Vintage vs. Double Expanding Truss rod: pros & cons

[PylonRacer]

What are the pros and cons between the vintage and double expanding truss rod?  Do the vintage rods really need to be adjusted that often?

 

[-CB-]

Ya know what?  They both change seasonally (as air humidity changes)

 

[bpmorton777]

if the neck you have is as twisted as the one in your picture, yes, you need to adjust your truss rod :laughing7:

Brian

 

[PylonRacer]

if the neck you have is as twisted as the one in your picture, yes, you need to adjust your truss rod :laughing7:

Brian

HA! that's an AM STD Strat, so I guess I don't want another Biflex truss rod LOL! :laughing3:

 

[Sixbender]

Vintage truss rods make for a slightly lighter weight, and usually need seasonal adjustment.
Double expanding truss rods make the neck feel more "solid", seem to have better sustain, and on three of them that I own, I've never needed to adjust the truss rod after it was dialed in correctly...so I haven't needed to adjust the truss rod on two of my guitars in over a year on one, over three years on another!
I live in WA state, with weather that is mild and humid, never real extreme changes...kinda like England. Your mileage may vary.

 

[reverend mikey]

Personally, I'm tired of messing with vintage truss rods that require removing the neck from the body to adjust...attach neck, tune, repeat as needed...aaagh!!!

Ordered my latest with the truss rod adjustment at the neck, even though I was going for a '62 vintage look...it's just not worth it to be totally correct.  (I realize this is a different issue than single versus double truss rod, but it's an important factor to consider when you 'build' your guitar in your head before you order.)

 

[PylonRacer]

Personally, I'm tired of messing with vintage truss rods that require removing the neck from the body to adjust...attach neck, tune, repeat as needed...aaagh!!!

Ordered my latest with the truss rod adjustment at the neck, even though I was going for a '62 vintage look...it's just not worth it to be totally correct.  (I realize this is a different issue than single versus double truss rod, but it's an important factor to consider when you 'build' your guitar in your head before you order.)

Thanks for the tip.  I was considering the vintage top adjust.  I couldn't imagine having to take the neck off just for a truss rod adjustment!

BTW nice picture.  Are those aged knobs w/ a mint pickgaurd?

 

[stubhead]

I personally like more weight in the neck, I think it leads to more evenness of tone between the strings and better sustain. Large headstocks, a big-profile shape like the boatneck, heavy tuners and the double trussrod are all ways to put weight in the neck. Of course, you have to consider balance, but I want tone first then I'll worry about what else I have to do. Not having to adjust your trussrod at least twice a year is an added benefit.

The real vintage freaks are probably correct that if you want a fifties-sounding guitar, you'd want a fifties-construction neck, but I'm glad the construction has been improved..... I drive a Toyota instead of a Model T and my computer runs on transistors instead of the good ol' tube ones, so what do I know. :dontknow:

(There didn't even used to BE vintage Fender basses for sale cause all the old single-action bass necks were WARPED, but then the counterfeiters figured out they could make just as good a profit from faking basses as from guitars and now vintage basses are everywhere.... At any given point, there are roughly TEN TIMES as many old Fenders and Gibsons for sale as were ever even manufactured.) :toothy12:

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I personally like more weight in the neck, I think it leads to more evenness of tone between the strings and better sustain. Large headstocks, a big-profile shape like the boatneck, heavy tuners and the double trussrod are all ways to put weight in the neck. Of course, you have to consider balance, but I want tone first then I'll worry about what else I have to do. Not having to adjust your trussrod at least twice a year is an added benefit.

The real vintage freaks are probably correct that if you want a fifties-sounding guitar, you'd want a fifties-construction neck, but I'm glad the construction has been improved..... I drive a Toyota instead of a Model T and my computer runs on transistors instead of the good ol' tube ones, so what do I know. :dontknow:

(There didn't even used to BE vintage Fender basses for sale cause all the old single-action bass necks were WARPED, but then the counterfeiters figured out they could make just as good a profit from faking basses as from guitars and now vintage basses are everywhere.... At any given point, there are roughly TEN TIMES as many old Fenders and Gibsons for sale as were ever even manufactured.) :toothy12:

Hehe, nice bit of trivia there.

 

[mayfly]

(There didn't even used to BE vintage Fender basses for sale cause all the old single-action bass necks were WARPED, but then the counterfeiters figured out they could make just as good a profit from faking basses as from guitars and now vintage basses are everywhere.... At any given point, there are roughly TEN TIMES as many old Fenders and Gibsons for sale as were ever even manufactured.) :toothy12:

Yep, I remember those days well - everyone was giving up their old P and J basses because they were just not playable.  One of the reasons why all those boutique bass companies started up at that time.

It's a funny world - but I kinda like it  :icon_biggrin:

BTW, I saw a really nice '59 Flying V copy a while ago.  A Tokai.  It was very very close to the real thing and played and sounded great.  Yes, it said Gibson on the headstock and had an inked on serial number.  scary.

 

[Micahbell]

Will the vintage ones give that good ol' hump in the upper fretboard like many of the 40 year old basses I have played have?

 

[reverend mikey]

Personally, I'm tired of messing with vintage truss rods that require removing the neck from the body to adjust...attach neck, tune, repeat as needed...aaagh!!!

Ordered my latest with the truss rod adjustment at the neck, even though I was going for a '62 vintage look...it's just not worth it to be totally correct.  (I realize this is a different issue than single versus double truss rod, but it's an important factor to consider when you 'build' your guitar in your head before you order.)

Thanks for the tip.  I was considering the vintage top adjust.  I couldn't imagine having to take the neck off just for a truss rod adjustment!

BTW nice picture.  Are those aged knobs w/ a mint pickgaurd?

Yup.  Good eye!

 

[PylonRacer]

Thanks for all the input.  I'll think I'll go with the vintage.  It's easy to adjust at the top; and will weigh less.