is used) without having to use a glue joint 05 with ‘an angled headstock. When the instrument is laid on its back the entire neck remains elevated with no pressure on the headstock. The disadvantage of this design is that the strings ‘will not have enough dovenward pressure on the nut unless they pass beneath a retainer behween the nut ang tuners Fender guitars use a pair of Fshaped melal relainers (string reed), each holding two strings (the E and A strings tuners are lose enough to the nut to have enough angle without these) Fender basses use one ‘elaine! for the D and G strings. These fotainers are currently available in lowstriction models, some ‘with small wheels and. others mace trom a sel-tubricating flaphite compound, Standard metal string trees may be Jubricated with graphite from a pencil, drawn onto the point Of string contact. AS an alternative to these retainers, tuners ‘are available with grexluated-height string posts: they get shorter as they get farther from the peghead, providing just enough cownward pressure at the nut. This is a feature of the Ginline version of the Sperzel Trim-Lok tuners, which also use a mechanism to lock the strings to the posts, avoiding slippage. ‘The mest uniracitional headstock option Is nene at all Tis ts done by mounting tuners on the body o1, more commonly, tising a bridge with tuners builtin. The main reason for this design is sonic: the headstock mass influences tone and sustain unevenly up ark down the fingerboard, The reasons for this are mostly because the headstock is an Isolated center ‘of mass at the end of the neck, causing the neck to vitrete inconsistently at cifferent frequencies and as the strings are ‘retied to various lengths. By doing away with the headstock aliogether this complex interaction is greatly simpiiied ‘eading to a more consistent tone and sustain. Some of the benelits of headless necks can be acileved by designing a‘onveniional neadstock as ight as possible. Keep in mind thae onal consistency is cnly a good thing i you want, some piel that each note have its own distinct character. Smal varlaions in neck shape can couse noticeable “erences nee! and comton. Carefully consider wheie your “thumb rests on the neck, how different siriag spacings work. your fingers (both with chords and single-note runs). and tiferent finishes (gloss or sat) feel on the back of the sch, Abo make a note of how the neck shape shoukt avers Fength in order to reflect the change in wrist ‘andl band positon between the lowest and highest You may find that you like how one neck feels near the bul prefer another above the 12th iret, and may want to pe your neck fo make a transtion between the Mo (Fig 4) p insind that the neck shape should allow for ble laying over exiendes periods of time. Choose a pe that will allow the freiting hand to be as relaxed as je while maintaining just enough pressure on the tone sufers when the necks squeezed too tight, NUT WIDTH ‘The width of the neck at the nut determines the spacing ot the sings Fig 3). Electric gullar nuts are usualy about 1% tn wide, while those on acoustics are 1 in, Bass nuts with four sirings ere between 1/4 In and 17 In. Nut width variations have a larger effect on the spacing ofthe four strings of a bas than on the six on the guitar. Choose a rut width that provides enough space between the strings for your tinge, bul narrow enough ior comfortable movement between adjacent strings, Consider a wider string spacing if you ben sirings a tot Be sure to consider how much space to leave between the ‘ulside stings and the edge of the fngerboar—usvatly Yn atthe nut, Some prefer more space for bending: others leave ite as possible without causing the strings to slip off the edges ofthe frets) to have the narrowest Aiigerboard for a s)ven stingyspacing, This ts also a consideration when ‘choosing the angle of the bevel on the ends ofthe iets FINGERBOARD A Fingerboards are usually mace thicker In the mide than at the edges to give a more confortable hand position when playing chords. The arch is measured by the radius of the are that describes it (ee Delovr. It varies between 7’ in thigh arch, a5 on early Fende}s) and 20 in (neaty fla), Cassical guitars use a completely fia fingerboard, One drawback to a high arc ts that strings that are pulled across the fingerboard ‘will fet out, oF ratte against the higher frets, If the action is set up for a low string height. Ratter fingerboard: dort have ths len oe B Boat shape c Wide fat shape "4feker gauge con mete o cox secon of a eck (rast he “neck to avoid screiches), Truce the shape from the gauge onto ‘Bape or citoord andcut is outto use as tape. RUSS RODS ‘The tnuss tod is a mechanism inside the neck that counteracis the forwata bend created by the pull of the strings. 1 allows the neck to be adjusted jo have a very Fingerboard raclus | stight curve, or relie, that | '5 optimal for achieving a low, comfortable sting 5 Nuts and nut spacing terpine height at each fret. The amount of relief depends on string, ‘gauge (thickness), the desired helgnt of the action, and personal playing preierences [see Strings and Selup, p 48), Truss rods band! the neck but do not actually 7stifen itor contect the sonic shortcomings of a neck Ura is too flexble, A bowed neck wil not tansfer vibrations as efficiently into the body, because the stiings have more Jeverage and will put energy into lexing the neck rather than ercating sound “Tuss rods are made in several different designs (Fig 6) available from guitar builder suppers. They consist of Stainless stee! rods placed into a chanel nse the neck, wilh an adjustment nt at ore end that varies the amount of ex as its tumed (see photo below), Access to the adjustment rat Js at ether the headstock or the body end of te neck. Some fruss rods such as the one we used in our guitar, have the aly to flex the neck forward as well as backward. allowing {or coitecion of backbows sometimes caused ty moisture variations in the neck wood, Backbows are rare, howover, in a propesty bull neck made of seasoned wood “Thuss 10ds can uke one rod or two. Singletod types are the oldest and most traditional. Fg 9¢, 70) Mey are placed deep in the neck, sometimes in @ curved channel, and work by compressing the back of the neck to impart the desired flex ‘when the nut fs tghtened. One-piece truss rods can be ‘esigned to provice a forward flex to the neck as wel, by using a threadled steel anchor plate at either end, one with reverse threads (Fig 6D, 70}, The Wuss 10d itsel Is threaded andl screwed into these anchors, and an adjustment nut is welded to one end, The assembiy is then mounted into the dtianne! in the neck withthe anchors firmly alteched, but the ‘0d itso elt fee of glue oF other obstructions. As the ajusiment nut is turned the entire rod turns with it driving ‘he ancor plates closer togelher to lox the neck back) or farther apart (to flex forward Doublerod types make use of an overand-unde: configuration. The two rods are connected at ane en, and at the other end the bottom tod passes through @ hole In blocks that Is tached to the top rod (Fig 68, 7B). The bottom rod end is Utreaded where it proirudes from the block. and a nut is placec ‘ni. When the nut is Egftened against the blods, the entire mechanism bows bad Unik the single trassrod design. ‘whi reles on compressing the neck to achieve thks bow, the dha style truss rod creates is bow independently o the neck by flexing against ise Doule-rod types may be bulk 0 provide lomward ex as wel by using a biodk at ether end th a reversethiead ariangement sinilar to that used by thelr singletod counterparts Fig. 6A, 7A) Both types of truss rod are manufactured in a number of vanations, Some allow for a more shatlow channe! tn the neck, © good choice for those wha Intend to carve a thin neck {or use with smal hands, One type of truss rod used by the Martin Company and others feakures an iqverted “U-channel” {@ U-shaped length of metal into ‘which the truss rod fs placed) in lL tieu oF the top tod In 2 double: rod system, as shown. Several suppers offer U-channels made of carbon fiber providing Aadahionat stress tothe neck Singlerod or compression truss tods are inexpensive, lightweight, and may eeslly be made rather than bought Stmply thread the end of a stainless steel red and puta shapp bend in the opposite end ai the appropriate ‘engin ig 50, Heating the rod with @ torch is helpful to make this bend, A “Yen dlanyeter rod isthe most common for guitars and ain You's sometimes used for basses, especially those with more than four stings oF a scale length greater than 34 in. The truss rod may e covered in heal-shrinkable plastic tubing of wrapped in plastic tape to help prevent arate that sometimes happens if the russ rod is under fitle orn tersion Ucar toss at Compression rods are chosen to recreate the sound of a vintage instrument. Their lighter weight and compression they 67 A Double rod, 2 ay adustable B Doubs ved Single rod D Single rod! 2wey adjustable