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Questions, So Many Questions!


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Since I'm still cluless about a lot of building I thought I'd ask a some questions.

1. If I wanted to build a Les Paul double cut what would be the size of the pieces wood I would need for the body and neck?

2. Am I more likely to have to glue two pieces together than I am of finding a piece large enough to do a one piece body?

3. Does planing a scarf joint at the headstock make it easier or difficuilt to find wood of a proper size?

4. How expensive are different woods compared to each other? Is plain maple expensive? Walnut?

5. Is it hard to put a veneer on a guitar with a glued in neck?

I'll stop there for now, five questions is enough for one post!

I've just ordered Melvyn Hiscocks book, it seems to get mentioned a lot round here! I'm sure it'll answer a lot of other questions I have.

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1. If your going to build the body and neck, you need the templates first. Get your templates, then see what size wood you need according to your templates.

2. Depends on what kind of wood your looking for. Mahogany and bubigna get large enough for 1 piece bodies, walnut and alder are not that wide.

3. the scarf joint doesnt make a difference in wood size for the neck. Its still the same length either way. The only way it would make it easier is if you scared a shorter piece, and then used a different piece for the headstock.

4. Wood prices vary EXTREMELY from state to state. You have to find out what prices are like around your area.

5. Veneer on a set neck: Are you talking about putting it on a guitar that already has a neck glued in, or just a set neck guitar that you would build? If its before you glue the neck in, its no different, its fine. It would be quite hard to put a veneer on a guitar that already has a neck glued in.

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5. Veneer on a set neck: Are you talking about putting it on a guitar that already has a neck glued in, or just a set neck guitar that you would build? If its before you glue the neck in, its no different, its fine. It would be quite hard to put a veneer on a guitar that already has a neck glued in.

One that I would build. From what I can see a LP -DC has a neck tenon (I think that's the word for it) running under the neck pickup route. What if you don't want a neck pickup? This is why I'm asking.

Thanks for the help.

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Definitely get Melvyn's book, it will answer all of your questions. Prices vary big time from the area you are in to the dealer to the qualtiy of the wood. I bought some curly maple locally that would easily go 4A if not 5A when graded by guys who sell lumber like that. These guys just sell curly maple, same price no matter how much curl. Size makes a big difference as well. You'll pay a premium for wider boards.

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Wood prices do vary a lot. Rockler is a good place to look if you can't find a good deal somewhere else. It seems like they have sales like twice a week. You can check out their website and join their mailing list.

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One that I would build. From what I can see a LP -DC has a neck tenon (I think that's the word for it) running under the neck pickup route. What if you don't want a neck pickup? This is why I'm asking.

Thanks for the help.

If you didn't have a neck pickup then you would see the neck tenon (which is usually covered up by the neck pickup). But if you put a veneer over you wouldn't see anything. Les paul juniors have no pickup at the end of the fingerboard and the tenon is covered up by the pickguard.

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