Set Neck On Single Pickup Guitar?

[killemall8]

i just snapped at this. i use a tennon like this

what would you do if you only had a bridge pickup? just leave it flush with the body? i dont like the sound of that. but if its the only way, i guess i wil try to fit in a neck pickup.

Edited April 9, 2008 by killemall8

[Xanthus]

You can do what Warwick does and do a hidden set-neck.

http://www.guitarsite.com/news/images/bass..._FRONT_BACK.gif

That's the best picture I can find. A set neck, but set from the back instead of the front, so it doesn't show through. You can feasibly make the tenon as long as you want.

What do you mean, you don't like the "sound" of it? As in, you don't think it's good structurally to leave the tenon exposed?

[killemall8]

i guess that sounded like a pun. i just meant i wouldnt like the thought of leaving the tennon exposed on the top. i guess i should be carful of which tense i use "sound", becuase we are basing our work around that!

[Xanthus]

hahahaha, I suppose you're right!

I don't see anything wrong with leaving the tenon, other than the aesthetics of it. After all, more wood is better, eh?

[Inisheer]

Fbasses usually have the tenon extended kind of far, and rather than have the neck woods contrasting with the body, they use a piece of the top to cover the end of the tenon to make it blend with the rest of the body. Not sure I described that very well. It seems complicated to me, but it looks good. Alternatively you could show off the woods (like the warmoth gecko necks do). I think Xanthus is right, that appearance is all that matters. Here is a pic of an fbass to show you what I mean. This is just one idea...maybe it will help?

[komodo]

You could also do a super crazy long fretboard, fret it to have 30 frets . . . or just extended and maybe do a cool shape on the end and some inlay.

[Xanthus]

You could also do a super crazy long fretboard, fret it to have 30 frets . . . or just extended and maybe do a cool shape on the end and some inlay.

IIRC he already ordered a board from Erik. Otherwise, a fretboard "endcap" might not be such a bad idea. Fretted, probably not, after 2 octaves is a bit beyond me, but a nice inlay might be cool.

[killemall8]

that would be cool, but it would take around 35 frets to get it to reach the bridge pickup. and there isnt anyone who slots fretboards more than 28 frets.

[ihocky2]

Probably the easiest way is to glue on the neck and then put on a veneer to cover everything or us a top cap of another wood.

[killemall8]

i would like it if i could do that, but i dont have the tools necessary to do that.

[ihocky2]

I thought you have used a maple cap in the past, I could be wrong though. A maple cap would be easier than a veneer, since it requires less tools, and is not going to bubble up on you.

[killemall8]

I thought you have used a maple cap in the past, I could be wrong though. A maple cap would be easier than a veneer, since it requires less tools, and is not going to bubble up on you.

nope, i have never done anything but a solidbody and not top laminate. i wish i could, but i dont have any way of getting the body perfectly flat, or the top itself.

[ihocky2]

Sounds like a great excuse to learn how to use a hand plane. That is the reason I first picked one up. I have a 12-1/2" thickness planer, but the body blank was about 18" wide, so there is not way that would fit. I practiced a little on some cheap lumber and once I was comfortable, I went to town. A little clean up with some 100 grit on a random orbital and I was in business.

[Mickguard]

On one of my guitars, I made my own veneer (pretty thick though, about 2mm) using scrap from the body wood, and glued that to the tenon. It was an ash body, so there was lots of grain anyway, so the lines sort of blend in --you have to get in pretty close to see that the tenon is there, but then it looks pretty cool (since I somehow managed to do a really neat job there!). Of course, I used a bolt-on neck. And I had a pickguard anyway--I just made the veneer for practice.

Now, if I wasn't using a pickguard, I would have added some kind of contrasting binding --that way I could set off the tenon, and especially the fit into the body, and the way I managed to bookmatch a veneer that blends in perfectly with the bookmatched top!

[WezV]

like this:

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=35241

notice the router is used to thickness the body!

or you could just leave it showing and make a feature out of it

or you could do it like PRS did on some early guitars, cant find pictures but he basically did a tenon like you show above but put a border of pearl around it to highlight the join rather than hide it

Or you could design a scratchplate to go with it

there are loads of options!!

[Xanthus]

Plugging your own threads, Wez?

[WezV]

why the hell not - the point is to show killemall8 that it can be done without many tools... and it can be done a number of different ways, i am sure killemall8 can come up with his own solution with the tools he has if he sees how other people have approached it

It seemed quicker and easier to reference myself since i know where my stuff is, in fairness i did try and find a picture of an old PRS to show his early solution but couldnt see one

.... and after a lot of searching i have found one:

http://www.hansenguitars.com/data/inspect....tory+Hand+Built

and looking at the filler around the inlays makes me feel better about my own skills!!

[Mickguard]

Plugging your own threads, Wez?

Sure. He probably gets 50 cents a page view. Or maybe it's a myspace thing --he's PGF's Tila Tequila!

[WezV]

He probably gets 50 cents a page view.

i think we should organise that!!

[j. pierce]

nope, i have never done anything but a solidbody and not top laminate. i wish i could, but i dont have any way of getting the body perfectly flat, or the top itself.

Where are you getting your wood from? If you're sourcing it locally, it might be worth asking the merchant if they can sell you a board surfaced four sides. My local lumberyard has even run my body blanks through the planer or the thickness sander after I've done my glue ups for multi-piece bodies. Of course, not every merchant is that accommodating, but that would get you half way there to having a perfectly flat set of wood to do a laminate top, with minimal amount of work. The charge is minimal at the places I usually go to, unless I'm in a real hurry.

Granted, however, many lumberyards may not offer thinner stock in a usable size for a top, so you may be stuck paying the premium for "guitar wood" from LMI, Stewmac, eBay or where-ever for a maple cap (or whatever you might want to use) and this might not be in the budget for this build.

But just thought I'd mention it. It might be worth asking.

[Mickguard]

He probably gets 50 cents a page view.

i think we should organise that!!

What? You don't want to be our Tila Tequila?

[WezV]

nah, buti could always use more money!!

[killemall8]

nope, i have never done anything but a solidbody and not top laminate. i wish i could, but i dont have any way of getting the body perfectly flat, or the top itself.

Where are you getting your wood from? If you're sourcing it locally, it might be worth asking the merchant if they can sell you a board surfaced four sides. My local lumberyard has even run my body blanks through the planer or the thickness sander after I've done my glue ups for multi-piece bodies. Of course, not every merchant is that accommodating, but that would get you half way there to having a perfectly flat set of wood to do a laminate top, with minimal amount of work. The charge is minimal at the places I usually go to, unless I'm in a real hurry.

Granted, however, many lumberyards may not offer thinner stock in a usable size for a top, so you may be stuck paying the premium for "guitar wood" from LMI, Stewmac, eBay or where-ever for a maple cap (or whatever you might want to use) and this might not be in the budget for this build.

But just thought I'd mention it. It might be worth asking.

i get my wood locally. but they have it all shipped surfaced on 2 sides. but the thing is, they dont have any equipment there. no planers no drum sanders or anything. they dont do any of the processing. they just sell it.