Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Lawton on November 10, 2010 at 10:52pm

Yeah, sure, two inches across the width is plenty for a four-stringer. Actually, I carve my necks out of 2 x 2 stock so that I can have the headstock raked-back at about 15 degrees and the thru-body portion raked back at around 3 degrees - but that is probably a bit advanced for you first build.
If you are using steel strings then think carefully about the kind of wood you are going to be using. It will need to be strong enouh to hold the tension of the strings without bending. Maple and Walnut are good choices, or a good quality Mahogany or Ash. If you want to recycle materials, then old table legs and pick-axe handles are good sources of wood for necks. Older wood is generally better than new wood cos it has been properly seasoned and wood gets harder as it ages.
I would always suggest that you draw-out what you are intending to do full-size before cutting the wood. It is far easier to correct mistakes with a pencil and eraser than a saw and wood glue !

Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on November 17, 2010 at 5:29am

Kevin, I agree with your suggestions.. I would add red oak for wood material, since it is usually available in "big box" stores like Lowes and Home Depot....

And easy way to do those first builds, is to use 1X2 stock (3/4 X 1 1/2) for the neck and add a 1/4 X 2 for the fretboard. This compensates for the thickness of the box top and some issues with string break at the nut. then all you have to do is thin the headstock from the top to accomodate the tuners and relief under the top (about 1/4 is plenty) to let that top really sing. This a lot less complecated than other ways of skinning the cat on early builds.

Let us know how you do.

the best,

Wichita Sam

Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on November 24, 2010 at 11:35pm

Hi Mark. Another way to build a neck is to build a laminate neck. For instance, I'm in China where good wood is hard to find. Our "big box" store is
B&Q and they do not carry suitable wood. But they do carry some nice wood for trim work around the house. The wood I buy is 2" wide by 1/4" thick and 2.2 meters long. Usually I cut two pieces to the same length as the neck will be. Then I cut a shorter top piece, leaving off wood to help form the head stock as well as to leave space between the sound board and the neck so the sound board will be free to vibrate. You can think of this top piece as the fretboard if you like. Then to strengthen the neck, I add a backup board for the headstock and the part of the neck extending through the box. Here is an illustration:

When gluing, you will need a table that you can clamp the board down to. You will also need a lot of claps. Maybe one for every 3 inches of board length plus a couple (you can always use a couple more clamps). Also, a strong "top board" to even out the pressure between the clamps and the two pieces of wood you are gluing together is very helpful. Use a good white "carpenter's glue". Don't use Gorilla glue or super-glue. Apply the Carpenter's glue evenly on one surface. Glue up only 2 pieces at a time. Flip the board so that their grain curvature go in opposite directions (look at the board ends). This will add additional strength to your laminated neck. When gluing up and clamping the boards together, take care to see that the pieces do not slip relative to each other as you clamp them up. Double check this again after you have clamped them and re-position and re-clamp as necessary. Wipe up any extra glue that is squeezed out. Let it dry at least 2-3 hours before adding the next layer. Then let dry over night. Add the fourth (reinforcement) layer the next day and let dry well. Inevitably the sides will need to be filed and sanded smooth. When you get good at it, you can vary the wood you use intermixing light and dark color woods to make some striking wood contrast a a more beautiful instrument. The nice thing is the head assembly is simple as compared to doing the traditional guitar style 15 degree scarf joint. Also, you don't need to cut, gouge, file out a "hollow" on the neck between it and the sound board to let the sound board vibrate. Then for a tail piece, you can just drill a hole for each string though it using one of you tiny (1mm) drill bits. The more careful you are while doing the lamination will also save you work (less filing and sanding). I have no machine tools other than a hand drill. So, you see I like to take the easy (simplest) building route, and I feel that includes laminating you own necks. Good luck with your build(s). -Rand.

Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on November 26, 2010 at 1:40am

very interesting... do you have a picture or two of such a build?


Rand Moore said:

Hi Mark.


Another way to build a neck is to build a laminate neck. For instance, I'm in China where good wood is hard to find. Our "big box" store is B&Q and they do not carry suitable wood. But they do carry some nice wood for trim work around the house. The wood I buy is 2" wide by 1/4" thick and 2.2 meters long. Usually I cut two pieces to the same length as the neck will be. Then I cut a shorter top piece, leaving off wood to help form the head stock as well as to leave space between the sound board and the neck so the sound board will be free to vibrate. You can think of this top piece as the fretboard if you like. Then to strengthen the neck, I add a backup board for the headstock and the part of the neck extending through the box. Here is an illustration:

When gluing, you will need a table that you can clamp the board down to. You will also need a lot of claps. Maybe one for every 3 inches of board length plus a couple (you can always use a couple more clamps). Also, a strong "top board" to even out the pressure between the clamps and the two pieces of wood you are gluing together is very helpful. Use a good white "carpenter's glue". Don't use Gorilla glue or super-glue. Apply the Carpenter's glue evenly on one surface. Glue up only 2 pieces at a time. Flip the board so that their grain curvature go in opposite directions (look at the board ends). This will add additional strength to your laminated neck. When gluing up and clamping the boards together, take care to see that the pieces do not slip relative to each other as you clamp them up. Double check this again after you have clamped them and re-position and re-clamp as necessary. Wipe up any extra glue that is squeezed out. Let it dry at least 2-3 hours before adding the next layer. Then let dry over night. Add the fourth (reinforcement) layer the next day and let dry well. Inevitably the sides will need to be filed and sanded smooth. When you get good at it, you can vary the wood you use intermixing light and dark color woods to make some striking wood contrast a a more beautiful instrument.

The nice thing is the head assembly is simple as compared to doing the traditional guitar style 15 degree scarf joint. Also, you don't need to cut, gouge, file out a "hollow" on the neck between it and the sound board to let the sound board vibrate. Then for a tail piece, you can just drill a hole for each string though it using one of you tiny (1mm) drill bits. The more careful you are while doing the lamination will also save you work (less filing and sanding). I have no machine tools other than a hand drill. So, you see I like to take the easy (simplest) building route, and I feel that includes laminating you own necks.

Good luck with your build(s).

-Rand.

Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on November 26, 2010 at 5:33am

Hi, Wichita Sam:


I do have a laminated neck similar to the one pictured, but I messed up the scarf joint on it. So, I cut it off and now will use it on some future instrument that will have a shorter scale length. Today I purchased some new wood to laminate a second head/neck assembly, using the simpler head design as illustrated in the drawing you saw. I think I might have a photo of the first neck. Let me look... No. The only shot I have of it is the "box end" of the neck. Here's that partial photo...

I hope this helps. Any other question, please ask.

-Rand.

Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on November 26, 2010 at 5:40am

Hi again, Wichita Sam:

By the way, that gap in the laminate under the "fretboard" layer of the neck is due to some salt I sprinkled into the glue so that the two boards would not slip relative to each other when I clamped them together (onto my 'work bench'). It stopped the slippage, but I guess maybe I used too much as it left a gap that I tried to fill with wood filler. Another reason I'm not so happy with this neck. Maybe I'll try finer powdered sugar next time.

-Rand.