akvguitars Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if, with proper reinforcement (carbon fiber, strong fretboard, etc.) basswood would work as a neck? Anyone ever use it before? Reason I'm asking is I have a good size slab of basswood that I can either get 2 bodies out of, with a good amount of wasted wood (can't fit a 3rd in), or try a one-piece guitar. Speaking of, anyone ever try a one piece guitar? Better than a neck through? I'd assume that mahogany would be a better choice, but again, basswood is what I have. Thanks! -K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewu22 Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if, with proper reinforcement (carbon fiber, strong fretboard, etc.) basswood would work as a neck? Anyone ever use it before? Reason I'm asking is I have a good size slab of basswood that I can either get 2 bodies out of, with a good amount of wasted wood (can't fit a 3rd in), or try a one-piece guitar. Speaking of, anyone ever try a one piece guitar? Better than a neck through? I'd assume that mahogany would be a better choice, but again, basswood is what I have. Thanks! -K Why would you want to make a one piece guitar? I have heard that asked before, I think the answer was, yes, it can be done, but vary difficult to do. Basswood for a neck, someone will have a better answer for that than me. Good luck with your build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Hello all, I was wondering if, with proper reinforcement (carbon fiber, strong fretboard, etc.) basswood would work as a neck? Anyone ever use it before? Reason I'm asking is I have a good size slab of basswood that I can either get 2 bodies out of, with a good amount of wasted wood (can't fit a 3rd in), or try a one-piece guitar. Speaking of, anyone ever try a one piece guitar? Better than a neck through? I'd assume that mahogany would be a better choice, but again, basswood is what I have. Thanks! -K here we go again! the one piece guitar topic has been covered in this forum. I just don't see any advantages over a well built set neck guitar. and I wouldn't make a neck using basswood, it's just too soft. I think you should use the wood you got to make 2 or even 3 bodies (maybe the 3rd could be a 2 or 3 piece body) and get some maple, mahogany, etc, for the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akvguitars Posted July 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 just curious; thanks! I am going to go ahead with making the bodies. maybe at some point in the future I'll do a one piece guitar out of mahogany. Not because I think there's going to be any big difference in tone, just mostly as a novelty and to see if I can do it. thanks again for the replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Think of the waste wood! and also, basswood is far too soft, and also, I don't see much novelty in a one-piece guitar. Actually, it'd raise a few hairs on the back of my neck. Chances are, a blank that size is going to be flatsawn, meaning the neck as well... And I like glue joints, quartering/flipping grain, all the "fun" stuff that goes into building a guitar out of multiple pieces of woods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertbart Posted July 31, 2007 Report Share Posted July 31, 2007 I built a one piece guitar...headless in 1978 out of Cocobolo with a Rosewood fretboard. So I guess it was two piece. It was indeed a lot of hand work. Coupled with the fact that there were no headless systems for sale at that time. The piece that held the tuners was one inch brass bar stock drilled to accept Shaller tuners and brazed to a brass bridge plate with brass saddles. All hand made including the string retainer at the top of the neck. It had a quarter moon or sythe looking wings at the top so it would hang on a regular guitar hanger. It had two single coils and a humbucker at the bridge. The pick/ups were rear mounted and the area around the pick/ups coming through the face were bound with creme binding. It was bound with creme binding all the way round front and back and the fretboard. I hated it but somebody liked it because I sold it. It was very thin sounding way to much treble. Definitely unique... And no I don't have any pictures of it. I wish I did but then again I really didn't like that much. I caught a lot of grief from friends and other builders about that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjhalsey Posted July 31, 2007 Report Share Posted July 31, 2007 Bass wood for a neck would not hold up very well. I do not think it is rigid enough! JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubab0y Posted July 31, 2007 Report Share Posted July 31, 2007 You could do basswood and a bunch of neck laminates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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