MzI Posted September 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2010 (edited) I could do that or the a piece of spalted maple similar to what is on the front of the headstock and control cover. As for other wenge accents, I have pickup rings, input jack, and a truss rod cover. Edited September 3, 2010 by MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted September 3, 2010 Report Share Posted September 3, 2010 The spalted maple would probably look best IMO. The scarf accent will be balanced by the other wenge accents you're going to have. That combo will look nice. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 4, 2010 Report Share Posted September 4, 2010 The backstrap idea is a good one..but were it me I would use the wenge and also do the front of the headstock as well...like a wenge sandwich.I think that would look nice.Those volutes can be tricky things to make look right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted September 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 (edited) Well I took the easy way out and just got rid of the volute altogether. Next one I make I'll have to move the scarf joint farther down the neck so it doesn't hit the volute. Now that I am onto the finishing stages, I noticed that when I was selecting the pieces for the neck, I didn't do a very good job of color matching the wood. The two outter pieces of the 3 piece neck are significantly lighter then the middle piece. Edited September 8, 2010 by MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted September 8, 2010 Report Share Posted September 8, 2010 Well I took the easy way out and just got rid of the volute altogether. Next one I make I'll have to move the scarf joint farther down the neck so it doesn't hit the volute. Now that I am onto the finishing stages, I noticed that when I was selecting the pieces for the neck, I didn't do a very good job of color matching the wood. The two outter pieces of the 3 piece neck are significantly lighter then the middle piece. Nice call on the volute. If the scarf gets into it Nix it... As for the light/dark it will look fine. Once you clear it it will be a feature. Better than one outer one being darker and the middle and side being lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postal Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 Nice call on the volute. If the scarf gets into it Nix it... I think the proper way to scarf, and volute... The headstock must be at least 1" thick to start with. Then thin down the head by removing material from the backside of the head. This pushes the scarf farther down the neck. Typically close to the first fret or even directly in between 1st and 2nd (glue line on the backside of the neck) Well out of the way for a volute. Even without volute, it keeps the glue line out of the neck to head transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted September 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 I am pretty sure it was the scarf was too close to the headstock. This one was my first adding an accent strip into the scarf and I didn't fully plan it out in Autocad. The attached image is my drawing I worked off of, don't remember if I have updated it yet or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postal Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 (edited) There is no such thing as "scarf too close to headstock". The scarf is wherever you cut it. The nut endes up "WHERE EVER IT ENDS UP" based on scarf angle and headstock thickness. The autocad is fine... but what you ended up with is very different for the reason I mentioned. The auto cad shows a very thick headstock thinned down on the backside. The head on the actual guitar had to be a lot thinner to end up with the problem you did. Or, you thinned the head from the front... Clearly in the autocad, the glue line ends right about 1st fret, and there is no issue at all with glue line volute angled headstock- As it should be. Look at the autocad you posted. Measure the distance from the front face of the head.... to the start of the glue line PERPENDICULAR to the face of the head.... To achieve what you see in autocad.... was a headstock about 1" (more probably) thick. However, I'd point out that typically, a volute highpoint is directly under the nut... and on the neck side it wont start, until at least halfway from the nut to first fret... if not even closer to the nut. Even someone who doesnt "like" volutes.... should be able to play a guitar with a volute... and never notice, because their hand will never touch it... unless they get used to using it as a "stopping point" for first fret. Just my opinion- As many ways to volute as people who make them... Here's a couple pics.... The purple heart laying on the back of the head for extra thickness - nearly what the head started as..... The blue tape is on the actual glue line.... The other piece of wood on top of the purple heart shows that thick headstock carried over to the glue line.... Here is a closeup with the same setup.... and a measuring tape for reference. Even though the measuring tape isn't quite in the right position, it's clear this head started at almost 1" thick.... look at the tape... follow the line of the wood down to the actual scarf... Hard to tell in this view... but the volute is under the nut, and close to the headstock side. No one could complain they dont like volutes.... because they should never touch that one while playing... (It's a large nut... about 1/4" long from front to back... so the volute is actually near center...) Hope that clears it up how to do a scarf joint properly. Note that even without a volute, it should be done the exact same way, just to push the glue line down on the neck. You dont want to scarf a head that is final thickness onto a neck.... the neck to head transition is right on the glue line.... and there is NO WAY to make that look clean. You go through the glue line at an angle which makes the glue line look HUGE..... Ask me how I know.... Edited September 17, 2010 by postal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted September 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 When I glued up the headstock I used a piece of 7/8" Maple with a 1/8" Spalted Maple cap on it. So yes basically 1" headstock, then I cut the backside down to 5/8" on the bandsaw. My use of Autocad is more for the planning stages. When I am building I don't have a computer sitting next to me. I do double check measurements against it, but things like carving the neck and volute its more by feel. That is why in the cad drawing the volute does not look correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted October 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 (edited) All things considered, this one took me just under 4 years. Other things come up here and there. Anyways without further delays here are the completed pictures. Another great learning experience. This was my first using binding on the neck as well as first asymmetrical carve on the neck. Both came out halfway decent. This was also my first using Tru Oil for the whole guitar, it will also be my last. It works great on the neck without a doubt, but I am not sold on a body finish with it. As far as tone goes, this is the first time I've used Ash, it is quite bright tone wise which is always a plus in my opinion, and it is fairly heavy, more so then my Mahogany Gibson Flying V. Edited October 27, 2010 by MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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