Building my first neck

[Birdmankustomz]

Ok, so I'm going to try to build a neck from scratch, my question is, what do I need to know?

My plan is for a super thick 1.2-1.5" V neck, no trussrod, tele headstock. What tools do I need for this? I currently have:

-Table saw
-Drill press
-Router and bits
-Jigsaw
-Various handrills
-miterbox (with a hacksaw)
-belt sander
-pretty much any handtool you can name
(is there any other ones I'll need that you can think of?)

So my first step is a pdf of a neck, anyone know where can I find one? Also I know maple is the preferred wood, but seeing as its my first neck could I use some of the buckets of pine 2x4s to practice with instead (as this will most likely be unusable anyways)? Or should I buy a maple board from lowes? (Keep in mind I want to work with something soft at first as my experience with these tools is limited right now)

Thanks in advance for any help and sorry for all the questions

[robt57]

Did you do a search for Neck Template via the search function ?


I just did, 1st returned thread contains this PDF of a BroadCaster Neck drawing: 'BROADCASTER NECK 2D-Model.pdf'



I am building my 1st 6. ;) 5 there, 1st one on the other side of the shop. ;)

[Birdmankustomz]

Originally Posted by robt57

Did you do a search for Neck Template via the search function ?


I just did, 1st returned thread contains this PDF of a BroadCaster Neck drawing: 'BROADCASTER NECK 2D-Model.pdf'



I am building my 1st 6. ;) 5 there, 1st one on the other side of the shop. ;)

Wow I feel stupid, lol. My other questions still stand though (thanks for the link dude)

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Birdmankustomz

Wow I feel stupid, lol. My other questions still stand though (thanks for the link dude)

Don't feel stupid, sometime the obvious is not so obvious. Besides, most times a good thread starts this way as well. ;)


Maple is the first most popular choice, out my 6 one is poplar and the rest canary. Use what you want to, just find out why one wood may not be a best choice.

I say, yes, make a pine neck. At least you can use it for a slide neck, or maybe just eBay it to cover expenses and do a maple or other next.

[SacDAve]

Fret saw for sure.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by SacDAve

Fret saw for sure.

Or at least some coping saw blades [and saw] that have a .022-023" kerf/cut.

That being said, I bought a double sided .022" kerf.. [I broke out a dial caliper to make sure.]

Stanley Flush Cut Pull Saw at Home Despot today for $13.49.



When I got home I took a scrap of the Canary and cut a slot with the new saw, and my coping saw with a .023" kerf blade. Popped in fret into each slot, and the found the new saw was a lot easier to stabilize and get a clean cut with.

There you go...

[mgdesigns]

Nice looking template, and those are nice looking blanks, fellow Near Nashvillian.

[Mojotron]

I got a great start by using 2x4 lumber and making a dozen necks for practice. That was great because there were a lot of mistakes to learn from.

[andrewdoeshair]

I'm getting ready to try my first neck build, too. I hope this thread can shed some light for me; I'll be watching!

[Picton]

robt57 is right: pullsaws are easier to use for a narrow, shallow cut like a fretslot.

As for the rest, I'm confused... you're not saying you want to make a real-life guitar neck out of pine, with no trussrod. Are you? Practice is fine, but I really doubt pine will give you as good a practice experience as hardwood will. I'd suggest poplar (for cheap practice) and maple for the real thing... but I'd add a trussrod. I also love making necks out of oak, but that's just me.

To me, the two indispensible neckmaking tools are a sharp spokeshave and a rasp (for the area near the heel). The spokeshave can be a pain to get used to; it's a frustrating tool until you get the hang of it, but it's unmatched for carving your neck shape.

The hardest part about neckmaking, for me, is figuring out how to hold the damn thing. It's customary to leave some wood on each side for awhile, for use with a vise, but eventually you gotta cut those off. That's a sad day for me, as there's little left to hold it reliably. Benedetto's book has a plan for a spokeshaving fixture, but I haven't gotten around to making one yet.

[tuuur]

Man! I gotta try making a neck. Everybody and his uncle seems to be doing that these days.

[LeroyBlues]

I'm also in the starting stages of making necks.

There are several youtube vids of guys demonstrating jigs, etc., that they've made to make necks. Some real good info there. I'm a "visual" person, so if you're like me, and seeing is a better way to learn, youtub is a good resource.
I'm' in the jig building process at this point. I'm planning on using scrap pine too, as it just seems like a good way to learn and not burn up hard earned money in the process. My plan is to make a jig for as many of the steps as possible. This way I'll at least get consistent results.

Sometime us Nashville cats should get together.

[barkley]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Man! I gotta try making a neck. Everybody and his uncle seems to be doing that these days.

I'm with you there, will need to be done sooner or later!

[LeroyBlues]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Man! I gotta try making a neck. Everybody and his uncle seems to be doing that these days.

I think it's partly the economy of it. Money's tight, at least it is for me, and the neck, if you have to purchase one, is one of the big ticket items in building a guitar. Plus, I suspect that we've made bodies and found out that it's pretty easy to do, so the logical next step is the neck. The worst part about telling someone that I made this or that guitar is having to tell them that I bought the neck.

For me, I'm thinking that after the neck build learning process comes the pickup building process. That would leave you with only having to buy tuners, a bridge, a control plate, pots, and a few other small ticket items.

[Picton]

Practice-wise, for me, a Tele neck would be easy compared to an acousitc or an archtop, mostly because the two toughest parts for me to get smooth and fluid are a full-depth heel and the area where the neck and the headstock meet (for angled headstocks). I haven't yet tried a Tele neck, but I would think it'd be a lot easier to get nice-looking results.

As for the reasons for neckmaking... I got into it because I figured it couldn't possibly be as hard as I'd heard. For the most part, I was right. Plus, I just like being able to point to a guitar or uke and say, "I made everything on that" (or, at least, the wooden parts). Gives me a nice sense of accomplishment.

Plus, for those of us in a non-production environment, it's awfully relaxing.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Picton

you're not saying you want to make a real-life guitar neck out of pine, with no trussrod. Are you? Practice is fine, but I really doubt pine will give you as good a practice experience as hardwood will. I'd suggest poplar (for cheap practice) and maple for the real thing... but I'd add a trussrod.

If pine I would use a truss. My 1st neck is poplar, and quarter sawn as close to 90^ center line. The poplar I am using is 25 years old minimum, and 1-1/8" starting thickness. It also was shaped taking advantage of a slight back bow.

Post of this poplar blank here in my build thread

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by robt57

If pine I would use a truss. My 1st neck is poplar, and quarter sawn as close to 90^ center line. The poplar I am using is 25 years old minimum, and 1-1/8" starting thickness. It also was shaped taking advantage of a slight back bow.

Post of this poplar blank here in my build thread

Looking at the mechanical properties of some pine(s) - it should be fine for a neck. The material between the grain is pretty soft so it's going to relic fast... and you would need a trussrod (as mentioned) and a fretboard made out of Maple or some other really dense/hard wood. I'm thinking about making a Douglas-Fir neck with a Medrona fretboard - just to make it all NW American native woods.

Pine does split easily, full quarter-sawn pieces might have some issues at the heel.

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Man! I gotta try making a neck. Everybody and his uncle seems to be doing that these days.

It's well worth doing - it's many times more rewarding to finish that first neck (that you can use) that it was to finish that first body. Plus, as others have noted, I can make a better neck than I can buy for ~$20-$25: The last Warmoth neck I bought ended up costing me $350 and the last Fender neck I bought cost me $250.

I would not say that it's easy, but it's not that hard either. Making a neck is much tougher than making a Tele body IMO, but with some patience it's doable for anyone that can make a body. If I can make a neck, just about anyone could :)

[Birdmankustomz]

Originally Posted by Picton

As for the rest, I'm confused... you're not saying you want to make a real-life guitar neck out of pine, with no trussrod. Are you? Practice is fine, but I really doubt pine will give you as good a practice experience as hardwood will. I'd suggest poplar (for cheap practice) and maple for the real thing... but I'd add a trussrod. I also love making necks out of oak, but that's just me.

I figured practicing on pine (a nice soft wood) would be easier than on something like maple, oak, etc. Plus I have buckets if the stuff laying around from both my parents older projects.

[robt57]

Old pine can be pretty hard actually...

[Zatar]

And on the truss rod thing, make a couple yourself... For $10 you can make like 4-5 truss rods :)

[Birdmankustomz]

Originally Posted by Zatar

And on the truss rod thing, make a couple yourself... For $10 you can make like 4-5 truss rods :)

What do I need? I have a die and tap set. I need some 1/4 steel rod right? what else? (thanks)

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Birdmankustomz

What do I need? I have a die and tap set. I need some 1/4 steel rod right? what else? (thanks)

Not a set, one tap, one die, Some 1/2 rod, some 1/4 rod, drills and some cutting oil so the tap and die don't tap and die too soon. ;)

Ball peen hammer, vice, [not Miami] and some goop to clean you hands before you touch bare wood after threading and assembling the truss rods.

You will need some sort of nut and washer for the business end of you assemblies..

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by Birdmankustomz

What do I need? I have a die and tap set. I need some 1/4 steel rod right? what else? (thanks)

The truss rods are 3/16 rod....10-32 tap for the adjustment nut and 10-32 die for the rod

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by ehawley

The truss rods are 3/16 rod....10-32 tap for the adjustment nut and 10-32 die for the rod

On the necks I make, I use 5/8th rod from Home Depot for the anchor (3/16th for he truss rod itself) and do the anchor like Warmoth does on their head adjust design. Here's one that I made earlier this year:

I think you are supposed to use low carbon steel, but I just use what they have or stainless (which I think is no stronger).
It's pretty easy, with some practice, to make a good truss rod. I did have to buy the hex adjust nuts from USACG, but I drive past their shop all the time and it was easy for me to drop in on them and beg for parts. With the heel adjust you can make those yourself just by using some 1/2" rod threaded lengthwise.

Some of my truss rods have been off center by about 1/32nd but still worked perfectly.

The tools I would add to the list that I was really glad I bought were one of those big 16" aluminum sanding block for the fretboard contouring, a diamond crowning file, a nut file set and one fret press insert for the fret contour I use. The 16" aluminum sanding block and diamond crowning file did all of the level crown work I needed - takes very little time to do a really good fretjob if you have those tools on hand.