Does anyone have experience with Musikraft...

[Michael]

... bodies and/or necks? I happened upon them via ebay, and discovered that they're located about an hour from me. I'm planning on building a blackguard, and while I love the body and neck I got from USACG for my last project, I'd be interested in keeping my business closer to home if their product is as good as Tommy's. USACG doesn't make a T-style body without the flattened jack area, so in the interests of authenticity I'm leaning toward a supplier that makes a body like that. Also, should I have any concerns about the tightness, or lack thereof, of the body/neck joint when using parts from different suppliers? Thanks to all.

[OaklandA]

Musikraft neck and body on this :





Nice quality in wood, fit, overall work, though I may have an issue with a stuck truss rod on the neck. I got them off eBay too for pretty cheap. The body was ready to go for finish...the neck needed a good fret dress (done very well by TDPRI member Rob DiStefano).

They are on ebay as Jamerson Music or something like that? Sometimes have some real interesting pieces like Tele bodies with neck thru the body. Exotic woods.

The PartsTele pictured above is an Ash body with Spalted Maple top/Birdseye Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard. The grain in the rosewood is real purty.

[moonshiner]

If you do a search, you'll see that many of us have musikraft stuff.. I, for one, really enjoy my neck of theirs...

[Ronkirn]

I recently [webmaster edit] ordered a Musikraft Neck. It left a lot to be desired, the most obvious flaw was, the truss rod plug in the headstock was almost ¼ inch off center.

Had this been a bargain basement neck that could be expected, but on a neck that cost 300 bux… not cool, not cool at all.

When the neck was returned, they did give a credit, but stated they would not make another for someone so picky. Picky?? All he wanted was it done right.

I recommend Warmoth or USACG; I have never had a problem with either.

Ron Kirn

[Martinp]

I put together a blackguard, using a warmouth neck, and a musikraft two piece ash body.
the neck fit was very nice, and although it was sold as a "paint" body, I did it in a semi transparent butterscotch, and it looks like a million bucks, and it was pretty cheap, if I recall correctly.
if I could ever figure out how to post pictures I'd put one up for you

[Rich Rice]

I like 'em. My son likes 'em. Redd Volkaert likes 'em. [webmaster edit] I do a ton of work to their necks, (rolling fingerboard edges, slight reshaping, working the fret ends) They have always stood by their products for me.

[David Barnett]

Didn't all Telecasters, Esquires, and broadcasters have the flat for the jack?

[Lostheart]

Do USACG also make a period correct early 50's style neck with truss rod access at the heel, walnut plug and skunk stripe?
I remember seeing such a neck from them on a partscaster but I cannot find any info on this on their site...they seem to only offer truss rod access at the headstock...

[guitar slinger]

My only experience was not good. A truss rod in a neck I bought off e-Bay was installed weird although it did work. While shaving the neck down some it was discovered the truss rod was installed at a strange angle causing me some problems. Other than this one itme that's the only experience I have had. Just thought I would mention it since I saw a couple of posts about necks here.

[Rich Rice]

Originally Posted by Lostheart

Do USACG also make a period correct early 50's style neck with truss rod access at the heel, walnut plug and skunk stripe?
I remember seeing such a neck from them on a partscaster but I cannot find any info on this on their site...they seem to only offer truss rod access at the headstock...

USACG will do what you want. Just call and talk to them. Heel access and walnut stripe/plug are common.

[Lostheart]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

I recently ordered a Musikraft Neck. It left a lot to be desired, the most obvious flaw was, the truss rod plug in the headstock was almost ¼ inch off center.

Had this been a bargain basement neck that could be expected, but on a neck that cost 300 bux… not cool, not cool at all.

When the neck was returned, they did give a credit, but stated they would not make another for someone so picky. Picky?? All he wanted was it done right.

I recommend Warmoth or USACG; I have never had a problem with either.

Ron Kirn

Hey Ron,
is fellow TDPRI member "guitar slinger" from Lexington, KY (who posted an identical Musikraft neck flaw a few posts below yours) the one you build the Tele for?
Or did various people have bad experience with sloppy truss-rod placements on Musikraft necks?
That would be scary...

Originally Posted by Rich@wildriceband.com

USACG will do what you want. Just call and talk to them. Heel access and walnut stripe/plug are common.

Many thanks, Rich!
I'll send them an e-mail and ask how much they charge for a walnut plug/skunk stripe Tele neck...

[guitar slinger]

Hi :

No Ron did not do the work on my tele. It was done by a local tech here who is not fond of the Musikraft stuff at all and normally only uses the Warmoth stuff. But I suppose you can get a lemon from anyone at some point or another.

[BB]

Originally Posted by guitar slinger

But I suppose you can get a lemon from anyone at some point or another.

Exactly. No one is perfect and mistakes do happen to the best. It's how that mistake is handled that matters.

[nic'o'caster]

I just bought a very nice quarter sawn maple neck from them : 1 inch thick, nitro lacquer... It's a piece of art.
Well it was, till we tried to adjust the truss rod... Nothing moved. Strange to read here it's not so uncommon from them necks. Sorry to ascertain that.

[WickedGTR]

I like mine-

[Ronkirn]

No, It wasn't Guitar Slinger that I did the Tele for, but strangely enough, the guy I did do it for eMailed me several weeks after he returned it to say he saw Misicraft had listed it on eBay..

Kinda makes ya say Hummmmmmmmm..

Ron Kirn

[Wild Rice Chris]

Only way around truss rod issues is...

No Truss Rod!!

[Lostheart]

Originally Posted by Wild Rice Chris

Only way around truss rod issues is...

No Truss Rod!!

No truss rod?
That would scare the s*** outta me!

[Nick Fanis]

I also built a tele with a neck from them and it had the weirdest truss rod I've ever seen:it TIGHTENED when you turned it anti-clock wise & LOOSENED when you turned it clock-wise it almost drove me nuts when I've tried to set the relief...

It was a good neck though...

[Rich Rice]

Originally Posted by Lostheart

No truss rod?
That would scare the s*** outta me!

Not if you saw/held this neck... It measures 1.05" at the nut, and it's quartersawn. Feels like a fine tuned Louisville Slugger. :D Awesome!

[velcroman]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

I recently built a Custom for a client; he specified and ordered a Musikraft Neck. It left a lot to be desired, the most obvious flaw was, the truss rod plug in the headstock was almost ¼ inch off center.

Had this been a bargain basement neck that could be expected, but on a neck that cost 300 bux… not cool, not cool at all.

When the neck was returned, they did give a credit, but stated they would not make another for someone so picky. Picky?? All he wanted was it done right.

I recommend Warmoth or USACG; I have never had a problem with either.

Ron Kirn

Same thing happened to me Ron. They said I was to picky. I got a backbowed neck with a truss that was wrongly installed (web search shows many have) Also they claim to do a '59 slab neck but its way off the mark. The slab is REAL thick and the tiny truss nut they use is 50/50. As in it sits in the middle of the rose wood/maple joint. Jim at Musikraft doesnt get what the problem is. How about checking your own website Jim , for starters, you know the one where you have photos and claim to have it down to PERFECTION.

They dont seen to know how to install a truss at all. Search the web for "Musikraft truss" Yikes.

[velcroman]

Originally Posted by guitar slinger

Hi :

No Ron did not do the work on my tele. It was done by a local tech here who is not fond of the Musikraft stuff at all and normally only uses the Warmoth stuff. But I suppose you can get a lemon from anyone at some point or another.

Count the number of Musikraft truss rod problem posts.

Count the competitions. Nuff said.

Musikraft preys on the stupid who don't know better. Got a return with a screwed up truss rod? Heck, just put it on Ebay. Notice that Musikraft's ebay ID Jamerson_guitars only does one day auctions. Why? Someone might get the word out they used to own that neck and its screwed?

I think I figured out their return policy - most orders are credit card or Paypal. After getting their merch account pulled they'd rather give refunds than lose another merch account and not be able to take cards at all.

[BroadMaster]

Originally Posted by Rich Rice

I like 'em. My son likes 'em. Redd Volkaert likes 'em. My customers have liked them. I do a ton of work to their necks, (rolling fingerboard edges, slight reshaping, working the fret ends) They have always stood by their products for me.

They'll roll them for you for an additional 15 dollars. I think they find and take care of the details of fine tuning before shipment when you buy this option. Mine always come with no sprout. I order stainless, too. Rich weren't you on their website as Builder of the Month a while back? That was a nice looking piece.