1-piece or 2-piece neck?

[erikbojerik]

I've roughed out 2 necks from some really great flame maple (no radius or back contours yet, still squared off). But now I'm thinking about the truss rods, and I'd like to keep the flame maple for the fretboard. My options are:

1) Go 1-piece and install the truss rod from the back w/ skunk stripe. Does anyone have experience with this (tutorial?)?

2) Go 2-piece, by having someone saw off the fretboard-side (thin rip saw?), do the normal top-loaded truss-rod thing, then glue the 'fretboard' back on.

One problem with #2 might be the thickness of wood removed during sawing...I'm already down to about 0.85" to 0.9" thickness because I had to plane off some warp.

Radiusing & back contours will come after this step.

Which way should I go?

thanks!

[Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars]

You could go G&L style and saw it in half like: |||

then route out 1/2 on each side for the truss rod.

[krazyderek]

what about go #2 and put a ebony laminate under then fingerboard to compensate for the thickness you'll need, it'll also accent the fingerboard too since it'll be an all maple neck with a thin black line, i think that'll look sweet!

[erikbojerik]

Derek nails it!

That's a really great idea, thanks man!