3-String Headstock Design #1, Part 2

Once you have a board prepared for use as the headstock (as described in the previous post), you need to decide how you will be attaching it to the neck and how you will be installing the tuning machines (tuners).


Let's start by discussing how I plan to connect the headstock to the neck. As you may recall from the first post, my neck and neck stock both have a 22 degree cut (plus or minus a degree), revealing a sloped surface about 2 inches long. The question is how the headstock will be positioned relative to the neck for gluing. Here are the four possibilities:

Here's my first diagram, and when positioning the two pieces relative to each other. Notice how this "method" tilts the headstock down by about 20 degrees, like many guitar heads. The reasoning for doing this is based on hearsay (not first hand scientific testing), and the story goes that the strings will stay in the groves of the nut better and that the strings won't buzz at the nut. I really don't know. It's likely just an old luthier's tales. But modeling an instrument after traditional design practices are more likely to produce a better instrument. So, I'm planning for a 20-25 degree tilt in the head relative to the neck.


However, I don't really like how exposed (visible) the head-to-neck joint will be. This is better illustrated in the diagram below (circled in red). I think this placement will look ugly without doing a lot of work with wood putty, bondo, or some other "filler" to round out and sculpt the joint to make it look better. But, that may make the problem worse should I go to stain and varnish the wood. So, at this point, I'll skip this method and move on to the next possibility.


The next head-to-neck positioning possibility places the headstock over the neck, hiding most of the ugly head-to-neck joint. This is how I'm going to do mine.




Like the first method, this second method tilts the headstock downward about 20 degrees or so, like a real guitar. But, unlike the first "method", this "method" hides the ugly neck joint under the headstock, making it a lot less noticeable as shown in the diagram below (see the red circled area).




There are a couple other possibilities... but they don't provide the traditional headstock tilt found on most guitars and other lutes. I have tried this third option on a "soda can on a stick" variety canjo and it worked pretty well, especially when I did a similar cut and join on the "tail" end of the canjo stick for the "strum hollow" and the can resonator. The net effect of this canjo design was to raise the "fret board" area of the neck up closer to the strings for easier playing action. This design would also allow you to sit your canjo down and it would rest on the flat lower head an lower "tail" sections, assuming you mount your tuners so the knobs point out to the side and the gears are recessed into the headstock. Issues for another article/post, I guess. The down side of positioning option 3 is that the ugly neck joint is again starring you in the face.

Well, the fourth method doesn't make much sense, but if you had to have a flat head-to-neck layout, it could be done; and the ugly neck joint would be mostly hidden by the headstock.

Okay, now that I have decided how to connect the headstock to the neck, I going to hold off on actually attaching the two pieces until I have finished drilling holes for mounting the tuners in the headstock, and until after I add frets to the neck. Adding frets with a 20 degree downward tilt in the neck is more difficult unless you've build some kind of "rig" to hold the neck steady without putting pressure on the headstock.

[As a note, when I do glue to two pieces together, I also will screw them together using a short wood screw. Want to mention that now in case I forget mentioning it later. The screw hole comes through the bottom of the neck through the headstock where the two pieces join along their sloped sides.]










Views: 10025

Comment

You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!

Join Cigar Box Nation

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Forum

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 21. 11 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

How to Get Your Own Music on Spotify

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies

CB Bass Guitar

Started by Mi Rankin in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Justin Stanchfield Jan 27. 5 Replies

Latest Activity

A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Thank you Poorness ! for loving it ! appreciated!"
11 hours ago
Southern Ray replied to Timothy Hunter's discussion just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.
" Very interesting. Thank you Timothy!"
11 hours ago
Kent Thurston updated their profile
11 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Punch Project!

She now sports gold metal CBGitty knobs, speaker and an Artec 2.5 watt speaker. Finished this in…
12 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Project Punch!

Gonna finally get back on this long-delayed project that is more than half complete. (The matching…
12 hours ago
Poorness Studios liked A.D.EKER's video
14 hours ago
BrianQ. left a comment for Rob (Uker) Porras
"Hope this helps?"
14 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"I appreciate the kind words Papa D! I have always loved the look of these cigar boxes. Glad to have…"
17 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
20 hours ago
A.D.EKER posted a video

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

The recorded History By Alan Lomax for the library of Congres of the Blues, from Mc Kinley Morganfield (Aka Muddy Waters) the in this take recorded Tribute ...
20 hours ago
Papa D commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"Beautiful..Nice work Doug.."
yesterday
Papa D commented on Papa D's photo
Thumbnail

american1 Sun Glo

"Thanx AGP & Doug..  4 more coming soon"
yesterday

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->