'53 CNC build

[guitarbuilder]

I'm pretty sure the skunk stripe is walnut too.
Marty

[Rich Rice]

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/I-5200.html

"Solidbody guitars, bolt-on necks
When Leo Fender designed his guitars and basses he used a practical nuts and bolts approach. He felt that if something broke, you should be able to simply unscrew it, attach a new one, and then the guitar was good as new. The Fender style bolt-on neck was a key feature in the design of Leo's solidbody guitars. These necks were typically fashioned from one piece of 1"-thick flatsawn maple (it was less expensive than quartersawn) that was rear-routed to accept a one-way truss rod. The slot routed in the back of the neck was then filled with a koa or walnut "skunk-stripe." Two access holes were then drilled; one hole is in the face of the peghead (the "teardrop" plug seen on the face of most Fender pegheads); and the other through the end of the neck's heel for the truss rod adjustment nut. "

I know I read it somewhere else, as well, but can't remember where. Again, either way will work, and look great.

[Rich Rice]

The above link to Stew Mac has another section, later in the article.

"Fender's "skunk-stripe" and peghead plug on 1950s necks is koa, not walnut! If you wish to match or do a vintage repair, the color and graining of walnut will never match the look of koa found in these necks. "

I read it on the intermess, it must be so.

[Jack Wells]

Seems like the skunk stripe wood would be covered in The Blackguard book. I don't have the book. Maybe someone else can check.

[0le FUZZY]

I read it on the intermess, it must be so.

...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA !

...Boyee ain't that the trute!!!

0.F.

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Last night, after the third dance job of the weekend, I got involved with a discussion of this (and other things) with a friend and a couple of bottles of Three Buck Chuck.

Among other things, we decided that, Hey! It's just another tool to get the same job done. While the journey CAN be important, it is the destination that is really important. How's that for some heavy philosophising!

We have a new "shop" teacher at the school where I work. One of those 24 year old kids that grew up with a mouse in one hand and a hammer in the other. He has already told me that we need to get some CNC stuff into the school so our kids can get some exposure to it. I can't say that doesn't make a lot of sense.

My concern will be that it needs to be big enough to handle bodies and necks!

Ed, thanks again for all of this great information.

Cheers

Steve Dikkers
aka Buckocaster51

Ah YES...Trader Joes' three buck chuck! Can't be beat!! I see that on the Techno isel site they have a deal on new LC3024s. 30" by 24" travel. Thats big enough for bodies, necks, double neck bodies, baritone necks...ect. I like the Techno Isel units. I've looked at a few to use as backup CNCs at our business. For about $11,500.00 you get everything new from soup to nuts! And thats with Servo motors!! Thats what you want! Servo motors. The stepper motors are cheaper but lose thier place easily. Servos are more powerful, closed loop, and never lose thier location! If I was going to buy one for home,and had the money , thats the one I would get! Great machine!
Cheers
ED

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Seems like the skunk stripe wood would be covered in The Blackguard book. I don't have the book. Maybe someone else can check.

Hmmm... the blackguard on page 396 states "the headstock plug and skunk stripe found on 50s fender necks until 1959 was always made of Walnut, with the exception of some fall 50s Broadcasters and 51 nocasters that come with a maple headstock plug" Now I have a dilema! To be true to the Blackguard book I should use Walnut...but Koa may look better!! What do you all think?
Cheers
ED

[Rich Rice]

I'd try both as a test, and choose the prettiest one.

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by Rich@wildriceband.com

I'd try both as a test, and choose the prettiest one.

Sounds good to me Rich!
cheers
ED

[japasul]

HMMMM

Ed...

quite a dilema indeed.


But I think you should go with walnut. You told us at the star this was supposed to be like a NOS guitar....


Stay true to what this project is! If you decide that this project IS NOT a NOS guitar, then go with Koa - but go with walnut otherwise!


A "better look" is very subjective, and it might look "better" if it looks "right", not just because of the color of that element by itself!



quite a dilema...


Good luck!
And great thread!

Cheers
André Ripoll

[Rich Rice]

Originally Posted by japasul

HMMMM

Ed...

quite a dilema indeed.


But I think you should go with walnut. You told us at the star this was supposed to be like a NOS guitar....


Stay true to what this project is! If you decide that this project IS NOT a NOS guitar, then go with Koa - but go with walnut otherwise!


A "better look" is very subjective, and it might look "better" if it looks "right", not just because of the color of that element by itself!



quite a dilema...


Good luck!
And great thread!

Cheers
André Ripoll

Andre, the differences between walnut and koa are subtle, and there is conflicting information on the subject. It becomes a matter of taste, and either wood would be good. I'll bet 95% of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference on such a small piece. The new ones are definitely walnut, and (IMHO) they look dark, flat, one dimensional. I had a '72 tele neck whose plug and stripe were deep and glowed. That was probably walnut, too, but koa would look more like the old one than the new ones do. I don't think it will diminish the value of the finished instrument, it is an inexpensive test to see which color/look Ed likes better.

[tonewoods]

"To be true to the Blackguard book I should use Walnut...but Koa may look better!! What do you all think?"

Well, unfigured koa and walnut can look very similar under varnish...
Similar pore stucture, etc....

We know walnut was used in those guitars, so if you're anal about it, I'd go that route....

I'll have a look at the Blackguard Book and see if I can spot some koa in there...
Gives me another excuse to look at those wonderful pics....

[japasul]

Originally Posted by Rich@wildriceband.com

...I'll bet 95% of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference on such a small piece...

HE would!

hee hee

im not against any wood. but if it is settled that those teles had walnut plugs and stripes, and this IS a NOS project, then it should be walnut...

But these are IF's!!!




Im making a tele of 3 types woods that were never used by fender, so im not defending the historically-correct here. Im just saying IF this is that kind of project... IF!


Cheers
André Ripoll

[Buckocaster51]

In the Blackguard Book, on one of Leo's cost breakout sheets, walnut is specifically mentioned, and priced, in the cost of a neck.

I think it is clear that his intent, at least when he prepared that sheet, was that walnut would be used as a filler.

[tele_player]

I've never seen that book, but it makes me wonder... was walnut cheaper than the maple he had lying around - or did he actually pay more to get a distinctive stripe? His designs are quite frugal in most respects.

[ehawley]

I'm off to Willard Brothers this morning. www.willardbrothers.net.

WALNUT IT IS!! Thanks guys!
Cheers
ED

[chickenpicker]

Originally Posted by tele_player

I've never seen that book, but it makes me wonder... was walnut cheaper than the maple he had lying around - or did he actually pay more to get a distinctive stripe? His designs are quite frugal in most respects.

If he'd glued in a strip of maple, the glue line around the join would have looked ugly. By using two different coloured woods, that's avoided (just my theory, by the way).

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

I'm waiting to see Roy Underhill make a Tele out of old lumber using a tool he made out of an old Railroad spike and a Snuff can.

Ron Kirn

Does he still have a show. I used to watch that all the time! What was it called? American woodworker or something? Worked in an old barn. I remember seeing an episode where he was using a treadle lathe and the piece flew off into space! Great show!
Cheers
ED

[Jack Wells]

What was it called?

The Woodwright's Shop

[0le FUZZY]

...I doubt iffin Leo had even heard of KOA from Hi-ya-wye-ya.

...Iffin he did he waz sew frugle (cheap) he wood haff never fetched that exotic wood fer such a small job.

...Yes he dunn a few in maple but the skunk stripe won out cause it showed he really did haff a truss rod in air. As yew may er may knott noe he dent want noe truss rod in his necks but his crew cornvinced him he kneaded it. Wonce he caved in he wanted it tew show ----big time!



0le FUZZY