'Doc on the way

[patrickstefanski]

let's see if we can re-rail this horrorshow...

PON can you snap a shot of the neck joint if you have time today?
I'm curious if it differs from the G2.

and if it doesnt...i still wanna see it because it rules.

[picture_of_nectar]

This pic probably shows the neck joint best...and right next to a G2.

[aoguitars]

I'm sure you haven't had to do many tweaks to it yet, but what do you think of Paul's custom truss rod setup? I haven't heard many first-hand comments of it.

[jadirusso]

Andrew do you have any idea what he is doing that is special about the truss rod setup in his guitars? I was wondering about that the other day.

[patrickstefanski]

This pic probably shows the neck joint best...and right next to a G2.

that's pretty sweet dude

[picture_of_nectar]

Yeah Andrew, the only thing I know about the truss so far is that it takes a special tool to adjust it. Hopefully the neck will be true for a while...

[aoguitars]

I imagine it would be...but since it went across the country, you never know. But minor adjustments here and there are always expected.

I don't really know what's special about the truss rod. There aren't really that many ways to drastically change the design of a truss rod, since it's a pretty basic mechanical idea, which is why I asked PON about it. What kind of special tool is it that's needed to adjust it?

[picture_of_nectar]

All I know is it is a dual action truss rod. It has a 1/4' wrench for adjustment.

Paul ships his guitars overnight across the country.

[aoguitars]

Gotcha, thanks. That's nothing too out of the ordinary, so it must be his design of the rods or the way he anchors it into the heel end of the neck that make it a proprietary thing. He's a wicked smart dude, so I'm sure it's something cool.

And I was referring more to the climate differences coast-to-coast, which could result in needing a tweak or two once it leaves a climate-controlled shop. But again, I'm sure it's solid as a rock. Enjoy!

[Happyorange27]

I'm no guru here but my Wolfgang has a dual truss rod and after 11 years, it's still set up the same, haven't adjusted it.  My intonation and action is right on.  Now i'm sure if it was inspected, it may be a little off technically, but I haven't noticed any differences.  AO do you do any dual rods?

[aoguitars]

Absolutely. All of my guitars have dual-action trussrods. There's no reason not to use them, in my opinion. Some guys like the straight (technically bent), one-piece, traditional "Gibson" style rod, but if that neck ever backbows on you, you're in some trouble and potentially looking at a massive repair. Back at Spector Basses, we were using one-way rods...and if a neck backbowed, we had to pull the rod out and flip it over. Which was not a fun project on a finished, $4000-$5000 bass.

I think in most cases, if the neck is built well, you'll never have an issue...unless extreme drying or moisture becomes a factor (which is why we don't leave guitars on a stand next to a woodstove over the winter, for example), or if the guitar was built in a really humid environment and sent to a dry one, etc. The dual-action rod just allows you to adjust in both directions, so matter what the neck wants to do once it's under string tension and the wood gets used to the idea of being a guitar in a climate, you're hopefully covered with a little tweakage. In Paul's case, he actually states that he has a proprietary design to rid the neck of dead spots...and knowing that he's a crazy smart guy, I'm sure he came up with something killer that works for him and his guitars. I was just curious as to how he expanded on the idea of the dual rod and if it was drastically different than anything else out there, and if PON knew about that on his new axe.

And, to note, this is a Dual "Action" rod I'm talking about, meaning it adjusts both ways. Not to be confused with a Dual--or Double--Truss Rod, formally used by Mike Tobias and others, which was actually two separate rods side-by-side with their own adjustment nuts. The idea there being that you could straighten out a twisted neck by tightening/loosening one side more than the other. You don't see these very often anymore.

There's your truss rod lesson for the day, kiddos Probably more than anyone really cares! (not meant to derail the drooling over the new Doc, of course)

[picture_of_nectar]

Yeah sorry I don't know more about it. I'd ask him, but I know Paul is very protective of his ideas and probably wouldn't appreciate me revealing it on the web anyway. Sorry.

[aoguitars]

Oh, I'm definitely not asking for specifics or for to you inquire...no worries. More just thinking out loud (or type) about what it could be...which somehow became a long-winded (and potentially boring for all of you) description of the rivoting world of guitar neck reinforcement.

As you were, gentlemen.

[sour d]

which somehow became a long-winded (and potentially boring for all of you) description of the rivoting world of guitar neck reinforcement.

Not at all! Keep ramblin. Very interesting.

[Happyorange27]

+1