Neck Pickup Cavity And Staining

[araz]

Hi folks,

I'm reaching the end of my project but I have a dilema. The neck is finished but not stained, all cavities on the body are carved except the neck pickup cavity.

My dilmena is, in order to route the neck pkup cavity, I need to install the neck (glue it) because part of the neck tenon will be routed as part of the pickup cavity (it's a set neck) but if I do that then finishing (staining) the guitar later will be more difficult with the neck in place.

Ideally, I would temporarily hold the neck in place (it has a 3 degree angle), then carve the neck pkup, remove the neck and proceed with staining but I just can't think of a way to temporarily hold the neck in place solidly enough and have enough room to use the pkup template and router.

Should I just glue the neck in place, route the pkup and just deal with the staining issues...?

Araz

[thewrathofraf]

ya it shouldnt be much more difficult to stain with the neck on. im building a neck thourhg so i have no choice.

-RAF

[Setch]

Route the neck pickup, then sit the neck in place. With a sharp pencil, mark which areas of the neck need to be removed, and trim them away with a razor or dovetail saw.

Alternatively, shim the neck with masking tape or paper, until it is firmly wedged into the pocket. Then, route the cavity - this won't work if you've attached the fretboard, since it will obstruct your template and router base.

[araz]

Route the neck pickup, then sit the neck in place.  With a sharp pencil, mark which areas of the neck need to be removed, and trim them away with a razor or dovetail saw.

Alternatively, shim the neck with masking tape or paper, until it is firmly wedged into the pocket.  Then, route the cavity - this won't work if you've attached the fretboard, since it will obstruct your template and router base.

http://home.asparagine.net/ant/bloguploads...puptemplate.jpg

←

I already checked out your site Setch to see how you did it but I could not wedge the neck in the body tight enough to feel comfortable about routing.

However, I like your first idea. I.e., route the neck pickup, then carve the neck tenon. I will have to find a way to produce a 3 degree angle on the neck tenon but I'm sure that will not be too difficult.

Actually, I may not even need a 3 degree angle on the neck if the pkup screw cavities are at the right height, i.e., just low/high enough to not allow the bottom of the pkup to touch the neck tenon. Since they already have the 3 degree angle in them, the pkups will be screwed in these cavities and the bottom of the pkup itself will be floating above the neck tenon.

I hope I was able to explain it clearly enough but either way I think I have a way to do this now.

Thank you very much for your valuable information.

Araz

ps. this site is so amazing

[araz]

It worked

I routed the neck pickup cavity first, then marked an outline on the neck tenon and just routed the tenon in my router planing jig http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=18537

One step closer to actually finishing this damn thing.

Araz

[Guitarfrenzy]

That's the way I do my guitars also. Here's the only link I know of that shows the method for a set neck.

Installing A Set Neck - Doug

[brian d]

That's the way I do my guitars also.  Here's the only link I know of that shows the method for a set neck. 

Installing A Set Neck - Doug

←

Nice... One question though...

The angles are so square and the surfaces so straight, was that all done with a skinny belt sander? I would have thought that you'd need sanding blocks and sharp chisels to get that result.

Regards,

Brian.