jlazaro317

There's a guy on ebay that goes by ciupsjohn that I have bought some 12" radius pre-slotted fingerboards from. He doesn't currently have any listed but drop him an email like I did and he can fill your order. He does very good work.

Good info.....

How about a thread for fretting tools on the cheap....

I like. Kind of a Jem half breed. Did you build the neck too?

And how does she play?

Details......

I guess as I work with numerous Ironwoods should comment on this!

Ironwood necks can work no problems as long as you firstly use a decent truss rod - something like the StewMac Hot Rod - and secondly you profile the neck slim - this is something in my opinion which makes Ironwoods very suitable for a neck given their strength you can take a neck profile very slim and retain the strength which other woods can't. I've made test necks from Xylia Xylocarpa which is an Ironwood usually know by the trade name of Pyinkado and once profiled and a truss rod pocket routed it could be flexed by hand (minus fretboard that is). Pyinkado's density is around the 900kg/m3 mark whereas IPE is around the 1000kg/m3 so IPE is slightly denser.

The other local Ironwoods which I have yet to test are Malabar Ironwood and Heavy Hopea (nearly 1000kg/m3 also) - however the Malabar Ironwood I'd steer a wide berth of due to it having massive shrinkage! Heavy Hopea however is on the list of to do for both necks and bodies.

I cannot comment on the tonal quality of the Pyinkado necks as in the end I didn't use them however it makes and excellent sounding body and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be good for necks - I would imagine the same for IPE and Lignum Vitae for that matter.

One thing I can agree with you highly on is ironwood splinters hurt like a b*stard - they nearly always penetrate deep!

Thanks for the reply. I may go ahead and give it a whirl then. I was planning on a thin neck. I'm nut much for thick chunky necks. I was planning on the SM Hot Rod as it stood. Maybe I'll build 2 necks concurrently in case the Ipe doesn't work out. Thanks for the encouragement.

hmmm....buzzkill.

I wasn't so worried about the shaping as the sound. But I also do want it to be adjustable. It is a beautiful wood when wetted. I guess I'll either revert to maple or do something else. Thanks.

BTW Ipe splinters really hurt.....and I've had lots of splinters over the years.

Edited to add:

I did see on another board that it seems to make decent fingerboard material.

Ha I just got through pm'ing him I would sell him my first edition of Hiscock's book.

I knew that book would be the first mentioned.

how much?

Make an offer I hate to see a great book go to waste. I have the updated version so I don't need two.

I have the original. What's new in the updated version?

I figured that structurally it would be excellent. I have seen it used in some laminated necks. I was wondering about the tone. Don't want to build a dead neck. It is beautiful when wetted to simulate a finish.

It is heavy, alot heavier than maple.

I've started building a tele for myself with a Northern Ash body. I was going to use the traditional maple neck until I glanced over in the corner and saw a huge piece of Ipe (also known as Pao Lope, Ironwood, and Brazilian Walnut). Would it be a mistake to use this for a neck for any reason?

Thanks,

John

just seemed a strange question i suppose since a wilkinson trem is a pretty standard choice

This guitar will be trans blue by the way... hopefully in a colour that goes particularly well with satin look of the wilko bridge and sperzel tuners.. and i think it will look good against the rich darkness of the ebony neck

i am going to go against the grain and not do faux (or real for that matter) binding though. I am just going to have the top quite translucent and the back a darker but still slightly translucent blue that maybe bursts slightly onto the top. This tele needs a nice roundover and the binding looks better as a squarer edge

Any update?

I want to see the trans blue.

I like the neck but the thing is the fretboard having a finish on it that had to be removed. And if your going to go through all this trouble. would it just be easier to make one the way you want. I say if you like the shape and you think it's going to work for you and the price is good then go for it. but if you are second guessing it then don't. for me it will do for my first build.

The tele I am working on is my first build. If I buy the neck, it will be my second. I haven't done a neck yet and don't know that I have the time right now. For the cost with shipping it would only run about $50-60 for me. I'm not ready to buy the fretting tools and all that stuff. For the tele, I will most likely buy the neck also.

some pics of the neck.

So how would you rate that neck? I checked out the seller on ebay and the prices look great. I don't mind removing the finish as you did, but do you think the neck is a good buy?

I'm in the middle of a tele build right now but I really like the shape of that neck and would consider it for my next project.

Thanks,

John