Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Korrigan on March 30, 2018 at 1:04am

Hmm... I've I not considered resonance or sustain in relation to necks. My criteria has only been strength. Looking forward hearing opinions on this.

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Permalink Reply by Scott on March 30, 2018 at 4:04pm

It is meant to be primarily electric, but I drilled resonance holes as well

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on March 30, 2018 at 1:10pm

Hi Scott. that's a good question, and the answer, as it applies to full acoustic stringed instruments, I think could be taken on board when building the very small guitar bodies we use in a CBG.  

I use my understanding and experience in guitar/mandolin building and apply it as much as possible to the basic small bodied instruments we build. After all some are as big as a mandolin or violin, so why not try for a better, bigger sound, as those that build those instruments do.

Now this may upset some.......but there are some rules that will get you there, did I say rules, lets call them guidelines, as many people like to live in the CBG world of "no rules". Ha Ha.

Now for the question. I'll just give you the facts and leave you to make your mind up, but I think in this type of instrument the small amount of mass a heal adds may not make a whole lot of noticeable difference, as Richard pointed out. But..................

The neck does play a major part in the sustain/tone and volume of the guitar.

The strings, as Richard rightly said, when plucked excite the top into vibration. But this is not the only area of contact of the strings on the guitar, the neck is the other, either at the nut or a fret. 

Now a neck made of dense/heavier materials with a hard fingerboard etc. will promote more volume and sustain, as it will not rob the top of vibrations, it helps to  keep them more where they do most good in the soundboard.

So bottom line is.....heavy necks take up the strings vibrating energy much slower.

Some builders over the years have often added mass to their necks in the form of lead or steel and the like, even heavy tuning machines and good solid fretwire can all add the equation.

Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Scott on March 30, 2018 at 4:07pm

Richard, I'm mounting the neck as through build.

As for the American Chestnut it's reclaimed barn wood about 300 years old

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on March 30, 2018 at 5:12pm

Well there you go, you don't need a heal with a through neck. The heals design normally, is to allow for more gluing or bolting area of the neck to a guitar body.

Taff

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Permalink Reply by JL on April 6, 2018 at 12:46am

On commercial 6 string acoustic guitars and on  viols (violin shaped - violin, viola, cello, double bass) , the heel is important for a stiff mounting of the neck to the side of the body and so covers the entire side. that way the instrument doesn't fold itself in half when tuned up.

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