Home Depot (local) has started carrying 1x2 sticks of maple. Lil cheaper than oak, lil more than poplar. I usually do all my shaping by hand, poplar is a dream to work but not as strong as the oak. Maple looks to be somewhere in-between. Anyone got an opinion...I mean, anyone got relevant empirical evidentiary experience gained by having participated in or witnessed thereof; the act of shaping said dimensional maple lumber into, or some semblance of; a neck closely approximating that of a guitar, whose intent is to be used on a cigar box guitar; which, in construction and finish will meet no set parameters or standards.
Well, anyone?
Oh yeah, Happy 4th!, this was written in English, you are free to read it or ignore it, thank a veteran, pop a beer and drink a firecracker...
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Yes, look closely at the stick you get, and pick with care. Mine is nice straight grain (Sugar?) maple.
Good thing I got it. I finished the 4-String today and showed it to the wife. First words out of her mouth were "you have to make one of those for Dalton!" (Grand-Son). So it looks like I'll be making a couple more for the grand-kids.
I'll make a couple of 4-strings for the G-kids for Christmas. I've got lots of learnin to do fore that.
Sven.
Mark Werner said:
Be aware there are different types of "maple". The typical box-store lumber is not as hard as "rock" maple or "curly" maple. Nonetheless, good woods... I used maple for the neck of my mandola, a laminate of two pieces of 1" stock and a piece of 1/4" oak in the middle. Seems fine, no bending noticed. Maple is also good material for bridges, especially the "Red Henry" style.
Be aware there are different types of "maple". The typical box-store lumber is not as hard as "rock" maple or "curly" maple.
Nonetheless, good woods... I used maple for the neck of my mandola, a laminate of two pieces of 1" stock and a piece of 1/4" oak in the middle. Seems fine, no bending noticed.
Maple is also good material for bridges, especially the "Red Henry" style.
I have used soft maple mostly the curly on a few cbg's.I Left it a little wider than the standard 1" x 2" width and depth.(about 1/8 to 1/4") it works nice.The edges splinter easier than anything ive worked with but not too much of a problem caused.Just check the corners closely at purchase.and i use a sanding block to bevel them a bit.Im still working on a staining method to make the lines stand out deeper(havent found it yett). I would be careful how deep you cut the neck out under the top,or add some backside bracing because it tends to get a lil weaker than other woods.I usually do 3 stringers so my neck tension isnt all that bad.but I still add at least an 1/8" brace behind my neck cutout. I just got a bandsaw so I usually route my box cutout and my headstock.I always use my coping saw to make cuts before I route to prevent large splinters from popping up the neck.The maple will go 1 1/2" at a time as your routing ahead of your blade if you dont make a cut to depth first.Hope this helps
As was stated, maple is THE wood for musical instruments. Ask about any banjo player what his banjo is made of , most will look at you like your nutz and tell ya its maple.
I used maple and it works well but I cant afford it.
So mostly I use poplar. I have no problems with its strength and use it for 3 stringers without worry.
I do laminate 2 pieces together for 3 stringers for strength.To date zero problems.
My understanding is that Maple is THE standard for necks. It is a very straight grain hardwood. It works well and holds finish well.
Oak (red or white?) is courser in grain and somewhat more variegated.
Poplar is even more variegated and not as strong as oak.
These interpretations are mostly from cutting said wood for my stove that I used to heat the garage with before I moved 8 years ago, along with limited conversations with a couple of people who make guitars for a side line.
I Just got 2 pieces of white maple for 4 stringers. This is definetly harder then the poplar i used before so I got it cut as close as possible with the tablesaw. I then used a drumsander with 60 grit to shape, and worked it up to 320 grit. So far so good.
I've used maple for almost all the necks I've made, mostly scraps from a cabinet shop where I used to work. I wish my local HD had it, cause I'm running out of scraps.
I've never used poplar for a neck, but it seems too soft to me. I suspect a 6-string poplar neck would have to be very thick. Maple can be very hard or almost as soft as poplar, depending on the species or the individual specimen. I have no trouble shaping it with rasps and a spokeshave. Oak has open grain, so maple will give you a smoother finish with less work. Maple was good enough for Leo Fender.
I have used Maple extensively in musical Instrument making. I love it. If I am pushed i might well have some "low end" reservations about using it as a neck. You are right, it it does not have the hardness of oak and other hard woods.
Having said that I can not think that you would experience a disaster if you did decide to use it especially if you were making say a 4 stringer with a 23.5 neck length.
This was written in English, I actually speak "Pirate". [Ooh-arrh me luvlies.] True!
Replies
Good thing I got it. I finished the 4-String today and showed it to the wife. First words out of her mouth were "you have to make one of those for Dalton!" (Grand-Son). So it looks like I'll be making a couple more for the grand-kids.
I'll make a couple of 4-strings for the G-kids for Christmas. I've got lots of learnin to do fore that.
Sven.
Mark Werner said:
Nonetheless, good woods... I used maple for the neck of my mandola, a laminate of two pieces of 1" stock and a piece of 1/4" oak in the middle. Seems fine, no bending noticed.
Maple is also good material for bridges, especially the "Red Henry" style.
PUNCH JOKER 2 09 (1).jpg
I used maple and it works well but I cant afford it.
So mostly I use poplar. I have no problems with its strength and use it for 3 stringers without worry.
I do laminate 2 pieces together for 3 stringers for strength.To date zero problems.
Oak (red or white?) is courser in grain and somewhat more variegated.
Poplar is even more variegated and not as strong as oak.
These interpretations are mostly from cutting said wood for my stove that I used to heat the garage with before I moved 8 years ago, along with limited conversations with a couple of people who make guitars for a side line.
Yellow pine is the schiztnatz.
White pine is to be sucks
I picked up 12' of maple two days ago for necks.
Sven.
I've used maple for almost all the necks I've made, mostly scraps from a cabinet shop where I used to work. I wish my local HD had it, cause I'm running out of scraps.
Here's a couple photos:
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/uke-heel
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/uke-back
I've never used poplar for a neck, but it seems too soft to me. I suspect a 6-string poplar neck would have to be very thick. Maple can be very hard or almost as soft as poplar, depending on the species or the individual specimen. I have no trouble shaping it with rasps and a spokeshave. Oak has open grain, so maple will give you a smoother finish with less work. Maple was good enough for Leo Fender.
Having said that I can not think that you would experience a disaster if you did decide to use it especially if you were making say a 4 stringer with a 23.5 neck length.
This was written in English, I actually speak "Pirate". [Ooh-arrh me luvlies.] True!
Happy holiday you guys over there.