trussrod placement

[paste]

What is the logic/point behind placing the trussrod cover/entrance at the heel of the neck instead of the headstock? It just makes it that much more inconvinient needing to take the neck off each time you want to tweek the trussrod.

 

[SamanthaCay]

A lot of it just boils down to personal preference, but I have also herd that some people do it for a stronger neck in the neck to headstock area where it would otherwise have a hole/slot for the truss access.
Also FYI most basses with heel adjust rods either have a spoke wheel type nut or a slot in the body for easy adjustment without removing the neck.

 

[JonPar]

I do not know what the general acceptance or reasons for choosing one or the other. Here is my thoughts:
- I agree that the exit by the headstock may weaken the neck slightly. That is the place where the neck breaks when someone has an accident, so, I opt to not to weaken there.
- Another thought is access of the adjustment tool. The strings give better near the body, so, if the design has a string the blocks access (maybe 5 string) then it is easier to spread the strings at the body (if you want to bother taking off strings).
- Lastly, especially with a long neck, I like the way the neck bends better when it is exiting by the body. It seems to help treat string buzz high on the neck more than truss rod exiting at the headstock.

That is a good point Buchananbass...use the spoked head if designing for a body end exit.

 

[gbarcus]

For me, I will only make a couple of adjustments and once it is set, I typically won't need to touch it (with the occasional exception). So the inconvenience isn't an issue with me.
I've had a Tobias neckthru with the tr at the body end and I could see why they did it, as the neck at the 1st fret was only 19mm. The neck was almost dead flat too.
I also like the look of not having a tr cover on the head. I suppose it could also reduce neck dive slightly.