Official Luthiers Forum!

I know most acoustic guitars have 13 degree angled headstock with 3 tuners on each side. But suppose someone isn't too good with making scarf joints, has anyone actually tried to just make a neck by gluing on heels then shaping the headstock like a Fender style with 6 tuners on one side? Don't think anything would be wrong with it but it might not look right...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Yes, you can definitely do the headstock that way. In fact John Kinkead builds his necks by building up the head and cutting out a 13 degree angled headstock. I like this method myself and have built 6 like that with no complaints. You just need to be carefull to match the grain or the joint line will be slightly noticeable on the back of the headstock. You obviously won't notice it on the string side if you cover with a veneer, like is most commonly done. And if you cut out a fender style headstock, you wont notice it at all.
I recommend John Kinkead's acostic guitar building book.

Chuck

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I think he is talking about one piece neck,with no angle joint. And yes, you can do that. Except you might have to use maple or some other strong wood for it.That's why you didn't see any mahogany necks on strats.Those famous slab necks were all maple.If that's what you feel comfortable with, i say go with it.

There is no reason not to use mahogany for a one piece neck like a fender - it will still be stronger than a similar gibson with the angle - less short grain... Leo made his that way for two reasons .. maple was domestic and dirt cheap, moreso than mahogany, and he could make the neck out of a 4/4 board - no laminations ... way easy to machine.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

You can get away with a 10 degree headstock angle, which will make the neck blank a bit thinner, or you can laminate it. Also, a scarf joint isn't strictly necessary, there have been a lot of fine acoustic guitars made with one-piece necks and no problems.

(I'm not saying it doesn't add some durability, it does, but I think more scarf joints are used to save material than because the builder is worried about durability. This is especially true in production settings.)

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Fender did make some acoustics with that sort of neck.
I think it was the LaBrea model. Maybe Catalina.

I thought it was the Stratacoustic or something that is basically a double cutaway guitar with the same Strat headstock shape. The only problem would be that I would need string trees and stuff...

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com