86barettaguy Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 which would be easier to make, a bolt-on neck for an existing body (saves me the trouble of having to make the body), a through-neck (probably what i'd want in the end anyway) or a custom bolt-on (which means I'd have to make both the body and the neck myself)? which way would be the easiest (I have a parts guitar already, now I want something that's more of my own personal guitar)? btw, it sucks having to use one of these screenfridge things for this, but my brother occupied the PC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 I'd go with neck through since thats what you really want in the end anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 as far as what is easiest in my opinion they are all just as difficult.just different methods,that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86barettaguy Posted January 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 ok, so I should go for a neck-through. if I can afford the material (don't even know if anyone has long enough pieces of good maple yet) that is. what should be my choice if maple turns out to be unavailable in 1100 mm pieces (I figured that's about the length needed for a throughneck but maybe I need it to be even longer?)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 yup, well actually even less, you could get away with 42" (1066.80mm) if there weren't any splits in the end, but play it safe, 1100mm (43.3"). Also when making a neck thru, laminating a couple of peices of wood together isn't a bad idea, just to give you that much more strength, and it's easier to find a couple of narrow peices then it is to find the perfect big chunk of wood for a neck. Also try to look for quatersawn if at all possible. a popular alternative for neck wood is mahogany, but i would definitly laminate that with something else like an ebony stripe up the center Let us know how it goes dude! and take lots of pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 i laminate all my necks and add carbon rods for reinforcement just to make sure....i want my guitars to last forever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 If you dont have the neccessary tools for making a neck-through guitar like a jointer and thickness planer then the bolt-on guitar will be much easier to build. If you have all neccessary tools than both should be the same in difficulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 the only thing i can think off is a bandsaw to remove the stock material from the back of the neck thru, other then that both methods would require the same array of tools to do the job, maybe i'm just missing something, what where you refering to Maestro? cause would you not have to plane and joint a regular neck blank?, well maybe not so much joint, but definitly plane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 i think he is refering to the joining of the wings to the neck,but i di that and i don't have a jointer...you can do it with a sanding block if you are careful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 Wes is right. I did refer to the joining of the wings to the neck. I agree with Wes that it can be done without a jointer and with sanding blocks. Getting a really good and perpendicular joint that way is not easy in my opinion though. I think it is easier to do a bolt-on if you dont have a jointer. But if you are good with the sanding blocks this might not apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 you might also be able to rig up a scrapper to a carpenters square?? either way, that's a good point meastro, i seem to recal jointing and glueing the wings was quite "fun" on my neck thru, but for me it was worth it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 it is not easy...here is what i do....someone can tell me if it is a bad idea. i wet the 2 edges to be joined (after i get it as close as possible...within 1/32 " or so)and i clamp the edges together very tightly,and also clamp them to the table to make sure it stays flat,and leave it for a few days.i have only done this once,but it seems to work. after it stays clamped a few days then you can glue it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 You could always outsource the planing/joinery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisky182 Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 personally, i think a bolt on neck is much easier, and cheaper!!! it'll cost you loads less to make a bolt on neck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 why cheaper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digideus Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Unless youre REALLY stuck for cash, Jointers arent that expensive. UK DIY chain stores carry stuff like this (Link to Jointer) and surface planers for not too much money. Perhaps those of you with the necessary experience with these tools can check to see if this one is suitable for the sizes of material you'd use for building guitars cos I was thinking of investing in one for my own workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86barettaguy Posted January 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 so, what neck-woods would you suggest other than maple or mahogany? any that could be found almost anywhere (going to visit the local supplier of building material to see what he's got)? think I'll bring the neck from my '86 baretta to work some day and measure it up. just in case I go for a bolt-on. besides, a drawing of this masterpiece would be nice, wouldn't it? along with drawings for the neck pocket and floyd routs that could be pretty useful... unless the other guys insist on occupying the machine with worthless job-related crap that is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 it isn't any less expensive to build a bolt on rather than a neck thru.same parts,same amount of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ava-Adore Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 which would be easier to make, a bolt-on neck for an existing body ...a through-neck ... or a custom bolt-on ... What is the difference between these types of necks? the way the attach? or is there more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86barettaguy Posted January 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 A-A: basically just the way they attack anyway, I've moved on to the trussrod thing. what trussrod do I use? a single-action trussrod is cheaper, but requires a bit more work. a dual-action is more expensive, but should be easier to install. but is it all that much easier? still making at least one jig for the trussrod channel. is it easier to make a one-piece neck (rear-loaded trussrod) than a two-piece (separate fingerboard and front-loaded trussrod) when putting in a single-action trussrod? does anyone know what kind of trussrod was used by kramer in the mid-80´s? I'm guessing single-action, but I'm unsure. how would you know what trussrod is fitted to any given guitar? where can I read up on trussrods? where can I find pics of trussrod installations? where do I find info on how deep the channel for a single-action trussrod would usually have to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 I'm really partial to the Stew Mac Hot Rod's. They are extremely easy to install and work great for me. The only negative is you either need a special bit that they sell for the right fit or you'll have to make a template. Stew Mac Two Way Adjustable Hot Rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 you could take a premade bolt on body, cut in prefectly in half, take a jointer, and take the wood out all the way up to the cavity for the neck, and then proceed to a neck thru. I would use the Stewmac 18" hot rod, which a lot of us swear by, and yes that is the double expanding one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.