mandola neck thickness/trussrod

[WoodyMcKenzie]

I am building a mandola and the fellow who wants it has small hands and wants the neck to be as small as possible. The truss rod channel needs to be 1/2 inch deep. How much wood should I leave below the trussrod at the nut? Can I make the neck thinner by using a very thin fretboard? My inclination is to not use a trussrod at all and add a pair of carbon fiber rods to the neck instead. People seem to want a trussrod though. It's a 16 inch scale and joins at the 12th fret.

Thanks for your advice!

Woody

[Graham McDonald]

I would leave at least 1/8" (3mm) under the rod at the neck and of you are not making a Gibson style mandola, preferably have the rod adjustment through the soundhole. You can also give an impression of a thinner neck by starting the inwards curve of the neck profile halfway down the fingerboard thickness (harder if a bound fingerboard!) so the neck is a little narrower than the fingerboard. Leave the fingerboard as thick as you can. It does add stiffness I would suggest

cheers

[Luthier]

I have found the 12" 2way adjustable rod with the allen adjustment is perfect and may be what you want. I have been using them in my 22.875 scale OM's as well as the shorter scale 20.379 scale. I am able to leave just the channel width as it is without having to make a wider pocket hole in the peghead. A 1/8" allen wrench does the adjusting at the peghead. They are a little expensive but they are well worth the peace of mind.
If you make your own from 3/16" stock, place it in the channel with a downward curve in the center to allow for it to work correctly if and when you need it. Leave 1/8" as suggested and just make sure you check as you shape the neck.

Don

[WoodyMcKenzie]

Luthier--

Where do you get those two way adjustable rods? Do they come in shorter lengths? 12 inches is too long for my mandola.

Thanks!

Woody