how much #to tighten a truss rod

**THEBIGV** · Aug-03-2006, 5:14pm

I am ready to install fingerboard on neck, and wondered how tight the truss rod should be. #when i installed the truss rod, i just tightened the nut tight. I was just wondering if #you need to tighten it a bit, before installing strings?
And also if you tighten a truss rod to bow the neck back, how long should you wait for results.

thanks for any help.

**bluegrassplayer** · Aug-03-2006, 5:58pm

If I'm not mistaken, if you put a straightedge on your fingerboard (assuming that you have frets on there), there should be no more than 1/16th gap between the edge of the straightedge and the frets.

Don't trust me on that. I read something along those lines the other day, but I may be wrong.

**Dale Ludewig** · Aug-03-2006, 6:24pm

By my standards, the neck should be dead flat with no truss rod involvement. Just snugged up so it doesn't rattle. Then fingerboard goes on- I fret mine before they go on. Then it's dressed dead flat. The string tension, once stringed up, should give you all the relief you need. Under no condition would I put the truss rod into play before the fingerboard was dressed flat on a mandolin.

**Gibson A5** · Aug-03-2006, 8:32pm

I just did one the way Dale just said and it worked perfect. It's my best one of mine yet when strung up. I won't have to go back and do any fret adjustments. I did it several of the other ways and I always had to go back and mess with it. Sometimes for hours. So I say go with Dale's way, I found it the best!
Bill P.

**THEBIGV** · Aug-04-2006, 7:28am

sounds great to me, so i glued the fretted fingerboard on a straight neck last night and it looks great this morning. truss tod is just snug. I will not bother it until tonight, will unclamp it and level the frets. how long should I wait before stringing it up???

This is my second mando and I did my first one this same way and the neck bowed, after stringing it up, or it looked more like the extension came up?

??? I was able to get most of it out with truss rod, but still had to take frets of off extenter and sand it down. It plays ok now and is beginning to open up. Both are stewmacs F 5 kits. I finished the first one 12-05. I will keep you posted.
I was reading an old thread last night, where sunburst was explaining this same thing happening. thread was back in May of 05.
Thanks to all for helping. I will keep you posted
Charlie

**THEBIGV** · Aug-07-2006, 7:32pm

I strung #2 up over the week-end, with j74's and after 3 days, the extender part of the fingerboard, toward the bridge, appears to have raised up, just as Sunburst had said, in a previous thread. the relief in the neck, from the 1st to the 12th fret, was almost perfect, when fretted at the 1st and the 12th, just a very, very slight space between the G string and the 6 fret. less than .010.
i will have to remove the last 8 frets and level the fingerboard over the extender, to be able to have a low playing action. wish i could post a picture, but don't have a camera. It don't look like too big a job to me, so i will tackle it tomorrow.
if there is a better way, any help would be appreciated.
thanks in advance
Charlie