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Anyone ever did a very thin headplate, and got away with it stylistically, smth more like 0.05 instead of the usual 0.08, 0.1 or 0.12" ? (1.25mm instead of 2-3)
Currently working a neck, and I did that stupid mistake of working while very late and tired, so I planed the headplate a lot more than needed without checking often. The bass and center "columns" are a reasonable 0.06 (1.6mm or so) which looks OK, but the treble column is only 0.04-5 much like a very thick veneer.
I rounded the edges (still room for more) and that helps.
I would normally plane it off and put a new one, but you see, it is Brazillion, and was selected by the customer... I would hate to waste it.
Unfortunately in the pics it looks better than it is, especially the thinner treble side.
It is worth mentioning that the guitar is a lowcost one for a friend. We selected dirt cheap woods, like a knotted rw back, A-grade top.... But they have the potential to sound great though, and I want to do my best with the workmanship part.

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Build log

Hi Alexandru,
If you can carefully loosen the rosewood on the treble column you could slip a matching piece of veneer under the thin area to build it up.
Some peghead overlays are pretty thin so that might also work.

Alex - What's at issue really? You'd like to have some extra thickness to provide a little more support for holding a nut in, but if you put a little more glue than usual on the nut, you'll probably be OK, yes?

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Clay thanks, it sounds like it could work, but I don't think I'm good enough to try it, probably end up ruining it completely.

Jim, I'm sure the nut will stay in just fine, it's about the looks.... The darn pics make it look ok. But here is a normal thickness 2mm plate. Looks huge in comparison. And 2mm is at the lower end of the normal spectrum.

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Build log

Hi, Alexandru. I don't think you've got a real problem here--except a visual presentation that is bothering you. It just doesn't look right--correct? Have you considered gluing additional veneer or veneers over the existing top plate to build it up to your desired thickness? I admit it isn't a solution that conserves veneer, but it would probably solve your problem. Often, veneers of different colors can be stacked up to make quite an attractive lamination. Or veneers of the same color can be stacked up to build a thicker plate. Further, you have learned this lesson now, and you won't ever have to repeat the "fix." If I were in your situation and it bothered me, I would build it up. Some purists might not like it, but I'll bet many others would find it perfectly acceptable.

You probably can get the plate off OK using a little heat if you were using yellow glue. Then an extra rosewood layer could be sandwiched in as suggested. Clothes irons work well for this.

From the pictures, I can't tell if it looks weird - I'd leave it as is based on what I can see.

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu