Neck-Thru Build Pics

[Gordon Bellerose]

oops posted but did not see that head stock had been cut off

After I cut into the nut area, I was disgusted.
I cut the neck into pieces before I took the picture.
The damaged area is on the headstock side of the nut on the bottom of the picture. It would have been impossible to patch in that area, and the neck would have been too narrow if I tried to cut the other side to match.

It was late and I was tired as I said, and I simply didn't take the time to put a smaller blade on the bandsaw.

[Art Davila]

I have been there many times.

[Art Davila]

As for a repair you could have gone to a spindle sander to smooth out the band saw marks (roughly marked in red and notched the end where it meets the neck square (marked in blue) and an oversized veneer cut from your scapes. then after the glue sets up go easy with hand sanding and blend it ti the line you had intended. I saw this done a while ago, I do not remember if it was here or another group, but the finsh product was very nice you really had to loo at the guitar if you did not know it was there. Although it was supposed to be a clear finish and the guy finished it with a darker transtint finish but the repair was a good one. just file it away I know i doesn't help you now

[Mark Swanson]

You also could have scarfed on a new peghead.

[Art Davila]

Oops I forgot to add the picture . See that why I love this group Marcs idea is awesome.

[Gordon Bellerose]

You also could have scarfed on a new peghead.

Yeah, I guess I coulda. I did not think of that, and it is a very good idea. May have been a bit of a struggle to match it up.
If I ever get into that situation again (I hope not) I will definitely remember this suggestion.

[Mark Swanson]

I know about that idea because I have ...ahhh...needed to use it myself.

[Chris Richards]

This sort of "happening" is so disheartening and it's nearly always a result of trying to do something quickly or when tired, I don't think I've made a guitar to date that I haven't made a mistake on... Half the battle is learning how to disguise or repair the error. But I agree sometimes it's just best to turn it into firewood and start again!.... I spend a lot of time making jigs this helps but sometimes all eventualities can't be foreseen such as tear-out from a router and it's just a case of finding a way to disguise things.

[Gordon Bellerose]

I appreciate the kind words and empathy fellas. It is always hard to post the failures, especially the big ones.
As I said earlier, I promised myself that I would post everything that happened in this build, so that everyone has a chance to learn from both good and bad.

I have the new neck under construction now. The parts are all glued together, the blank is the proper dimensions, squared, and the headstock angle is cut.
My next chore is to rout the truss rod channel, but I have to wait for the new rods to come in. The rod I had scheduled for this neck has been used in a bolt-on neck that I built, for another build I have going on.

Speaking of truss rods;

Have any of you tried the new two-way rods that stewmac has in stock?
They are really inexpensive, so I thought I would try a few. The rod works well, and is encased in a plastic/vinyl coating to stop rod buzz once installed.
They require a 1/4" wide, by 3/8 deep channel, just like the LMI rods, so no special router bits are required; unlike the previous Hot Rods.

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Su ... s_Rod.html

The one knock I have against them is that the adjustment socket turns inside a small tube that is welded on the end of the rod.
The tube is about 1 1/4" long, and is 5/16 in diameter. It also sticks down a bit from the bottom of the rod.
This means that if you use it in a headstock adjust neck, the channel has to be routed bigger, and deeper just under the nut.
I had to rout to a depth of 27/64" in that area. If the neck is about 1/2 inch thick at that point, there is not a lot of meat left under the channel.

It does not install as easily as the website says, that is for sure.

[Alexander Higgins]

I looked at the Stewmac "Hot-rods", and decided against them for two reasons:
They are deeper than other brands, which limits how thin you can get the neck profile.
They are oddly sized, for no other reason I can determine other than Stewmac gets to sell you the special router bit as well!

I used one of the "blue" double-action rods from Best Guitar Parts, we'll see how it goes. It fits perfectly in a standard 1/4" slot for the bar, and 3/8" slot for the adjustment head. It's exactly 3/8" deep too.

Is there an accepted minimum for wood remaining under the trussrod to avoid having it "blow-out" under tension? I've read 3/16" minimum, but I actually have no clue.

[Barry Daniels]

1/8" is my minimum. 3/16" would let me sleep at night.

[Dan Smith]

Be warned these rods are 18-1/2" long.
I had to glue an extension onto the end of my fretboard.
My fault for routing the slot without measuring first.
Dan

[Dan Smith]

Be warned these rods are 18-1/2" long.
I had to glue an extension onto the end of my fretboard.
My fault for routing the slot without measuring first.
Dan

I am referring to the "low profile rods"

[David King]

Stew Mac was supposed to be working on a new type of rod last year but I see it hasn't materialized yet.

[Gordon Bellerose]

The rods I posted about above, are the new Low Profile rods that stewmac is all hyped about.

As I said, the main channel is 1/4 wide by 3/8 deep. It is at the adjustment end that things go south.
It may be a decent rod to use in a neck that adjusts at the base.
If you look closely at the picture when you click on the link I supplied, you will see that the adjustment mechanism is lower and larger than the rod itself.

[David King]

Stewmac's "new" rods have been around for at least 15 years. Grizzly has been selling them for a decade. They cost about $3 ea from Taiwan and under $2 ea from China. When I spoke to them this time last summer they were working with a prominent American luthier on a totally new design.

[Gordon Bellerose]

I bought 3 of them because the price was better when you bought 3 or more.
Even though I do not like base adjust necks, I might use them in a neck that adjusts at the base, but have decided to not use them in a headstock adjust neck. There is just not enough meat left under the adjustment area.

Finally got my new rods from LMI, and will proceed with the build on Sunday.

Saturday I am driving to Calgary AB. There is a guitar show there, and I want to go and see how other builders are displaying, and pricing.
I want to check out the quality of their builds too.

There is a show here in Edmonton AB. in September, and I want to have a booth in that show.

[Art Davila]

Last guitar show I went to there was only one custom builder and he was priced so low I can not believe he built them they had to be from china. I can't get the wood and parts to build and sell for under $500.00, but his quality was pretty nice I have to admit. When I asked him how he could charge so little he seem to get pissed and said do you want to buy it or not. I opted for not. I wish there had been more luthiers there I did also want to see what local builder charge for their stuff.

[Gordon Bellerose]

Last guitar show I went to there was only one custom builder and he was priced so low I can not believe he built them they had to be from china. I can't get the wood and parts to build and sell for under $500.00, but his quality was pretty nice I have to admit. When I asked him how he could charge so little he seem to get pissed and said do you want to buy it or not. I opted for not. I wish there had been more luthiers there I did also want to see what local builder charge for their stuff.

Most of us here know how much work there is in actually building from scratch.
He may have been buying pre-finished bodies and necks, and simply assembling them.

Even if I did that, my price would still be higher than 500.00.
Hardware parts alone, if you use quality parts, would cost 300 - 400. Plus shipping.
Keep in mind that I pay in Canadian Dollars. Exchange is killing us right now.

A good set of pickups, by a name brand supplier = 150 - 250
Quality Bridge = approx. 100
Tuners = 50 +
Pots, Switches, Caps, Wire, Strap Buttons = 50 - 80

[Art Davila]

the tuners I like to use are the Gotoh 21:2 ratios and those are 99 dollars a set