Official Luthiers Forum!

I am trying to understand what people are doing when using a bolt on neck and a heel that is "flush" to the sides-Like an archtop.

When I build an archtop I use a dovetail joint and glue the joint/sand the heel flush to the side and finish with the neck on-works great.

Now if I am using as bolt on neck with a flattop ,I really should finish the neck and body seperately-I know some people do it this way,I just don't see how the joint between the neck and side would be "perfect".

Do they leave a very small reveal? It would seem to me that the corner of the side would have to be eased a tiny bit.

The other option would be to use a "Martin" style heel,(like Taylor does) but I am not crazy about the big ledge that produces.
Thanks,
Brad

Theses days I use a Gibson style straight D type heel. I design my cutaway body and heel to be flush with each other. I guess I dont see the issue as long as the wides part of the neck meets flush with treturm of the cutaway.

I like to use this style of heel to cutaway transition. If you sand the joint while the neck is attached and the finish is thin then the transition is pretty clean, but not perfect. I also level and buff that area with the neck attached. You could do the same with a square heel.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Wow that is a fantastic looking guitar Ken!

Ken, can you show a picture of your neck to body joint looking down from from the neck? I'm wanting to do a cutaway on my next one and like the way yours looks.

Thanks, John

I also do mine the way Ken does, and yes that's a beautiful guitar Ken!

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I tried to find some other photos with different angles of that heel to cutaway transition on that guitar I posted but I guess I didn't take any. So here are some from other guitars. Hope that helps.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com