R. L. Givens #533 Neck Repair - recommendations?

[mandolinman2]

Ditto to Potosimando. I think there is no way this mandolin (or other Givens from that era) has no truss rod. It will have the internally adjusted truss rod that Steve Weill continues to use to this day with the Givens Legacy instruments. Remove the endpin, shine a light through the f-hole, and you will see it. (What is this "maybe I will have a peek"? Just do it - it's your mandolin.) You will need a slim, long-handled T-bar allen wrench, about 14# long, with a 5/32" (I believe) hex end. I bought one at an online tool company, which I can't remember now, for ~$25. There has been at least one previous thread about this very thing, several years back.

I have talked to Steve Weill once by telephone, and though a little hard to reach (his only contact is, or was as of ~3 years ago, was by telephone and answering machine), he called me back twice and was helpful in suggesting the right tool. Now I can pass that info on to you! One thing he strongly recommended was to first clamp a bowed neck straight to assist getting the truss rod nut tightened.

Keep in mind that having a truss rod wrench is mighty useful, but your FB may have relief/playability issues after 25 years of play and neck tension that could require a FB replane and refret could well be needed. But whoever does the work is going to need a truss rod tool, so I would definitely look into it.

Excellent advice all around, and yes, I am figuring the frets and fret board could use some work as well... Thanks for the great advice!

[Kmcc24]

[QUOTE=mandolinman2;1346290]

I have #539 dated 6/4/90 and can say for sure it has no truss rod. Maybe Givens went through a period of putting truss rods in some mandolins and not in others--but since yours predates mine it seems plausible yours doesn't have one either. I talked with Greg Boyd before I bought #539 because I was worried about just this issue; he reassured me how to handle things should it come up. #539 has its 25th anniversary next year and it's rock solid. One of the best mandolins I've ever played.

[Michael Lewis]

Well, DO you have a truss rod? Just pull out the end pin and look.

[pops1]

Measure the fret tang and get frets with slightly larger tang, couple of thousands. I will fix the bow, yes compression fretting works. just did it with a '28 Martin with bar frets brought the neck back to perfect. If you have to plane the fingerboard, but this should work fine.

[sunburst]

Don't confuse the effects of bar frets with the effects of T frets. We can force a back bow like you can't believe into a neck with bar frets, compression fretting with T frets is not the same and not as effective. It can help in situations where a little too much relief is present, but the effects can end up being temporary. It is a difficult thing to control, compression fretting. I've done it a few times, but I generally try to avoid it because it is unpredictable.

[pops1]

I have also taken out back bow with fret tangs larger in the T frets on an old 1800's parlor, saved me from doing a neck reset. Also did it recently with a 49 Martin T frets with larger tangs will move the neck. If it is severe and needs more well then remove the fingerboard and reglue, that has helped several times in the past too. If that doesn't work get out the plane. I feel if you can straighten it without removing wood all the better.