Part 2: 1967 Teisco del Ray backbow/refret fix

[blademaster2]

A few years ago I lamented that there seemed to be no way to easily correct a backbow on my 1967 Teisco MJ-2L. It was a small backbow but with the low/worn string nut and worn frets it was almost unplayable. Using 0.011" strings help the bow a lot, but barely - and the other troubles were still a problem.

I decided to refret and reprofile the fretboard since the problem was fairly small, and I have had very limited experience removing fingerboards and it was not a great success when I tried it.

Once I removed the frets I also found that the fret slots were to narrow for the newer fret tangs (old slots were 0.019" or so but the tangs are 0.021"). I decided to widen the slots rather than trim down the fretwire with an expensive StewMac tool, so I modified a Dremel tool and was able to easily and quickly drag it through the slots, creating a straight and clean, wider slot.

Using the 12" radiused sanding block, fret bender tool and tang nipper I was able to quickly install the new frets into a much flatter board, slightly correcting the backbow (knowing the strings did the rest). Tapped them in, trimmed them up, made/installed a new bone nut, and dressed the frets and it is all done.

It plays better than ever now and looks so clean and crisp. This guitar has a unique tone, warm and clear, and the best vibrato design I have ever tried if you want a true vibrato and do not want to dive bomb. The head stock is also a fabulous design to keep the strings at a straight and gentle angle over the new nut.

[unreg]

Really excellent!

So, did you slightly remove the backbow by sanding the fretboard? Looks very nice!

EDIT: I don’t see a truss rod cover… so it must lack a truss rod?

[ashcatlt]

Idk about this one, but I know some guitars like this have a non-adjustable metal bar inside the neck.

[newey]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but the last shot, the "full frontal" one, looks like it has a truss rod nut at the base of the neck heel.

[blademaster2]

Thanks all!

Newey was correct - the truss adjustment is near the neck pup, and adjusts with any metal rod inserted into holes in the threaded nut. It can be adjusted with full string tension as long as I carefully pull the strings apart to have room to move the tool.

The backbow, which was subtle, was 50% removed by my sanding and the other 50% from the pull from the 0.011" strings. It actually needed a small adjustment on the truss rod to bring it straighter, so I am pleased about that. The action is now so low and smooth for bending I actually have little problem going from my usual 0.009" strings on my other guitars to this one.

I can now bend farther than any other guitar I have, and even as far as the Gilmour solo on "Another Brick In The Wall" (but with 0.011's it is a pretty hard push to go that far).

This 53 year old plays so well now it has a whole new lease on life, and the tone is unique. Loving it!

[unreg]

Jan 19, 2022 23:55:21 GMT -5 blademaster2 said:

Newey was correct - the truss adjustment is near the neck pup, and adjusts with any metal rod inserted into holes in the threaded nut.

Wow, didn’t know truss rod nuts could be at the base of the neck heel.


“any metal rod” == allen wrench?

Sry, I’m trying to understand.

[cynical1]

Probably looks like this:



Truss rod adjustments available at the heel aren't unusual, really. Fender used to have a screw flush with the heel. That was always fun adjusting those... This setup is actually pretty nice by comparison.

And just because we're on this subject, there is a friendlier way to take a significant bow out of a neck rather than cranking on the truss rod. Considering the neck is this big piece of wood and the truss rod is a skinny piece of metal...it is asking a lot to yank all that wood back with just an Allen wrench and too much torque.

This is tough without pictures, but this one is close:



Essentially, if you remove the truss rod nut and use a bar clamp and some wood spacers to offset the direction of the bow along with said clamp, you can pull the neck back to where you want it, then put the nut back on (after you've cleaned the nut and threads and regreased them both) to hold it in place.

It's more involved than that, but you get the idea...I hope.

Nice Tiesco, by the way...

HTC1

[newey]

Jan 20, 2022 11:54:37 GMT -5 cynical1 said:

then put the nut back on (after you've cleaned the nut and threads and regreased them both) to hold it in place.

I think you mean the truss rod nut, not "the nut", just to be clear (I had to read it twice, so just clarifying that the fret nut doesn't have to be removed.)

[cynical1]

Yes, it was the nut you took off the truss rod...sorry...

Disclaimer: If you have one of those rods that the nut doesn't come off, loosen until it stops...and exercise twice the discretion applying pressure from said clamp...

The idea is that you're going to need mechanical force to move the bow out of the neck. What stands a better chance of doing so...a 3/8" piece of steel...or a BF clamp... This also eliminates the threat that the rod may break loose from its opposing end, or the nut gets stripped or rounded off (the truss rod nut...just to be clear..)

It may need a final tweak after this process, but most of the heavy lifting is already done.

Did I say nice Tiesco before?  Goes along with one of my primary tenants: Never buy a guitar or date anyone younger than your kids...


HTC1

[solderburn]

Very cool guitar, blademaster2!  Awesome job, that looks like a very happy guitar now!

[newey]

Jan 20, 2022 12:24:06 GMT -5 cynical1 said:

Never buy a guitar or date anyone younger than your kids...

When I had to jump back into the dating pool after my first marriage ended, my #1 Rule was that women were only datable if they remembered Woodstock. Of course, as the old saying goes, if you remember Woodstock, you weren't there. . .