Charvel USA Production - Why is truss rod nut at the heel?

[Predator1]

I don't know about the bullet. I asked for the psuedo plug with a access hole in it like Fender uses on many of there strats. Musikraft also offers this. I was told that the Charvel necks are too thin and it would comprimise the strength of the neck? It seemed to me that they just did not want to go down that road. I think it should at least be offered on CS orders for an up charge.

[Matt_B]

I don't know about the bullet. I asked for the psuedo plug with a access hole in it like Fender uses on many of there strats. Musikraft also offers this. I was told that the Charvel necks are too thin and it would comprimise the strength of the neck? It seemed to me that they just did not want to go down that road. I think it should at least be offered on CS orders for an up charge.

?? WTF? That makes no sense unless it's because their Strat necks don't have a scarf joint like their pointy necks.

[DrDestruction]

The truss adjustment at the heel might be something copied over from the old Fender designs, as most of the old guitars had the adjustments at the heel. And since a lot of the early Charvel designs were essentially hot-rodded versions of stuff like Strats, those design principles may have transfered over as well. That is, until the adjustments started moving to the nut.

[Predator1]

I pm'd Bionic maybe he can shed some light?

[shreddermon]

They've tried to make the necks consistent with the original SD era guitars' specs. That's why truss is at the heel. It's that simple.

Do I prefer it? Nope. It's old-tech, and a modest pain if you need to tweak the neck. Would much prefer truss adjustment at the headstock. But it wouldn't stop me from buying one, either.

[Grandturk]

Why do you think that?

Because that's the way my brain is wired. The last thing I want to see is a hole at the top of a strat headed neck - I don't care if its a Fender, a Charvel, or a chincy Mighty Mite - it don't look right to me.

[DHardmanJr]

Anyone ever see how G&L does it? It's a the headstock, but you hardly notice it as there is no cover. Maybe this is the "bullet" people are talking about on the Fenders.

To me it really doesn't make any sense to have truss rod adjustments in the heal in this day and age. You can put the adjustment in the headstock and it wouldn't be that noticable. Who cares if it is "vintage correct" or not?

[Bionic]

I know there's a reason why Charvel (or any manufacturer for that matter) puts the truss rod nut at the heel but for the life of me, I can't think why. That's the one big reason why I won't buy one. I can't see having to loosen/take off the neck to adjust it. Bear in mind that I live in the Mid West so we have to tweak our necks a bit for seasonal changes.

This question has come up quite often. Some things to keep in mind...
1. When using Quartersawn wood there is a significant reduction in neck movement.
2. The one piece necks require the neck adjustment to be at the heal... if it's a two piece we can do it at the headstock...
3. The vibe is cleaner with the adjustment at the heal... It's a traditional Charvel specification...

The option to have a notch at the heal will be added to the Custom Shop menu as soon as we are finished testing the processes. This is a mod we do for Artists... in fact we showed some models with the notch at NAMM.

I hope this helps... as for moving the adjustment to the headstock as a normal course of action... I don't see it happening with Charvel...

[Matt_B]

This question has come up quite often. Some things to keep in mind...
1. When using Quartersawn wood there is a significant reduction in neck movement.
2. The one piece necks require the neck adjustment to be at the heal... if it's a two piece we can do it at the headstock...
3. The vibe is cleaner with the adjustment at the heal... It's a traditional Charvel specification...

The option to have a notch at the heal will be added to the Custom Shop menu as soon as we are finished testing the processes. This is a mod we do for Artists... in fact we showed some models with the notch at NAMM.

I hope this helps... as for moving the adjustment to the headstock as a normal course of action... I don't see it happening with Charvel...

Thank you very much for posting that. As far as I'm concerned, as long as I don't have to loosen the neck screws to adjust the truss rod, I'm a happy camper so the notch at the heel definitely appeals to me.

[chrisolson]

Well, this thread just ended any reason for me ever wanting to buy one of these guitars. I have two like this I built, and I HATE taking the neck off to adjust. Recipe for disaster.

[Grandturk]

Well, this thread just ended any reason for me ever wanting to buy one of these guitars. I have two like this I built, and I HATE taking the neck off to adjust. Recipe for disaster.

90% of the people out there who buy these things don't know how to adjust the truss rod anyway.

[JACKSONFREAK]

The truss nut at the heal was a Fender thing. But it didnt start until the 60's (ie 62) but ended by mid to late 60's So it was short lived even by Fender. So the "vintage vibe" doesnt really follow suit. The "Bullet" truss rod people refer too. Is the large headstocked strats and teles from 68ish to about 82. The truss rod nut when sticking out of the truss rod cavity looked like a silver bullet.
As for ease of adjustment? yeah its a pain but with a quarter sawn neck there isnt much adjustment needed. I do prefer them at the headstock. But i wont keep me from buying a guitar i really want. It will just make me beter at making adjustments right the first time.
Gil

[Axewielder]

OMG...guys...not to be an ass, but it's HEEL

Sorry, carry on.

[Bionic]

OMG...guys...not to be an ass, but it's HEEL

Sorry, carry on.

Yep... sorry... Spell Check has made it too easy...

[Newc]

Ever see Warmoth's thing where the trussrod adjuster is on the side of the neck heel? There's a lock-type nut at the center of the heel (where the Charvel adjustment thing is), but on the treble side of the neck is a small hex screw that actually adjusts the trussrod.

The directions state specifically to not adjust the truss rod while the strings are tuned because you could break the adjuster inside the heel.



How retardated
May as well not even have the damn thing