Devon Headen Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Just curious, how may of you make your own necks, and how many buy pre-manufactured ones? If you make your own, what radius do you usually use? Or is it compound? What size fret wire do you use? What's the shape of the neck? The dimensions? Lots of questions...if you think of anything else relavant tell me that too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing I forked out $200+ for a neck when I could have built it myself and enjoyed the experience. I guess it depends on what your interests are though. The neck is one of the most rewarding parts to build (at least for me it is). Dimensions and radii are all over the place - it depends on your preferences. I have only built 25.5 scale length necks because that's what I like to play. I also prefer the jumbo frets - they feel great to me. If you're thinking about buying or building one, don't foget to include the bridge radius in all of this. If you don't, you could end up with higher action than what you want. Some bridges let you adjust this easily, others make it more difficult. For a beginner, I think it's best to not plan on modifying the bridge radius but maybe it's not such a big deal. The main thing is to not forget about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 i'll have to go with dave on this one, i know alot of people here buy necks which i can understand, my first couple probably aren't going to be "amazing" but... to be able to afford making more then 1 or 2 guitars (providing you have at least some of the right tools) you're going to have to learn to make your own necks sooner or later... might as well get it over with as far as radius it's a matter or personal taste, play a couple different guitars and see what you like about each... most people tend to have a guitar neck they really like, usualy one of the ones they own and try to make an exact copy of it, then make little modifications as they see fit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 ok...don't think my questions gonna get answered on the other thread so I'll post it here. How do you go about shaping the fretboard? Do you leave it level, and just sand it all the way down to the radius you want? Or is there shaping done with a chisel or something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 other thread? you leave the FB flat till your ready to radius it, and you do so entirely with sanding blocks, starting with 60-80 grit to get rid of most of the wood, then go up to 150-200 ish to finish it off, then go as high as you want to put that final shine on the board. unless of course you have a 2 ft sanding belt, then you should make that jig that you hang the neck from, looks like it's a hell of alot faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Hey Stones, Personally, I buy my necks. The reason? If the body is off, it can be fixed and the guitar still playable. But if the neck is off, the guitar is not playable. It is a matter of courage. And I ain't got it. Guitar Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 I generally get Fender necks off eBay and bolt them onto bodies that I make, but I've only been doing this about a year so there you go. I do have access to most of the proper tools (and actually own a few myself), I just have not gotten round to doing a neck yet. But I will soon...a small travel guitar is in my near future. I'll try to make the neck myself (no headstock). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 other thread? you leave the FB flat till your ready to radius it, and you do so entirely with sanding blocks, starting with 60-80 grit to get rid of most of the wood, then go up to 150-200 ish to finish it off, then go as high as you want to put that final shine on the board. unless of course you have a 2 ft sanding belt, then you should make that jig that you hang the neck from, looks like it's a hell of alot faster. Other thread would be "Stewmac radius sanding block". I asked that question at the bottom, and nobody has replied so I just figured this thread made sense to post it in too. Thanks alot for the info guys. I want to built from scratch, but I'm a perfectionist, so I'm scared to do it because I know the first guitar won't meet my standards. I guess I just gotta do it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 But I will soon...a small travel guitar is in my near future. I'll try to make the neck myself (no headstock). Will you be making this a short-scale, around 19" or 20"? I want to make a headless one along these lines but I wondered what to do about a short scale truss rod. Please post if you find a such a truss rod or if you modify a full scale one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 I want to built from scratch, but I'm a perfectionist, so I'm scared to do it because I know the first guitar won't meet my standards. I guess I just gotta do it anyway I'm the same way. I was really surprised after building my first neck. There are some very minor issues with it but none that affect playing (a nick in the fretboard, one of the dots isn't centered correctly). It made me want to build some more to see how close to "perfection" I could get. Something always seems to happen to me though so I'm not quite there yet. Try it, you may find that it's the most rewarding part. Then again, it may frustrate the crap out of you. I still think it's worth trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted October 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 Thanks, you guys. I think I'm gonna go for it, just need to finish getting info, and choose a wood. Here come the real questions. How do you shape the neck? is there a tutorial anywhere you guys know of? When I build a neck, it'll probably be a gibson/prs style...leaning towards the PRS style angled headstock with straight string pull-back. How do you do this? I saw the tutorial on the guitarbuild.com website, but does anyone have any other ideas? Do I need a truss rod jig for my router? Do I rout before or after the neck shaping? How is the truss rod installed? on my strat there is a piece of wood (I'm assuming rosewood) that covers the truss rod cavity. How exactly is this installed? Glue in seems near impossible. How do I figure the neck angle. How do I make the neck angle what it needs to be? I'd like an attached (glued) neck for sustains sake. How do I carve the end of the neck/neck insert into the body? Wow...I think that's enough questions for now more later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I make my own necks. They're not perfect.. but close and personally, I love my necks. I can get any new strat (I'm a stratcat, flame me.... ) I want, but I actually prefer my own necks. I built my first neck 9 months ago and the only reason I screwed up was becuz the trussrod was malfunctioning....not my fault. I built three necks since and they all came out pretty well. Lemme dig up some foto's to show you an easy way for shaping. I can't help you with the angled headstock though. My personal preference is to shape the neck after you put in the frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 holly hudge pics TSL !! lol but nice quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I build my necks from scratch, it's easier than you'd think. The majority of your questions are answered in 'Make your own Electric Guitar' by Melvyn Hiscock, I suggest you buy a copy if you're serious about building a guitar. Re: Fretboards - If I'm using a handmade fretboard, I have a router jig to cut the radius on it, which I follow up with a radiused sanding block to remove tooling marks. Re: Neck carving - I use a spokeshave and scrapers, followed by some light sanding. This method is very quick and controllable, though you do need to be carefull not to go to quick, and avoid taking away meat which can't be put back. Re: Trussrod - Depending on the type you use you can cut either a straight channel, or a curved one. Straight is easier if you're a noob, but I cut a curved channel on my first neck and it worked out fine. If you check out the neck making tutorial on the projectguitar main site, be aware that it contains one glaring error - the builder installs a martin style rod in a curved channel. If you use this kind of rod, use a straight channel and epoxy the U-channel of the rod into the neck. You only need to cut a curved channel for a Gibson style single action compression rod, so using one with a Martin style U-channel rod is extra work, and will quite likely negatively effect the functioning of the rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 holly hudge pics TSL !! lol but nice quality yeah, sorry.. but I hate to resize, save a copy as.. blablabla ****... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 are those pictures of your dream kitchen in the magazine underneath your neck,tsl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 i'd love to have a DIY neck, but i don't have time, don't have the right tools, probably wouldn't know how to use the tools, and would stuff it up anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 but one day i will!!!.....maybe.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 are those pictures of your dream kitchen in the magazine underneath your neck,tsl? my dream kitchen would be place where I'd never go, except for screw.... never mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 But I will soon...a small travel guitar is in my near future. I'll try to make the neck myself (no headstock). Will you be making this a short-scale, around 19" or 20"? I want to make a headless one along these lines but I wondered what to do about a short scale truss rod. Please post if you find a such a truss rod or if you modify a full scale one. you could use a mandolin truss rod, i think they are 12" long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 holy god tsl, you are pretty wasteful when it comes to installing frets! i cut mine no more than 1 or 2mm wider than the fretboard... but then again i am better than you. only messin with ya! thats a lovely piece of figured maple btw..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 holy god tsl, you are pretty wasteful when it comes to installing frets! i cut mine no more than 1 or 2mm wider than the fretboard... but then again i am better than you. no... I get my frets like that... I pay $5 for 22 frets like that. You might be better, I'm more clever.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I like the idea of a hand made neck. It will be made exactly to your requirements and it's got to be better than a factory made one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Will you be making this a short-scale, around 19" or 20"? I want to make a headless one along these lines but I wondered what to do about a short scale truss rod. Please post if you find a such a truss rod or if you modify a full scale one. you could use a mandolin truss rod, i think they are 12" long Ooh! Good idea! Hmm... Stew Mac seems to have a 8-3/8" for a standard 14-1/8" mandolin scale... perhaps a mandola instead? Don't know where to find one of those, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunsu Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 wow!! tsl602000 's pic is wonderfull... I'm start my next guitar project ... walnut + ebony fingerboard. 25.5 Length i use neck making Spokeshaves , Scrapers and fingerboard radius use plane.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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