croaticum Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I started on my first neck project and it is comming along good. For now. Ill have some pics tomorrow 'cos i left my cam at my gf and i cand download it from my DV-cam. Now I did some progress on the curve on the back of the neck and im thinking of experimenting a bit. Since it is my first project, as for a neck, could imaybe do a honduran mahogany fretboar? Did anyone tried that(I really dont think that no one didnt tryed but still...) And what about oak? Or any sugesstions maybe? Thx in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druss Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Take lots of pics so you can save me some mistakes. How are you shaping it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I started on my first neck project and it is comming along good. For now. Ill have some pics tomorrow 'cos i left my cam at my gf and i cand download it from my DV-cam. Now I did some progress on the curve on the back of the neck and im thinking of experimenting a bit. Since it is my first project, as for a neck, could imaybe do a honduran mahogany fretboar? Did anyone tried that(I really dont think that no one didnt tryed but still...) And what about oak? Or any sugesstions maybe? Thx in advance! Good luck! Just be patient and check,check,check those dimensions. As you shape the back keep watching the thickness. In regards to the fretboard. You want a good hard wood that is wear resistant. Mahogany is probably a bit soft. Oak? Maybe, but wouldn't be my first choice. I prefer woods that don't require much more than oil for a finish(people finish Maple though so it is not a deal breaker.). I like Ebony, All kinds of Rosewoods, Snakewood, Katalox, Bocote, Bloodwood, Purpleheart, Bubinga, Pink Ivory, Zircote, Canary Wood, and so on(plenty of options). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Thx, Well since i have shovel instead of my nand i made it a bit wider. It is 4,7 mm at nut ans 6 mm at the end of aneck. And im making it by the eye, well i did mesure all and now im shaping it by the feal. For now im really happy with it, and i even thot that would be harder to do then it really is. Ill post some pics later on today to show you the progress, and tools i used so far. Next one on my list of questions would be do i really need trust rod in the neck that will have only .9 strings on since it is made from really hard wood? I am going to put it in but i was just wondering since it is gouing to be bolt on and all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Making necks are fun and by far the most intimidating part of the first full build. I'm not surprised to hear you say that it's not as hard as you thought it was going to be. Do you need a truss rod? Well, yes and no. While you could build a playable guitar without one, the neck would be prone to bend too far forward and give you much higher action than you may like. I've made a few 3-string guitars and a few 4-string guitars without truss rods and the action is okay. I wouldn't want to build a standard 6-string guitar without some sort of neck support, either a non-adjustable metal rod or a truss rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 yes, thx Bill it is really not that hard since i saw you build it so now i have a good ide what to do. I will go with adjustable trus rod on this one, and if i screw up ill start over. Ok here is some pics for you guys: thats the blank i had and here is some progress pics: 1. After i decided and cut what kind of head i want on it 2.I tried to show you guys a side wiev but i guess i failed lol 3.On this one you can actually see the progress More to come.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 (edited) Ah, the first time. Consider the order of steps you need to take. For example, Once I get one side of my neck blank true and flat, and located where I want to position the nut, I rout the truss rod slot. This is when the sides are still straight and parallel. Its harder to position and cut a truss rod slot on a tapered neck, especially with the back already carved. Every guitar neck needs relief and preferably, a way to control relief. For the most part guitars built without truss rods are cheap nylon strung classicals. They may play well for a number of years but string tension will still eventually overcome neck stiffness. Its a constant force being exerted and, regardless of the type of wood or gauge of strings used, one day you will notice the guitar is more difficult to play. Of course, it may take up to many years for this to happen, but its still nice to be able to correct it with a simple turn of the key. Edited March 17, 2006 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Well i started this after i recived Bill Jehle's Control Freak CD and since this is my first neck build it is more likely to go wrong than to turn out right! But you never know. I am really satisfied with the backside of the neck for now. It really metck my hand and as i said few times i think itl turn out ok. This build was moastly started inspired by CD and i was going to see what are the things that can go wrong while making one. LOL Regarding trus rod cavity that shouldnt be any problem cos i didnt make angeled neck so i guess 2 clamps, table and im ok. For now i used microplane rasp that cost me about 4 bucks and this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Don't use Honduran mahogany (or any other mahogany) for the fretboard. Indian rosewood boards are cheap, and will hold up find. Maple's even cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitefly SA Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 sorry to hijack but if i used 3 carbon fiber rods in a neck would that be fine with out a truss rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Don't use Honduran mahogany (or any other mahogany) for the fretboard. Indian rosewood boards are cheap, and will hold up find. Maple's even cheaper. good point there, but thouse woods are really hard to find in Croatia. I was in trying to find a 2 pieces of mapel here and no one could provide it. I know it sounds hilarious but that is the truth! Not many of us here make solidbodyes. I know just one guy beside myself that works on electrics and he is too on this forum. Rosewood and ebony i wont even try to find here cos that will end up in nervous brakedown. Well, theres allways stumack sorry to hijack but if i used 3 carbon fiber rods in a neck would that be fine with out a truss rod? Yea thats good q, i can even make carbon fiber rods since i work on car tunning as one of my hobbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Maple unavailable in central Europe? Doesn't seem likely. Heck, that's where most of the euro maple used in violins, etc. comes from. No chance of mail order? One of the UK or German suppliers? Or Italian suppliers? I know there are a few spruce suppliers in Bosnia, anyway, and they might carry maple as well, and, heck, you're neighbours. Given the wealth of instrument restoration/history in Hungary, I'd think you'd be able to source some hardwood there, and there are sources in Italy you could get in touch with, like Rivolta, who will accept international bank transfers (I would assume) if you don't have a credit card. As for 3 CF rods...it'll be stiff. Probably stiff enough. But if it's not dead-on where you want it, not adjustable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 (edited) Well i really dont have a reason to lie to you. There is just a 2-3 meters loang and about 15-20 cm construction wood i can get my hands on. In my region there is absolutelly no mill that can provide me with a peace of maple, belive it or not and as for some that claimed they can the price was astronomical. I tried to look at our local mills and even in hobby centers but no wood. There is planty wood for a acustics and some of the greatest builders are in my region but same prob. Eather they process their own wood or they order from germany, UK etc... The dominator v that im working on now is made out of honduran but it is a 5 piece body. If you have some links from Bosnia or Hungary it would be great if you could send it to me. I would really apriciate it. I am in Osijek, at slavonian region so i have about an hour to hungary Pecs and about hour away from Sarajevo so that would be awesome. The honduran mahogany is way cheaper here then maple as far as i know and as i ewalk the streets i see mapell arround me.LOL Maybe i should cut someLOL Or maybe i just stink at locating good wood dealer? Anyways hope you have some links or addresses for me thx Edited March 18, 2006 by croaticum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Well i really dont have a reason to lie to you. There is just a 2-3 meters loang and about 15-20 cm construction wood i can get my hands on. In my region there is absolutelly no mill that can provide me with a peace of maple, belive it or not and as for some that claimed they can the price was astronomical. I tried to look at our local mills and even in hobby centers but no wood. There is planty wood for a acustics and some of the greatest builders are in my region but same prob. Eather they process their own wood or they order from germany, UK etc... The dominator v that im working on now is made out of honduran but it is a 5 piece body. If you have some links from Bosnia or Hungary it would be great if you could send it to me. I would really apriciate it. I am in Osijek, at slavonian region so i have about an hour to hungary Pecs and about hour away from Sarajevo so that would be awesome. The honduran mahogany is way cheaper here then maple as far as i know and as i ewalk the streets i see mapell arround me.LOL Maybe i should cut someLOL Or maybe i just stink at locating good wood dealer? Anyways hope you have some links or addresses for me thx I'm not saying you're lying, I'm just saying that it's really weird! The place that sells Honduran mahogany doesn't have anything else? Where's this Honduran coming from? You sure it's honduran? Because frankly, honuran mahogany is fast becoming difficult to get a hold of as the CITES trade restrictions/export bans from certain countries take hold. Also, if there's wood for acoustics, there's wood for electrics; contact one of those makers in your area and ask them where they get their stuff from. For german sources, there's a list of various European sources pinned in the supplies section (IIRC), look through those. Can't find places in Hungary on the internet, but a google for 'croatia tonewood' and 'bosnia tonewood' yields a few listings of company names that you should be able to find via your yellow pages, at the very least. For italy, contact Rivolta (www.riwoods.com) who should be able to provide most of what you need. List here: http://www.timberhunt.com/timber_trade/cou...IA%20(HRVATSKA) Mattia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaponepsilon Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Will somebody mail the poor guy a piece of maple? Seriously, the most intimidating part of neck building is the neck shaping. I dont know how you guys do it. Oh, and I happen to have a perfect chunk of maple from Michigan. Long enough to build even a bass neck out of, croaticum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 (edited) I'm not saying you're lying, I'm just saying that it's really weird! The place that sells Honduran mahogany doesn't have anything else? Where's this Honduran coming from? You sure it's honduran? Because frankly, honuran mahogany is fast becoming difficult to get a hold of as the CITES trade restrictions/export bans from certain countries take hold. Also, if there's wood for acoustics, there's wood for electrics; contact one of those makers in your area and ask them where they get their stuff from. For german sources, there's a list of various European sources pinned in the supplies section (IIRC), look through those. Can't find places in Hungary on the internet, but a google for 'croatia tonewood' and 'bosnia tonewood' yields a few listings of company names that you should be able to find via your yellow pages, at the very least. For italy, contact Rivolta (www.riwoods.com) who should be able to provide most of what you need. List here: http://www.timberhunt.com/timber_trade/cou...IA%20(HRVATSKA) Mattia Thanks for the link. Im not saying there is none maple or other woods here but they are moasltly premade for constructions and it is very hard to find a chunk of wood for a one or two piece body. As for the necks i can find pieces for neck very cheep. This neck that im working on now cost me less then 2 bucks. Will somebody mail the poor guy a piece of maple? Seriously, the most intimidating part of neck building is the neck shaping. I dont know how you guys do it. Oh, and I happen to have a perfect chunk of maple from Michigan. Long enough to build even a bass neck out of, croaticum. It is not as hard as you might think to shape neck. Belive me this is my first and i havent made any mayor mistakes. As i said before it is not hard to find a neck piece of any type of woods here and it costs next to nothing. Thx for offer Anyways, today im hoping to finish first stage of neck building and ill post few pics later. Edited March 19, 2006 by croaticum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Will somebody mail the poor guy a piece of maple? Seriously, the most intimidating part of neck building is the neck shaping. I dont know how you guys do it. Oh, and I happen to have a perfect chunk of maple from Michigan. Long enough to build even a bass neck out of, croaticum. He's got honduran for the neck, he doesn't need no steenkin maple. What he needs is a fingerboard ;-) Besides, the issue is setting himself up with a line on tonewood for the inevitable future builds, ain't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted March 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 (edited) yep, thats it! Ok, hers the pic i promissed: Head Ruffly modeled back side And back of the head Im sorry that my cam couldnt provide more detaild pics. Building necks is fun Now im gonna shape it more by hand and make sure it fits my needs. What do you guys think of it so far? Edited March 19, 2006 by croaticum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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