Saving a broken truss rod on a mid-60's Hummingbird...

[thefishinmusician]

I'm posting pics from my recent triumph , repairing a broken truss rod on a mid 60's Gibson Hummingbird.....The neck was pretty straight without tension , so I new I could do this.....I've saved vintage Fender necks going through the 3rd fret dot , and a custom color 60's Fender bass with matching headstock by going through the block marker....If the neck was warped , I would have planed and re-fretted them , but they were all close.....I did the first one over a decade ago , and it's still out there , doing fine...

[thefishinmusician]

More

[thefishinmusician]

More

[thefishinmusician]

And , the last 3.....

[RETROROD]

WOW...! Absolutely amazing. Very clean repair work.How did you know exactly where the break was ?

[thefishinmusician]

I pulled out the broken rod , and used it to guide me...( First pic )....

[Mike Kolb]

Nice work.... clean as a whistle!  Good job. 

[Tim Mace]

overwhelming......I'm exhausted ....I would have destroyed the guitar using my low tech ideas!

 

[Paul Verticchio]

My most sincere compliments!!!!!

[Ned Knepp]

It looks so simple... when YOU do it. Astounding!

[Len Biglin]

So it looks like you spliced the rod , then epoxy ? What was the procedure ? Still adjustable ?

[thefishinmusician]

1....Used original busted rod to determine where the break was...Dremeled through the fret slots to neck itself....2...Used chisel to lift a section to gain access to truss rod slot...3..Exposed work area....( Later was able to steam that little dent back to shape )....4..Dremeled out work area....5....Original lug falls out ( thankfully )...That's where it broke...6...New truss rod is drilled for piano wire pin....7..Tapping new rod in...I reversed a truss rod nut to protect the threads on the new rod as I tapped it...Notice the " this side up "... mark on new rod ..8....Pin is driven in....There is a half inch hole drilled into the neck to accommodate the unseen part if the pin..9...For some reason , I made a brass collar to go around the top of the pin....Epoxy it all in...10...A bit of wood putty , and then replaced my divots....11....Sanding it all flush , and after that , a wet rag and a soldering pencil steamed that little dent right out....12.....Time for a good stiff drink.....And yes , the rod functions ,...again , if the neck was warped badly , I would have dealt with that when the rod was out...The less the repaired rod has to work , the better  I figure..If it had been an unbound board with a well worn finish , I may have done the traditional fingerboard removal....This baby was in great condition finish wise , and the risk of damage to the original finish removing it is what made me go this way....

[Jeff Highland]

I'd be concerned that the hole for the pin has reduced the crossectional area of the rod by around 50% at the anchorage