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CNC (machine made neck) BS

Posted by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on July 29, 2010 at 4:03pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion
I can't count the number of times I've seen somebody claim that a machine made neck is the best you can get.  Let me share a comment I recently got:

Wow Josh. You got a very nice compliment recently when your Uncle Joe showed the guitar you made for him to a man who built guitars for Fender for years. They guy could NOT believe how gorgeous the neck was and swore that it had to be machine made because he has NEVER seen such fine handwork. Kuddos kiddo!

If you choose to believe that you can't do as well as some computer controlled machine, well, I guess you get what you deserve.  Don't ever let someone tell you what you can or can't do.

Josh

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Replies

  • Bob Harrison July 29, 2010 at 8:59pm
    No machine can replace the masters hand.

    In the early 70's or so C.F.Martin had a cleaver advertising campaign. There was a photo of an olde master luthier with a draw knife working on a neck. In the background was a CNC machine roughing out a neck. The poster said “We let machines do what machines do best and we let hands do what hands do best.. Martin is very proud of their master craft people, but also are proud of their roughing machines as well. Martin claimed this machine roughing reduced labor by 80%. After all it was claimed the last 20% that makes the difference on any instrument. Martin called it the masters touch.

    So congratulations on building master quality necks 100% by hand without a CNC roughing machine. The way it use to be done.

    Best wishes
    Bob
  • Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates July 29, 2010 at 8:37pm
    See, I told ya'll he's good.

    But Noooooooooo. Nobody believes me.

    -WY

    Brett Morgan said:
    Damn Josh, that's a nicely shaped neck, is that one piece of timber? I can't see a scarf joint.

    Brett
  • Scott L July 29, 2010 at 8:12pm
    Yes, that's a fine looking neck. CNC guys need to remember that fine woodwork has been around for centuries, long before fancy computerized mills.
  • Brett Morgan July 29, 2010 at 8:01pm
    That's the one I was looking at hehe, nice job!!

    Brett

    Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) said:
    No there's a scarf joint. If you look close in the following picture you can just see it where the grain pattern changes (gets a little darker).

    http://smokehouseguitars.com/blognewsroll/wp-content/uploads/2010/0...

    Brett Morgan said:
    Damn Josh, that's a nicely shaped neck, is that one piece of timber? I can't see a scarf joint.

    Brett
  • Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) July 29, 2010 at 7:58pm
    No there's a scarf joint. If you look close in the following picture you can just see it where the grain pattern changes (gets a little darker).

    http://smokehouseguitars.com/blognewsroll/wp-content/uploads/2010/0...

    Brett Morgan said:
    Damn Josh, that's a nicely shaped neck, is that one piece of timber? I can't see a scarf joint.

    Brett
  • Brett Morgan July 29, 2010 at 7:37pm
    Damn Josh, that's a nicely shaped neck, is that one piece of timber? I can't see a scarf joint.

    Brett
  • Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) July 29, 2010 at 7:03pm
    ROFL, here you go:

    http://smokehouseguitars.com/blognewsroll/?p=2411

    Scott L said:
    This thread is useless without pictures :)
  • Scott L July 29, 2010 at 6:17pm
    This thread is useless without pictures :)
  • Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) July 29, 2010 at 4:29pm
    Thanks very much, man, but I wouldn't consider myself a master by any means. That's not false modesty either. There's tons of stuff that I've seen out there that I'm just not in the same league with yet. I've got years to go and lots more techniques to learn and perfect.

    Wes Yates said:
    WORD!

    Josh, you are a master builder and thus you understand how to build and build well. Not that I can claim the same level of expertise, but folks, you can make anything look as if it were machine built if you give what you do the utmost care and effort.

    -WY
  • Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates July 29, 2010 at 4:11pm
    WORD!

    Josh, you are a master builder and thus you understand how to build and build well. Not that I can claim the same level of expertise, but folks, you can make anything look as if it were machine built if you give what you do the utmost care and effort.

    -WY
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