Making A Neck - How Scary Or Difficult?

[RGGR]

So if i buy a pre made fretboard and attach that to my guitar neck am i still truely building my guitar?

The pre-made fretboard issue is part of the twillight zone......

I personally see good reason for buying a pre-radiused, pre-slotted fretboard. It's convenient.......and it takes out some of the difficulties in the building process.

Of course same reasoning goes for buying pre-made neck.......

Personally I don't have an issue with someone buying pre-made neck and bolting it on a custom made body........although it wouldn't be my cup of tea.......

Reason for building is doing something that can't be store-bought.......doing something that is different...using different materials, different set-up, different lay-outs. Not being bound by the marketing department of some big-old guitar company.

And nothing beats the feeling of knowing you build it yourself. (yeah, yeah, yeah......fretboard is tricky area....I confess.) Although for current build I already spotted lmii.com not offering pre-slotted 27" scale length fretboards........Darn!!!!

[fryovanni]

I don't think buying pre-slotted fretboards is a big deal, but this brings up probably the biggest point. The ability to customize. Pre-made may limit your ability to try new designs and modifications. This is why it is nice to add all the skills you can to your toolbox. It allows you to be flexable with designs. We all add new techniques and try different things. Being able to do something doesn't mean you have to do it. It is just the freedom of being able that is important. If you want to use some laminates, an odd scale length, unique back profile, headstock, binding etc.. to a neck for your project. It is nice to be capable of doing this.

Idch- Don't feel bullied or pressured, this is not a contest. It is about expanding ability and your freedom (or growth as a builder). You will no doubt build necks, when you feel like it. Just don't be intimidated by the idea (thats what this thread is about).

Peace,Rich

[marksound]

Just to clarify: I don't just buy a premade neck and slap it on a body and go. I replace the nuts on all my necks -- with preslotted ones I get from Brian.

[Canuck Brian]

I was reaaaaally intimidated by building a neck, but i couldn't really get anyone locally to build me an 8 string neck.

Once my teacher actually laid out what I needed to do and showed me on a piece of scrap wood, i wasn't initimidated anymore. I actually can't wait to start the next one!

My only thing when people don't build their own is that I get kinda let down. Most of the people build these amazing guitars here and I would love to see them bulid their own necks only because I think they would make great necks! No snobbery here, just high hopes!

[chunkielad]

What a great topic!!! - the arguments are totally valid on both sides!

I think this is one that will go on for years and never have a final answer - should you or shouldn't you - one thing i do have to say though - I paid for a spoke shave today so i can have a go!

I'm not saying it'll be used on the guitar I'm doing right now but i figure it's worth a try.I'll have an experience trying I suppose.

Now this isn't because I feel bullied or peer pressure has made me give in - I still firmly believe that it isn't necessary to build your own and definately doesn't make you any less of a guitar builder - this is my opinion though - and at the end of the day, we're all entitled to one of them!

[fryovanni]

What a great topic!!! - the arguments are totally valid on both sides!

I think this is one that will go on for years and never have a final answer - should you or shouldn't you - one thing i do have to say though - I paid for a spoke shave today so i can have a go!

I'm not saying it'll be used on the guitar I'm doing right now but i figure it's worth a try.I'll have an experience trying I suppose.

Now this isn't because I feel bullied or peer pressure has made me give in - I still firmly believe that it isn't necessary to build your own and definately doesn't make you any less of a guitar builder - this is my opinion though - and at the end of the day, we're all entitled to one of them!

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Good for you! You just made this a great topic.

Peace,Rich

[Mickguard]

Next comes the bit people seem freaked by: carving the back of the neck.

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It's funny, but this is the one part that I'd LIKE to try...I had a great time carving up my tele, there's something totally hands-on about the process of shaping wood like that. I also reshaped one of the necks I have here, slimmed it down a lot, came out great.

I like using the router and all for the pockets, etc., mostly because it's fast and I can follow a template.

But it's nothing like the feeling of really shaping the wood with your hands.

I haven't tried a spokeshave yet though, I use a surform and a wood rasp (and lots of sandpaper).

So maybe the carve people should get together with the fretboard people and work out a deal?

[Marzocchi705]

Carving the neck is the best part, the worst part is worrying if your fretboard is glued on straight. Well for me it is, i did the measurments no less than 300 times too.

I think baisicly the the feeling is have a go but if you dont want to, its no biggie, whatever you want to do is what you will do.

Idch, i prefer the surforms to spokeshave, it has a better feel to me, even though the end results need alot more sanding than the spokeshave. I use a half round for most of my shaping, for around the head and heel i used a full round, about 1.5cm dia.

[GuitarGuy]

Carving the neck is the best part, the worst part is worrying if your fretboard is glued on straight. Well for me it is, i did the measurments no less than 300 times too.

Use locating pegs. Drill a shallow 1/8" hole (1/8" depth) off center on the neck and the same on the fretboard. When they are glued together it will line the fretboard up exactly.

For example my necks have 3 locating pins. Two that are .5" off center .5" down from the nut. and one that is 17.5" from those holes at the heel of the neck

Between these three pins the fretboard is oriented correctly (being done on the mill) it is accurate to +-.002

[Phil Mailloux]

I built 3 necks in total. First one was scraped because I cut it too thin. No biggy, I saved the fretboard and rods for the second one. The two other necks are perfectly fine and on my two basses.

I can undertand why someone wouldn't want to build his own neck. That's allright, after all this is a hobby for most of us here. Me, on the other hand I want to do it all. That's why I build my own pickups and if I had the equipment I would also build my own bridges. That'll definitely come soon.

If you're only building guitars for fun and don't feel you can do it buy your own necks. I personally want to sell my basses eventually and that's why I want to do it all from scratch.

...but... building necks isn't difficult either. Just try it if you doubt you can.

[M_A_T_T]

Carving the neck is the best part, the worst part is worrying if your fretboard is glued on straight. Well for me it is, i did the measurments no less than 300 times too.

Use locating pegs. Drill a shallow 1/8" hole (1/8" depth) off center on the neck and the same on the fretboard. When they are glued together it will line the fretboard up exactly.

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Use alignment pins. Drill 1/16" holes at either end of your board into the neck while the board is clamped in place, then cut short lengths of 1/16" metal rod to fit in the holes, leaving enough to grab with pliers so you can remove them afterward. The fingerboard will not move when gluing. To hide the holes drill them in fret slots.

[GuitarGuy]

Carving the neck is the best part, the worst part is worrying if your fretboard is glued on straight. Well for me it is, i did the measurments no less than 300 times too.

Use locating pegs. Drill a shallow 1/8" hole (1/8" depth) off center on the neck and the same on the fretboard. When they are glued together it will line the fretboard up exactly.

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Use alignment pins. Drill 1/16" holes at either end of your board into the neck while the board is clamped in place, then cut short lengths of 1/16" metal rod to fit in the holes, leaving enough to grab with pliers so you can remove them afterward. The fingerboard will not move when gluing. To hide the holes drill them in fret slots.

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That works too. I use the dowels because of the way my neck jig works on the milling machine. The principle is the same.

[irishslappop]

ok so can anyone provide me with general instructions to truss rod placement and seating and what not? i had a heap of trouble finding a resource that could explain it good and i figure that you guys all sound very experienced and what not soo why not ask. i have built my body with custom pickups among other things and just need to build a neck now, andsimply need a little instruction

thanks

[Mattia]

ok so can anyone provide me with general instructions to truss rod placement and seating and what not? i had a heap of trouble finding a resource that could explain it good and i figure that you guys all sound very experienced and what not soo why not ask. i have built my body with custom pickups among other things and just need to build a neck now, andsimply need a little instruction

thanks

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Head to stewmac, read their free info sheets.

Additionally, you clearly haven't bought 'Make Your Own Electric Guitar' by Melvyn Hiscock yet, 'cause there's a whole chapter on them ;-)

[Southpa]

necks, necks , ...necks. I love making necks. I like making bodies too!

Making a neck is easy, making a body is easy. The challenge is mating them together with precise height and alignment per bridge and nut specifications. If you are off by 1/8" at one end then it will likely be a full inch at the other end.

Erikbo, PM me your email and some dimensions of the piece of holly you want. Yes, indeedy, that log is now all cut up into manageable pieces, only cost me 50 bucks Cdn. The wood-mizer guy is a genius. I got 4 - 2" X33" perfectly quartersawn pieces of varying widths. These will be future guitar necks, not quite long enough for a full neck thru guitar but I can do bolt-ons and set necks. And I have LOTS of scrap pieces for inlays, headstock veneers etc.

The holly is still rough cut and is pretty wet. I mean this stuff is HEAVY and dense, so I figure it should sit for at least a year's drying time. My thicker neck pieces will probably have to sit for TWO years, . I can spare free holly to any other folks who have a serious interest in using it like Erik. But I'll have to ship COD because it could get costly for me, like I said, its heavy wood. I've checked local wood suppliers in my area and was told that it is currently unavailable, so this stuff is rare hereabouts.

I gotta head out the door pretty soon but when I get back this eve I'll snap some pics and post them in a new thread. Chow for naio.

SP

Edited September 28, 2005 by Southpa

[TeiscosRock]

So for the buying a 2x4 idea, would I wanna get Yellow Pine boards or Whitwood boards? (Whitewood is described, from what I can tell, as spruce,pine, or douglas fir)

Yellow pine seems to only come in measurements greater than 2x4, so I'm guessing I want Whtiewood anyway (since that seems to be what most normal 2x4's are)

[jamesj]

So for the buying a 2x4 idea, would I wanna get Yellow Pine boards or Whitwood boards? (Whitewood is described, from what I can tell, as spruce,pine, or douglas fir)

Yellow pine seems to only come in measurements greater than 2x4, so I'm guessing I want Whtiewood anyway (since that seems to be what most normal 2x4's are)

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the cheapest. since its only for practice..... Treated wouldnt be a good Idea though, some of it is "juicy" try to stay away from a "sappy" board also, it will clug everything up.

[TeiscosRock]

So for the buying a 2x4 idea, would I wanna get Yellow Pine boards or Whitwood boards? (Whitewood is described, from what I can tell, as spruce,pine, or douglas fir)

Yellow pine seems to only come in measurements greater than 2x4, so I'm guessing I want Whtiewood anyway (since that seems to be what most normal 2x4's are)

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the cheapest. since its only for practice..... Treated wouldnt be a good Idea though, some of it is "juicy" try to stay away from a "sappy" board also, it will clug everything up.

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Good logic. I think I'll go with the whitewood, since It says on the site that it's kiln dried to at least some extent, so it wont be too moist to work with or anything. Besides, yellow pine is just icky

[12056]

dont think about messing up. think about the roundness of the neck, and just slowly chissel away at the neck. it takes a while, but it takes patience.

[Xanthus]

Nice thread, guys, very helpful

Yeah, I'm about halfway through my first build now, and I decided to buy a premade Carvin neckthrough, mainly because I have a Carvin neckthrough already, and it's the best-feeling neck I've come across in my limited experience of playing more than one guitar.

Other reasons followed, such as it'd save me time and labor (though I actually waited a month for my neck... so I guess not) and I felt much "safer" buying one all pre-done. Still trying to work through this build with minimal screw-uppage.

Don't get me wrong, I'm feeling really good about this build (overall), and I'm looking forward to building my own neck, when I have another $700-ish to throw down for a project. For a first-timer (or maybe just in my case, I'm not phenomenal with woodworking), building a premade neck might be the way to go, to help in getting your craftsmanship "bearings." I know it worked for me.

And my nice premade Carvin neck means that the most nail-biting event in the build is going to be making sure I get the bridge routing pocket exact

I think it was Verhoevenc who said on the first page or so that his Carvin neck was really bulky too. I found that one out as well, so a major rasping is in order. I dunno if I should profile it like my other Carvin neck or not, seeing as the build body is 1 3/4" thick, whereas my Carvin body is just over 1 1/2", but yes, the heel that neck ships with is CHUNKY!

Eh, the body's a good looking piece of mahog. I'd hate to take off more than needed. 1 3/4" is fine with me.

-Xanthus