Help with 12 String Neck

Saransk

Newbie
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I just received a '65 12-String Neck and on first looks, I saw nothing to indicate any issues
A visual check down the fretboard did not reveal any apparent bowing, either forward or back.
(I've purchased/owned several Warmoth necks with the "Modern Construction" and all have been almost perfect right out of the box  -- very little truss-rod adjustment needed when strung up.)

I'm having a real issue with this 12-string neck.  After putting it, a Warmoth hardtail Jazzmaster body, and Gotoh bridge together ans stringing it up, I have a up-bow that I cannot adjust out.  I followed the instructions - took off the strings - removed the neck - and adjusted the heel-nut to flatten the fingerboard.  Unfortunately, after  1 1/2 turns I still had some up-bow, not much, but some at the 8th - 10th frets.  But I thought even that would be okay.  Put it all back together and added strings and put tension on the neck.  Almost the same amount of up-bow and 2 turns of the side-adjustment screw made no apparent change.

MY question - is there some trick or other unique setting for a 12-string neck to begin with - do I need to crank the heel-nut down further, maybe 3 or 4 turns to start.  Could the wrong truss-rod have been put in - I know it's the same length but does a 12-string need a "stronger" model?
Or do I just have a neck with a problem.

This is my third electric 12-string and I've never had a neck that wouldn't adjust.  Hopefully I just need to reset the starting point and that will allow me to get the neck straight.

Thanks
Mike
 
I'm only one data point, but I had to use a load of truss rod tension to get my 12 string neck to straighten out.

Yes 3-4 turns at the heel is a good place to start. then I applied pressure to the neck when strung up to adjust the rod further. 
 
I haven't used that kind of neck yet, but if you're out of adjustment do you need to add shims?
 
Between the nut that you use to adjust the truss rod and the neck.
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The neck uses the dual action truss-rod
It "floats" in the slot - Warmoth actually explains how it works as well as anyone - look at "Necks"

Hearing that someone else had to really "crank" the tension on the initial heel-nut adjustment makes me less concerned that I need to go back and add a couple of turns and get the fretboard really flat - more turns than I might normally start with.

Hopefully, with some more base tension, the side adjust might actually get the front-bow under control.  I'd rather not have a bad neck and have to get a replacement.
 
other places shims can be used are under the heel and bridge.  But I think Spe has it.

Might I recommend an excellent book:  Guitar Player's Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine.  A lot of good ideas.  Of course, not as fun as asking Q's at the Unofficial Warmoth website, but a book like this should be in everyone's library.  I'm told there are other more serious books, but this will get you started.
 
The double-action truss-rod does not anchor to the neck - it basically sits in the routed slot and just pushes against the neck.
I think of its action like a steel bar inside the neck, you adjust the bar and it transfers the pressure to the neck.  But it has no anchor.

As for "relief"/action, with the #6 saddle all the way down it is about .120 at the 12th fret, more like a bass, and much higher than my Ovation 12-string.  And you can see the curve when you look down the neck from the bridge.  It's like the neck of this old KAY 12-sting I found in the 70's that I always had to tune a step down and use light strings because it always had a bow in the neck - good workout for your hand to play bar cords.

AS for books, etc. - I have several.  I posted here because I've never had a Fender, or Warmoth, neck that wouldn't flatten with it's truss-rod.  I had just finished a custom build where the neck had a couple of graphite rods put in as well - I suspect that you could use bass strings and not bend that neck.  I thought I might connect with someone who has used the '65 neck before and that there might be some "secret" got getting it started.
 
Saransk said:
As for "relief"/action, with the #6 saddle all the way down it is about .120 at the 12th fret, more like a bass, and much higher than my Ovation 12-string.  And you can see the curve when you look down the neck from the bridge. 

OK, I was asking about relief --the amount of neck curvature.
Capo the first fret, and then fret where the neck meets the body.
Then with a feeler gauge measure --at the 7th or 8th fret -the distance between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string.
You should have about .01-.012 if you are a light strummer, and between .015-.02 if you hit the strings pretty hard.
Tighten the truss rod if you are over that, loosen if under.
 
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