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Fixes for a buzzing truss rod?
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Fixes for a buzzing truss rod?
Hi Gang,
I was finishing up a new guitar and discovered a rattle that I think is the truss rod. Strange that it did show up until now. I always rap on the neck to make sure the truss rod does not rattle before I begin finishing. Anyway, I finished the setup and was recording the final frequency responses (like Gore and Giuliano Nicoletti) and the rattle only happens when I tap the bridge with the sound hole blocked. Anyway, it sounds like a truss rod rattle. I think it might just be the truss rod nut buzzing in the channel (nut access is through the sound hole).
The FB extension is glued on with Old Brown Glue. It is a bolt-on M&T, finished separately. The sound hole is too small for me to get my hand inside.
One thought I had was to thin some rubber cement and carefully inject some around the truss rod nut. I have used this trick once before when a rod was rattling near the first fret. Injected through a hole in the fret slot. It worked that time.
If rubber cement is not a good idea, or it just doesn’t help, I will need to remove the neck.
What are some best practices for removing the FB cleanly?
Should I add a little water around the edges or keep it dry?
What is the recommended temperature?
I know hide glue is more heat resistant than Titebond which I am more used to working with.
I am unable to upload any pictures. I will later if I can figure it out.
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9 Replies
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If you continue to have a hard time uploading the pics, email them to me and I’ll attach them.
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With Old Brown Glue, or hide glue, I would add spit instead of water. Water’s low viscosity will intermingle it with the glue and the oils from the FB and then penetrated between the lacquer and the spruce causing a dark line/edge.
Spit, in addition to having higher viscosity, has enzymes designed to break down animal protein.
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Thanks Ian. I’ve not heard about using spit before. So, I just add some spit around the outside edge where the FB and top meet?
Also, I cannot find any buttons or options to upload s photo; only text editing options or hyperlink.
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Try adding photo now.
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Here is the truss rod inside the body. The loose piece of wood is what’s left of a toothpick I shoved in there to see if that would stop or change the buzz. It broke off and I can’t get it back out without removing the neck.
To circle back to one of my questions; Is squirting some rubber cement around the truss rod nut a bad idea?
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I’ve fixed many a loose rattling truss rod. If you wrap your knuckles on the back of the neck you can usually hear it. (or maybe you have the felt head hammer for resonance testing?)
If there are fingerboard markers you can remove them 7th and 9th usually, or drill through fret slots around the same area. I use flowable windshield silicone. You can buy at any auto parts store. With 2 holes drilled down until you hit the rod start injecting with a metal tipped syringe. Work the truss rod nut back and forth and you’ll usually see it come up the other hole. Sometimes I thin the silicone down with Naptha. I’ve done this dozens of times during my 19 years in the Taylor Repair Department without issue.
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Big success w this method many times…thanks for posting!
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I’ve used large neodymium magnets to help pin point the exact area of a rattling truss rod. Sounds like if the toothpick wedge didn’t stop the rattle then it might be somewhere else along the rod. Also, along the lines of hide glue/ old brown glue separation…a tip that Kerry Char gave me was that alcohol has cool effect of almost dessicating the glue, making it brittle and easier to work the joint apart. Just a bit hard to control the flow of it.
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Thank you for all the tips. I successfully removed the neck. Determined the buzz/rattle is not the truss rod or anything else on the neck. Sad day.
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