Tinu_CH Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 Hello Folks! As I am just making up my first guitar in my mind and still collecting ideas, I wanted to ask you once what you think of a one piece hardmaple through-neck on a sevenstring hardtail guitar. Will it be stable enough to stand the tension of seven strings? I'm thinking of using a one-piece because it's my first guitar and I wanna put it off as simple as possible... Or would you rather tend to build a 3 or 5 piece-neck due to stability? Theres a great picture of a one-piece-through-neck in RGGR's RGT220-thread in the "Work in progress and finished work" section, so you could get a better idea of ehat I'm talking about. Thanx for advice and sorry for my bad english Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 You have answered your own question really. If you can find a peice of maple good enough there is no reason not to. I would laminate a neck black for the extra insurance though, and it can look cooler!! If you do go the one peice way i would use CF neck reinforcement to give you the insurance you need that the neck will stay straight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 (edited) Laminated necks looks sooooo much cooler, IMHO. Specially with nice contrasting wood added like Wenge or Bubinga, etc. The Wenge/Bubinga will not only add strength to the neck, but will also color it's tone signature. Something you can play with. Other option would be to get long neck blank, and still rip it in 3s, and flipflop the piece for added stability, as he pieces will work against each other while creating a more stable neck. Some think one piece neck is better as you do without the added glue joints (as glue joint take away sustain.) I'm no expert here, but I stand my ground that laminated necks look cool. And to answer your question.....one piece neck will be stable enough. No question. Edited August 22, 2006 by RGGR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinu_CH Posted August 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 (edited) Yeah, I agree totally that a multi-laminate neck looks way cooler, but im just afraid of building one... In addition, i come from switzerland where I can't just go to my wood dealer next door... It's soooo hard to find any tonewood! Do you think, it's possible to build a 5pc neck with minimum tool equipment? I'm just 17 years old now, and i don't really have money to buy a planing machine! I could just bring it over to a local woodworker to plane it... would be another option! Well what do you think? should i give it a try? And another short question: On IBZ three-piece maplenecks, there are sometimes these veeery thin almost black stripes between the laminates. What wood is that? i heard it was "tulipwood".. Do you know what that is? thx for answering my questions Greez Martin Edited August 23, 2006 by Tinu_CH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Yeah, I agree totally that a multi-laminate neck looks way cooler, but im just afraid of building one... In addition, i come from switzerland where I can't just go to my wood dealer next door... It's soooo hard to find any tonewood! Just means you have to look harder!! Somewhere on this site there is overview of all major European Wood Suppliers. I did quick search but couldn't find it so fast. There must be some good suppliers available in Germany/Italy. But contact local Swiss guitar builders and ask them where they get their wood. Do you think, it's possible to build a 5pc neck with minimum tool equipment? I'm just 17 years old now, and i don't really have money to buy a planing machine! It's stupid to invest in tools you only use couple of time during build. Read: Planers/Bandsaws etc. Invest your money wisely and get $30-50 router, some quality router bits.....and simply beg, steal or borrow for the more expensive tools. Find local woodworking companies, explain them what your doing and for 6 pack, or pack of smokes they will help you out. Cause who wouldn't not help-out a 17 year old building a cool guitar!!......You ask by asking. So pick up the phone and start calling around, you'll surprised how many great tools are in your backyard. I could just bring it over to a local woodworker to plane it... would be another option! That not an option, it's a must. On IBZ three-piece maplenecks, there are sometimes these very thin almost black stripes between the laminates. What wood is that? i heard it was "tulipwood".. Do you know what that is? I think Ibanez uses either one of these. A thin colored maple veneer.....or a thin fiber sheet. Bot can be had from (although for ordering you might need your daddy's Credit Card.) http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....Colored+Veneers http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....r+Veneer+Sheets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 -1 on the stealing of tools. Begging or borrowing is cool though as it keeps everything within the family so to speak. I have knives for the thieves of guitars and tools. Well, thieves in general. Martin - what is Switzerland like for import duty when buying from abroad? It may be an idea to buy from David Dyke in the UK as inter-European import might be a lot more relaxed. I'm not sure if he ships, but it's worth asking the question anyway. Alternatively, Stewart MacDonald do some good things as long as you don't get sucked into the Million Dollar Man Dan Erlewine's tools that will make you into the worlds most out of pocket luthier. +1 on the bandsaw +2 on the router +1 on a good fore plane (12"+ sole) +1 on bribing local woodworkers (cabinet makers especially!) for usage on their thickness planers/sanders, jointers etc. (although I would recommend the beer as opposed to cigarettes). If you can get decent well-dried wood, and either make it into a blank yourself or get somebody else to do it at reasonable cost, the rest is open to however you want to take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 You could buy from David Dyke, and I've had some good stuff from him, but if you're paying shipping anyway, you should look at ordering from America. Wood, tools and hardware are all around 1/3rd to 1/2 cheaper than in the UK, which makes them a good source, even taking the shipping into account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 And if you fancy ordering from america send an email to larry at www.galleryhardwoods.com. I got some nice neck laminates from him and they turn up perfectly square and all exactly the same size. If you are carefull with your glue-up it might not even need planing again. I did one recently and only had to run over it with a long sanding stick to get the glue off the surface Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 (edited) Ordering wood from US should be your last resort. There must be luthiers in Switserland, so there must be sources out there. Simply search harder. Lot's of good European Maple comes from Bosnia region. Heck, Stadivarious got most his wood from this area......so good sources are available in the region. Simply search harder. For Mahogany, Maple, Alder there should be sources close by. Quick google yields: http://www.tonewood.ch/ http://www.riwoods.com/ https://www.tonewood.sk/ http://www.gleissner-tonewood.de/index.html http://www.cropp-timber.com/ http://www.bachmann-guitars.com/ http://www.mm-holz.com/cms/cms.php http://www.schaffer.co.at/ http://www.tonewood-international.com/ http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/suppliers.htm http://www.luth.org/hot.htm#label2 For the more exotic woods you should check sources mention on this site (mostly US) There are good sources available in the south of Germany and/or North of Italy. Should be few hours drive. I'm located in Holland and have access to all kinds of cool woods. (http://www.af.nl/voorraad/massief/) Good luck, A Edited August 23, 2006 by RGGR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 Do you think european maple and european alder will work well for a neck thru guitar? I might have the chance to finally build something here in Spain, but since this is not my country i have no idea about anything here, where to buy wood, materials, etc, so chances are that if i find wood, they'd be european, so i was wondering that for european maple and alder, i plan to laminated the neck, 3 pieces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inisheer Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 Find local woodworking companies, explain them what your doing and for 6 pack, or pack of smokes they will help you out. Cause who wouldn't not help-out a 17 year old building a cool guitar!! Hmmm...if he is only 17, wouldn't that make it difficult for him to bribe people with a six pack? And I don't think alder is strong enough for a neck. But the maple should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 I know Carvin sells replacement/project one-piece necks for 6 and 7 strings, and I haven't heard any complaints about their stability. I don't know how much of an option they are for your situation, but that is my $.02 http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?...7&CID=GTR/K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyManAndy Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 Alder is not a good neck wood, but the maple ought to work. European maple is softer than NA hard maple but I think it'll still work. CMA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.