mrfire8808

The skunk stripe is a filler cap for the truss rod slot when routed from the back on a solid Maple neck...usually I believe it is Walnut. The neckwood isn't Alder but Maple and I don't believe that Alder is strong enough to take the tension of being strung up to pitch without warping over time. I have seen Alder necks on some very in-expensive guitars from the late forties and early fifties...all were acoustics with base-ball bat size necks.

Just the answer I was looking for.. Good thing you corrected me on the wood, that would have been a big boo-boo

Is there any advantage with routing the truss cavity from the back?

Is the stripe in the back of strat necks there for looks or does it play an important role in strength? I ask because I am about to order the materials I need to make my own neck and I want to know if Ill need to order another kind of wood for that other than the alder for the neck

thanks