WAK Guitars Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 I was wondering if anyone out there's used oak for a neck? I heard that people dont generally use it cause its not very resonant. Cause I got an offcut I could use for a neck and I was just wondering if anyone here has done it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 well resonance will vary between different bits of oak... i think the bigger issue will be weight Wasn't Brian May's red special oak necked?? i wouldnt bother with it but it is usable if you must Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooglebug Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 oak fretboard but i think the neck was a mahogany fireplace or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Mays guitar was made from a century old oak fireplace mantle. I have made two neck of Oak. No problems. Resonance wary between two pieces of maple or mahogany too. No two pieces of wood will be the same. I still do not recommend oak as the pores are huge and the difference in hardness is quite big between the soft and hard parts, making a smooth carving difficult, very similar to ash (ever tried to make a smooth belly cut on a ash body...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 An oak neck is also going to be heavy and cause neck dive issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Mays guitar was made from a century old oak fireplace mantle. I have made two neck of Oak. No problems. Resonance wary between two pieces of maple or mahogany too. No two pieces of wood will be the same. I still do not recommend oak as the pores are huge and the difference in hardness is quite big between the soft and hard parts, making a smooth carving difficult, very similar to ash (ever tried to make a smooth belly cut on a ash body...). I agree with the Swed the large pores would be a pain. As far as shaping it probably would be a bit more difficult than your standard neck blank but not impossible. White oak would be a better choice than red oak, quartered rather than flat saw would also reduce the soft spots band effect in the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 An oak neck is also going to be heavy and cause neck dive issues. That is not an issue on the two guitars I have made with oak necks. And one of them is a SG shaped guitar, meaning there are a shorter-than-usual upper horn (compared to a Strat or similar shaped guitars)so the issue should really be more apparent on that guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 That's surprising. Oak rings in around 40 lbs/cu. ft. which is one of the heaviest North American woods. I think maple is around the mid 20's, but I don't have my book handy right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 yeah but... ever played a guitar with a rosewood neck or something similarly weighty. you can tell its heavier in the neck when you compare side by side with something more normal but its not often a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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