carving neck

[markclark]

Do you carve before or after fretboard is glued up? I have seen it done both ways but there is some controversy about the neck changing shape after you take wood off and making the fretboard not true and flat. Just looking for some advice before getting started building.

[Cole]

If you install your truss rod and glue your fingerboard on first you create the most stable platform in which to shape you neck. It will keep you lines straight and it will allow you to get a truer feel of the whole neck in the final contour shaping phase.

Here's a good place to start and get a lot of answers about building how to's:

MIMF

Pretty cool place if you haven't been there yet. I'd get a book on building a guitar first... lots of great books out there. Good luck.

[JasonRobert]

I do it after the fretboard is fitted, but before the fret markers are. I then fit the fret markers, and give it an overall sand down to get out any imperfections in the wood.

[markclark]

I have built guitars and necks before and the way you describe is how i have done it. But i have recently read that if you take off material after the truss rod and fretboard are installed that the wood will move causing the neck to twist or bow and this can affect your overall construction. Some guys also swear that it causes problems down the road with warping.

[JasonRobert]

Originally Posted by markclark

I have built guitars and necks before and the way you describe is how i have done it. But i have recently read that if you take off material after the truss rod and fretboard are installed that the wood will move causing the neck to twist or bow and this can affect your overall construction. Some guys also swear that it causes problems down the road with warping.

that reminds me when you mention the truss rod; if you have a deep truss rod route for a double action rod, or you like a fairly slim neck, always take note of how far you are away from the route, because you do not want to go into the route when shaping, or you will have an ugly, possibly unrepairable hole, unless you paint the neck a sold colour. I have not noticed any twisting, but I did have a slight back bow in one fret board, which was sanded out when I radiused the fretboard, and after a leveling of the frets it played perfectly.

[markclark]

yea I think that it is fine to install the fretboard first then shape the neck but i just wanted to get a feel for how others construct necks.

thanks for the input guys

[jwells393]

But i have recently read that if you take off material after the truss rod and fretboard are installed that the wood will move causing the neck to twist or bow and this can affect your overall construction.

I wouldn't put much faith in your source for that reading. Shaping the neck after the truss rod is installed is the standard practice in neck construction. It's worked for Fender for almost 60 years.