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Building instructions for neck-on-the-box builds?

Hi everyone,

I'm having trouble finding building guides for guitars that use necks attached to the box. It seems like most of the instructions are for through-the-box designs, which will be great for my first few builds, but everyone seems to prefer the sound from an on-the-box design, and I'll want to compare it myself. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on July 9, 2010 at 6:44am

instructions: build the neck as for a neck thru with tail piece extending.... Add bridge to top of neck.... glue bottom of neck to top of box... you're done....

Seriously, I don't know who the "every one" is who "seems to prefer the sound" from a neck on top. Look at all the great players, they are playing neck thru, set neck and bolt on designs..... the neck on top is really about simplifying the building process... it get OK results, but tend to be a little ackward playing....

just personal opinion, but, if you've already built a neck thru, then you should be able to do it "like a cave man".....

the best,

Wichita Sam

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on July 9, 2010 at 7:11am

Wichita Sam said:

Seriously, I don't know who the "every one" is who "seems to prefer the sound" from a neck on top. Look at all the great players, they are playing neck thru, set neck and bolt on designs..... the neck on top is really about simplifying the building process... it get OK results, but tend to be a little ackward playing....
/div>

I was referencing most of the people I've heard from on this board, who have said that the neck-through method reduces the volume of the guitar. Or so I have read here.

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on July 9, 2010 at 7:25am

volume as it CC's.... or, volume as in loudness? look you might be giving up a little volume "cc's" with a neck thru, but with the bridge on the top, I think you get louder and more acoustically diverse (color/tone) from a neck thru built properly (recessed under the top to allow top to vibrate freely)....

Most CBGs use sort of pickup, so volume (loudness and cc's) is not the issue... using piezo's you tap into the tone produced by the top ....

Again, JMHO.... I'm mostly into bolt on's now, because it allows adjustability and I prefer wound pups, so a lot of the tone/color of the sound issues are less important...

best thing, build and learn and build some more.... after 211 builds, I'm still learning and still developing preferences....

the best,

Wichita Sam

Scotty C. said:

Wichita Sam said:
Seriously, I don't know who the "every one" is who "seems to prefer the sound" from a neck on top. Look at all the great players, they are playing neck thru, set neck and bolt on designs..... the neck on top is really about simplifying the building process... it get OK results, but tend to be a little ackward playing....
/div>

I was referencing most of the people I've heard from on this board, who have said that the neck-through method reduces the volume of the guitar. Or so I have read here.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Gajeski on July 9, 2010 at 8:41am

I would say that volume is probably reduced more with a neck-on-box design than with a neck-through. with a neck-through, the neck only has to contact the top at both ends where as the alternative has a block of wood attached all the way across the top. Like sam said, the neck on box design is more about simplicity than about functionality hence the "build and uncle crow style guitar in an hour" video series. a solid neck through can take days or weeks to build depending on the complexity. neck on box guitars sounds ok, but not like a well built neck through in the right box. look at crows videos for instructions on this type of guitar. he is the foremost expert on this style that i know of.

And as far as the assertion that most people here seem to prefer the neck on box design, i'm not entirely sure where you are getting that. take a look at the photo section. how many guitars like this do you see? there are reasons for that, and they are for aesthetics (not to say that an uncle crow guitar can't look good) as well as sound quality.

As for plans, they really aren't critical. this is a no rules kind of hobby, and one of the advantages of neck on box guitars is that it requires little modification to the box, so if you mess up on your first attempt just take everything off and start over.

Scotty C. said:

Wichita Sam said:
Seriously, I don't know who the "every one" is who "seems to prefer the sound" from a neck on top. Look at all the great players, they are playing neck thru, set neck and bolt on designs..... the neck on top is really about simplifying the building process... it get OK results, but tend to be a little ackward playing....
/div>

I was referencing most of the people I've heard from on this board, who have said that the neck-through method reduces the volume of the guitar. Or so I have read here.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Stephen Eklund on July 9, 2010 at 3:54pm

I might be shooting in the dark here but are you talking about a neck attached to the short end of the box? Not running threw it like most builds?

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on July 9, 2010 at 4:08pm

Paul Stephen Eklund said:

I might be shooting in the dark here but are you talking about a neck attached to the short end of the box? Not running threw it like most builds?

Yes.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Gajeski on July 9, 2010 at 11:46pm

Lmao... I was wondering where you were getting that the uncle crow style was preferred by most nation members

Scotty C. said:

Paul Stephen Eklund said:
I might be shooting in the dark here but are you talking about a neck attached to the short end of the box? Not running threw it like most builds?

Yes.

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on July 9, 2010 at 4:19pm

heck Scotty, why didn't you say so? I do "pocket/bolt-on"s.... I'm not sure how people are doing other setups//

Sam

Scotty C. said:

Paul Stephen Eklund said:
I might be shooting in the dark here but are you talking about a neck attached to the short end of the box? Not running threw it like most builds?

Yes.