Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Fri Aug 08, 2025 6:16 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: 5 pc neck laminate sizes
PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:27 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:57 pm
Posts: 117
First name: John
Last Name: Neal
City: Arcadia
State: ok
Zip/Postal Code: 73007
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I'm wanting to do a 5 pc. neck out maple with 2 bloodwood stripes and was wondering what thicknesses to use? the blood wood is pretty heavy and I don't think I want to go over 1/4" on them.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:04 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:03 am
Posts: 6680
Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada
You can make them what ever you like, it's really more for asthetics then anything else. Make it look the way you like.

I usually go with 1/8" center, 1/4" second & 15/16" for the outer. Gives you a 2-1/2" wide board which you can add wings on the headstock if you want a wider headstock.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:10 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:50 pm
Posts: 2711
Location: Victoria, BC
First name: John
Last Name: Abercrombie
Status: Amateur
You want to give some thought to how the laminations will work with your heel design. Having a contrasting veneer at the 'side' of the heel can be tricky.
A wider Gibson-style / archtop style heel can be a bit easier to manage than a classical 'pointy'-style heel, if there is a lot 'going on' with laminations.
Cheers
John


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:02 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 1383
Location: Canada
The other thing I try to remember when planning it out is the slots.... don't like having a 1/4" trussrod slot married with a 1/4" center lam. (etc).

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:27 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:57 pm
Posts: 117
First name: John
Last Name: Neal
City: Arcadia
State: ok
Zip/Postal Code: 73007
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I was thinking 7/8" maple, 1/8" bloodwood, 1/2" maple, 1/8" bloodwood, 7/8" maple. Thats also 2 1/2". Was also thinking how it would look to do that on just the neck itself and do a separate heel and headstock without the stripes. I've seen one somewhere before.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 11:02 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:50 pm
Posts: 2711
Location: Victoria, BC
First name: John
Last Name: Abercrombie
Status: Amateur
jncllc wrote:
I was thinking 7/8" maple, 1/8" bloodwood, 1/2" maple, 1/8" bloodwood, 7/8" maple. Thats also 2 1/2". Was also thinking how it would look to do that on just the neck itself and do a separate heel and headstock without the stripes. I've seen one somewhere before.

That 'look' was pretty common in classical guitars when makers put an ebony strip into the neck, so it's definitely been done before.
You do want to avoid getting 'neck heavy' with a maple neck, but that shouldn't be a problem with most steel-string bodies.
For me the advantage of laminating the neck is that I can use flat-sawn wood (and not much of it) and get a nice 'bookmatch' look with the grain.
But there are lots of ways to go- if you use decent wood, well-dried and modern glues (and a trussrod) you can do just about anything you want and it should hold together.
Cheers
John


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com