Hi, my first build hasn't gone to well. I thought I use reclaimed materials so I planed down some tight grain pallet and joined them to together. I got 2 lots of 20 mm to make 40 mm neck and got it straight and square, after stringing it up it bowed and twisted. grrrrr
Anyway I got some hardwood window self material which I planned down to about 20mm and was wondering if 20mm is thick enough for 3 string or should I double it up or brace it with some truss rod affair. I was going to to fix a tulip wood finger board to the 20mm anyway to thicken it up a little.
thanks
Daz
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yep 20mm hardwood should be ok if your gonna add a fingerboard , and only take the edges off the neck on the underside dont do a full round neck profile at this stage of building i would forget about truss rods and get a few builds under your belt unless you feel confident to do it go for it i always add truss rods to my builds but i sell most of mine and like to make sure the neck is gonna stay where it should - because a happy customer is a returning customer .. i hope lol!
you can always make a strong neck by laminating the neck out of two three four ect bits of wood glued together - have a look through my pics at the laminated necks should give you a idea of what i'm talking about
always remember buildings all about having fun :-)
enjoy ! Juju
Firstly you have made some real works of art! Also I think I have an idea,, I have got some gash wood (mainly softwood to trial. I tried to brace with some threaded dowels and M6 stud,, it didn't go to well,, I'll build up experience before doing a truss rod.
I think my first build has been a real learning curve. Have tried to bond 2 lengths of sapele together with a wood glue and that didn't go to well, the glue oozed out and was clamped indoors for 24hrs, The glue was hard so I planned the joined lengths square and noticed the wood is pulling apart. The lengths where planned down over a couple of days and was stable. Not sure what is going on there!
Anyway I have bonded my fingerboard on tonight on my single length (I believe its sapele) so i see how it goes.
Daz
For standard 3-4 string builds I've found that 1X2 oak lumber with a 1/4" piece of either oak or maple makes a plenty-strong-enough neck.
For more strength I too have made up laminate necks; used one for the mandola that's my avatar and also the tenor guitar I just built. 2 pieces of 1" maple with a 1/4" oak piece sandwiched between.
Seems plenty strong.
I know that pallets can occasionally contain good wood; folks have built guitars and mandolins from the pieces...But you have to know what you're looking at and make sure it's grained and cured to a usable extent.
yep 20mm hardwood should be ok if your gonna add a fingerboard , and only take the edges off the neck on the underside dont do a full round neck profile
at this stage of building i would forget about truss rods and get a few builds under your belt unless you feel confident to do it go for it
i always add truss rods to my builds but i sell most of mine and like to make sure the neck is gonna stay where it should - because a happy customer is a returning customer .. i hope lol!
you can always make a strong neck by laminating the neck out of two three four ect bits of wood glued together - have a look through my pics at the laminated necks should give you a idea of what i'm talking about
always remember buildings all about having fun :-)
enjoy ! Juju
Replies
Firstly you have made some real works of art! Also I think I have an idea,, I have got some gash wood (mainly softwood to trial. I tried to brace with some threaded dowels and M6 stud,, it didn't go to well,, I'll build up experience before doing a truss rod.
Anyway I have bonded my fingerboard on tonight on my single length (I believe its sapele) so i see how it goes.
Daz
For more strength I too have made up laminate necks; used one for the mandola that's my avatar and also the tenor guitar I just built. 2 pieces of 1" maple with a 1/4" oak piece sandwiched between.
Seems plenty strong.
I know that pallets can occasionally contain good wood; folks have built guitars and mandolins from the pieces...But you have to know what you're looking at and make sure it's grained and cured to a usable extent.
at this stage of building i would forget about truss rods and get a few builds under your belt unless you feel confident to do it go for it
i always add truss rods to my builds but i sell most of mine and like to make sure the neck is gonna stay where it should - because a happy customer is a returning customer .. i hope lol!
you can always make a strong neck by laminating the neck out of two three four ect bits of wood glued together - have a look through my pics at the laminated necks should give you a idea of what i'm talking about
always remember buildings all about having fun :-)
enjoy ! Juju