jessejames

It's off by less than 1/8", havent busted out the rulers yet, but it isn't off by much. And yeah, I just got into a panic because I had neck pocket problems and glued it in, lesson learned.

It's already set in there. The centerline wasn't drastically off anyway, I should have just taken more time about it, but it's already glued in there now, so no crying over spilled milk, just gotta adjust the bridge to compensate.

Thanks! I got the templates from an e-bay seller aiguitars. Be warned however, his neck templates do not fit his neck pocket templates. And yeah that is some maple crotch wood, got it for 20$ on ebay.

Haha yeah I know! The last one, had I done it the way I said would be best to, nothing would have went wrong. But I wanted to expirement and see what happened, and it didn't throw it too off, but I should have just taken the way I knew would work instead of the way I suspected would work. It's completely my fault.

Here is a crack that occured in the neck pocket when i was tapping in the neck. I did do a pretty seamless repair on it and it was only a hairline crack anyway. I may just get the fretboard and bridge on there and sell the guitar as a finish upper on e-bay. I have a new telecaster I am building and want to focus on that.

Got the templates in today. Of course the neck template is way off from the neck pocket template. Gonna make a template from the neck this time, that way I get a good fit. Didn't want the huge control plate on the front, so I routed it for the back. Then just gonna make a control plate cover for it. Anyway, here are some pics, I whipped this up in about an hour today.

i've done all the pickup routs and everything. But it's probably off by less than 1 degree. I was just going to install the nut then add two strings then move it to get all the centerlines right.

My centerline is off on this latest project, not by much at all, but it is still off, and I have set the neck. I haven't drilled for the bridge yet though, can I just compensate by offsetting the bridge slightly? Or will it not be that big of a deal and just construct as usual. It is probably off by less than 1 degree.

I wish all my planned projects turned out this well. My problem is that I try to shortcut sometimes and just end up doing it again.

Had a new problem today, I was trying to get the neck pocket routed to depth and then fitting the heel in there, well, it was so tight I was tapping it in with a hammer, and done it over and over again. Well, I was tapping it in and all of a sudden the joint got a little more loose. You might have guessed it, neck pocket cracked. Nothing too terrible. So I seperated the wood and let some glue seep in there and clamped it for 30 min, then sanded it and decided to go ahead and glue the neck in there without the fretboard installed. I glued it with titebond instead of hide glue, because titebond has seeping properties to it. I figured it would be good to have the neck pocket crack fully dry and have the neck in there to dry with it, that way hopefully the titebond seeps in there and there are less expansion/shrinking worries in that joint in the future. Don't know how you guys would have handed it, but that's what I chose.

IN the end I just got lazy and straight built the neck without a template. I should have templated it out, but eh, I'm sick and just not feeling up to the extra work, plus my shop is an absolute disaster right now. Sorry Verho, we went from 1 11/16" nut to 1 3/4" to a final of 1 9/16". Explanation here. http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=44549&pid=481899&st=0&#entry481899

Made the neck today. Had a little mishap routing the truss rod channel because my straight edge slipped, but it was nothing major that requires any concern. I did get the neck in there and wanted to try to use my tabletop belt sander instead of using a straight edge and a template bit to get my taper right, well, expirement tried, and although it worked, it wittled my nut size from what I wanted at 1 3/4 to 1 9/16". Again, no biggie. I am having problems with the look of the joint now as one side is dead flush, and the other has a very small gap, I discovered I had a tiny tiny tearout right there. I filled it in with some titebond and mahogany dust from that body, and after I rout the tenon depth for the neck and get that on there I will file it down flat and flush. it is currently a very tight joint though and I can hold the guitar up from the neck. Here are some pics, prolly wont be anymore until I get the fretboard and bridge in so I can finalize the neck.

Looks great so far! How are you going to cover that tearout on the lower bout?

need something at least 1/8" thick. Dont need tons of it, just gotta do a couple of headstocks and I dont have a tablesaw and my bandsaw isn't big enough. I need walnut more than I need sapele. But will take both or a combination.

I got it resolved. Did a test run with a scrap piece of wood. I just got it, spaced out 2 3/16 on one end, spaced out 2 3/16 on the other end, drew my straight lines. Then found my center line at 1 3/32" and drew that, then went 7/8" from my center line to get my 1 3/4" and just connected the lines. It was a very VERY snug fit and I didn't have to add a shim or fill in the neck pocket with anything. It's just for me, but I don't like to shim necks anyway.

Well, during my lunch break I busted out the good ole digital calipers (i love these things) and anyway. On my template I got a measurement of 2.1145 at the very base of it. adding .072 I got 2.1865 or 2.187, which converted out to be 2 3/16". So the next step will be drawing a base of 2 3/16", then going to 1 11/16", or 1 3/4" via Verho's suggestion (which he is an awesome builder, so it tends to take advice from you guys that have been here before. Then just take my straight edge and make my lines meet and voila! New template like Tim suggested. Also looks like the 2 3/16" bridge is gonna work out perfect as that is my end tenon width, not what the fretboard will start at, so it should leave me with it being just right.

I did rout for the trem already, but it's nothing than can't be slightely widened. I haven't drilled the 6 holes to mount the trem yet though.

I'm not gonna add' to the nut width, just adding to the heel. All I have to do I believe is add the gap width to the over all width of the base of the tenon. Then measure for the middle, split the difference (adding .035 to each side) and draw lines down to 1 11/16" thereby not changing the nut width at all, and I will just get a 2 3/16" bridge instead of a 2 1/16" bridge. Should be enough to compensate for everything.

I am gonna use Tims solution. Should be a dead on way to fix it.

Yeah, measure twice cut once ya know lol. I think I may just oversize it with my straight edge because I dont want to make a template, and I'd have to use my straight edge as a template to get the sides straight anyway, so I will try the feeler gauges and straight edge route first. See how well that does me. Your suggestion will probably be the best one and I'll have to learn the hard way as usual.

Here's a pic for reference.

I play metal mainly.

Hey guys, I have a template that I bought, and I routed the neck pocket and then set the template neck in there, and it was pretty loose, so I got some scrap and routed a board to see how well it would fit with actual wood. Suffice to say, it doesn't fit. So I busted out the feeler gauges and there is .070 clearance side to side in there. How would you suggest I go about fixing this? I dont want to shim anything, and I haven't made the neck yet. I thought of getting my straight edge, getting it flush with the nut, then adding on the .070 at the base of the tenon. Or adding .035 to both sides so I keep the centerline correct. Anyone have a better way?

I am in the process of building a PRS style guitar (build thread is open if you haven't seen it) Anyway, I haven't messed with building a trem guitar before, will any trem work or will I have to get a PRS style? I don't feel like spending 200.00 on the trem to be honest, the guitar is just going to be for me anyway. If I can fit a strat style or something in there I will as they are far more abundant and cheaper.

Thanks! It's got more carve than the pictures show. My camera just sucks.