Setch Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Over the past week or so I've been working on a custom neck for PG member Simo. I've taken a few snaps along the way, and put them up, along with a brief blurb, on my blog. I thought this might be interesting to folks here, and I'm also hoping to break the curse concerning PG members posting about building necks for other PG members. Third time lucky.... right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 (edited) Is that truss rod channel so wide.....or is it just the pic.... Nice looking headstock. Edited March 28, 2005 by RGGR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Hi Setch, On your blog site you speak about a router thicknessing jig a lot --looks like you use it all the time...what is it and how did you make it? (maybe you already posted this info somewhere else, but I'm too exhausted to go look right now, sorry) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Idch, The router thicknessing jig is this: It's simply a set of rails supported parallel to a work surface. In this shot the rails are supported by stacks of plywood, but often they are simply clamped to the worktop with the piece to be thicknessed in between them: The router is then run across the rails with the bit set to the appropriate height. Several passes with a 5/8" bit will thickness a neck or blank quite quickly. A body blank is a bit tedious, but quite achievable, though you have to move the rails after every few passes to cover the fullwidth. RGGR, The trussrod channel is exactly as wide as it needs to be. In this case, 11mm. The rod is Gotoh's version of a 2 way u-channel trussrod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunsu Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Wow... hi Setch. your work is allway amazing clean work.. good.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Thanks Hyunsu. It's easy to work clean if you're slow like me. I'm always impressed by the speed and volume of your work - which is still always very clean. I wish I could keep as many balls in the air as you do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 It's simply a set of rails supported parallel to a work surface. In this shot the rails are supported by stacks of plywood, but often they are simply clamped to the worktop with the piece to be thicknessed in between them: ← Yes, that's what I thought it was, I just wanted to check to see if it wasn't something fancier. I'd thought of doing something like that with my Convertible, but wasn't sure if it would work. Wish I'd had now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 A body blank is a bit tedious, but quite achievable, though you have to move the rails after every few passes to cover the fullwidth. I just read an article in WOOD magazine where they showed a thickness jig very similar to what Setch is using, only they had the router mounted to a sled or base that would span wide enough to do a body blank. This way you would not have to reposition the guide rails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFC Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Very nice neck! What do you think about the Gotoh truss, I'm building a (actually two...) neck with the gotoh 2 way rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simo Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 I've just spotted the new pic's, look's like it's coming along very nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 I'm getting exited to finish it up, but I'm stalled until the fretwire shows up. I'll try to chase up craft supplies tomorrow, but my working day is about the same as theirs, so it's tough to find a quiet moment to call them. I guess I should have mailed you with the latest update. Hardly seems right all these naer-do-wells' seeing the latest prgress before you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyunsu Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 hi Setch... thank to your advice.. i make guitar fast.. becauce of i study wood and result.. some time wood selection and making result is diffrent.. try & catch.. i think it is same to playing.. many exercise is enable good play.. so i try fast and make many guitar.. i make neck allmost 100.. T_T but use is 20~25.. another is allmost wested.. now i'm not failed make neck.. neck thick check tool is my hands. my teacher say to me.. why you make it fast.. and when make it.. do your best one guitar.. i agree my teacher and Setch.. but my think is wood selection & result sound check is enable many guitar making.. Setch.. i respect you.. you really good man.. have nice day.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feylya Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Really really nice work Setch. If you don't mind me asking, how much did you charge for that neck? How much for a neckthrough neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMinds Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Hi Setch. I have a question. I want a neck without a fingerboard piece; the frets go right onto the neck which of course is designed to take up the space of the fingerboard as well. I can show some pics. However, I thought I'd ask you, would you (as an example of a luthier) feel comfortable making a truss rod hole for such a neck? You'd have to drill through rather than route - how does that sound to you? And I might as well ask how much you'd charge for a neck with a few unusual specifications - namely a non-angled headstock, no fingerboard per above, and a linear and not angled neck width (strings stay equidistant throughout neck)? Thanks, hope to see more photos to get my ideas goin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 You'd have to drill through rather than route - how does that sound to you? And what would be benefit of that, sir??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMinds Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 RGGR - It's for a neck without a fingerboard. You can't route it out as the top of it is not covered by a fingerboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feylya Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Then surely you route from behind and add a skunk strip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 (edited) RGGR - It's for a neck without a fingerboard. You can't route it out as the top of it is not covered by a fingerboard. ← You can't really drill truss rod slots. First off, with a traditional truss rod, you need a curved slot. Not happening with a drill. For a modern, double-action truss rod, you need a rectangular hole. Not even square, rectangular. And it has to fit pretty exactly. Also not happening with a drill. The way fender does 1-piece no-fingerboard necks is to route the back and then fill the hole with a "skunk stripe." I've never seen an electric neck in which the truss rod hole hadn't been routed from one side or the other. EDIT: Yay going to post at the same time! Edited March 30, 2005 by jnewman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feylya Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Or you could do it the G&L way and route a channel out of two piece of your neck would, insert the truss rod and glue the neck together... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 It is possible to drill the entire trussrod channel, but I have no idea how to do it. Gordon Smith, a UK builder, makes one piece necks without seperate fretboards or skunk stripes, but is very secretive about how he does it. His answer if asked is 'specially trained termites'. Also, flattering as it is to be asked about prices for commissions, I'd ask that all such enquiries are made via PM, so as not to hi-jack the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feylya Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 There's a Gordon Smith in the house. I must have a look see at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 He doesn't use that design exclusively, only on his maple necked guitars. http://www.fairplay.demon.co.uk/faq.htm#Is...ue%20that%20GSG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMinds Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Thank you guys, the skunk stripe sounds like a nice solution. I like the way a stripe looks on the back of a neck usually too so that works! feylya - Yes, please reverse engineer it for us Setch - that makes sense I will PM you soon once I can provide some info on it, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 (edited) RGGR - It's for a neck without a fingerboard. You can't route it out as the top of it is not covered by a fingerboard. Well,.....that's what I thought you meant to begin with. See.....,all this talk about the how......still left the why unanswered!!! Mastermind - why would you not want a fingerboard or a rear routed sunk stripe??? Possible answers I can come up with are. Aesthetics? - You don't like look of fingerboard. Even maple neck with maple fingerboard has enormeous displeasing effect on you?! (looks are in eye of beholder so no comments there) Construction strength wise? - You think glued on fretboard has weakening effect on overall performance and stability of neck?! (where I myself am of the school of thought that laminated necks are of greater strength than one piece construction.) Have you thought of using Carbon fiber neck??? I heard that eliminates need for trussrod. Interested in your reasoning behind desire for one piece (really one piece in this respect) neck. * Edit * Mastermind posted just before I did. See he is going for sunk-stripe. Edited March 30, 2005 by RGGR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMinds Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 RGGR - Both aesthetics AND construction. If there is no need to have two pieces, then why do so? Adding more pieces and more glue can never result in better strength, the simplest solution - using the strength of wood and not glue - is always the best. Plus, I love the look of it - it is very striking to see beautifil silver frets on a naked neck. Also, I like the skunk stripe idea - however RGGR please tell me more abou this carbon neck. I know Viger Guitars uses there "patented 10/90" system where 10% is carbon, and thus no truss rod - but this is a patented idea. Do you know of sources that sell a carbon fiber neck? Or any substance that does not require a truss rod? I would be very interested in more about this - I assume it was a patented secret etc.. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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