3below

Totally agree, I would be making alignment jigs etc. to attempt this one. Getting the board on correctly afterwards would also challenge me. It would be my solution of last resort. Far easier if we can get a rod in the existing location.

Point 2 above is a key part of the solution. Some measurements every cm along the the neck and channel for the first 7 frets or so would really help establish the profile and what room is available. I am pondering the forces situation, my Physics degree is very rusty these days lol.

Another possibility entered my consciousness last night. Infill the truss rod channel with suitable wood glued into it to give a level bed depth of say 6.5 mm. This should stabilise the crack (if it is one) and give sufficient wood depth behind a dual action rod. With the fingerboard being so deep it should be possible to router (or chisel or router plane / plough plane) a 3 mm groove in the board so that the flat surface of the rod sits in the board. Stop the groove at a suitable length so that the the rod emerges from a flat (non grooved) end of the board at the nut end. By doing this the truss rod cover will sit against the fingerboard as before and no sign of the channel in the board will be visible. The 6.5 mm / 3 mm dimensions are obviously subject to the actual truss rod, board and neck depths available. I am sure there are flaws in this plan that will be picked up by others

All is not lost, it has just become rather more involved Hopefully it is just the laquer, however if not there are several ways out. How handy are you with the router?

This looks like it will be a close decision between two way or single rod. Some more measurements will help. I would suggest starting at the nut and repeating the measurements of neck depth every cm down the neck until you get to the 7th fret. This would aid accurately determining the overall profile and whether a two way rod could go in further into the neck (longitudinally not depth) aiming to get the pressure point away from the 'too thin' timber. If you then install the rod with the flat upwards you also have some latitude to strengthen the 'thin' wood under the adjusre nut with epoxy / epoxy + carbon fibre.

I am lost for words :). Does this mean that you need to deepen the channel, no infill needed? I was just warming the planer-thicknesser and bandsaw up

The unmentionable bass (looks very similar to yours) that I owned many years ago also had an incredibly thick fingerboard with the same style binding. In this respect the Shaftesbury is being faithful. Really good work so far and so rewarding when a DIY job saves the day. Having recently encountered (for the first time ever) a neck with a back bow I would use a double action rod if you can. If you need a strip of maple to fill the truss rod channel bed for the double action rod put the dimensions up on here.

USA Strat circa 1990 bought by telephone and email from ABC. Still have it, as it was as good as they said.

This video is useful, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYJIJOF1ZV0

What composite board have you used? Looking very good,

Can not recommend Mid Wales Music in Newtown highly enough. Plenty of interesting guitars and basses pass through their door. Am just hoping it survives the current situation.

Jon Shuker also worked wonders on my G&L when the truss rod lifted and broke the fretboard. It came back better than new, with stainless frets and you can not see any finish damage. Super job all round at an extremely reasonable price.

Persist on the well known Internet auction site for ABM parts. They do crop up, this year I have got very lucky with ABM bridges - twice

Head looks very clean, it will be a nice example when 'fully healthy'.

Probably not I did mail them with the above suggestions a few years back. Polite but bland reply afair.

This ^, and I have a Leeds in my possession. It is seriously good, it curbed my gas for owning a Hiwatt 200 again.. I wish they did a Leeds Deluxe (i.e Leeds version of VT Deluxe).

Records really well when plugged straight into my Scarlett interface.

Seems that Andy Fraser was not a great bass player then. At least I now know that for all these years I have misunderstood what being a great player is....

Bought some TI Flats from Paul. Excellent transaction, arrived next day despite these extraordinary times. Many thanks.