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I want to put the Martin modified V neck shape on a guitar but I do not have a pattern for this neck shape. Could someone suggest where I could find this shape so that I can make a pattern for the various shapes changes as the neck changes shape on the back side as you move up the neck.

If I had a friend or someone with a modified neck shape I thought I could put plaster of paris in ziplock bags and make the shape patterns at something like the 3rd, 5th,9th and 12 fret as a way to know I am getting close when I am shaping it. I also thought of using modeling clay and putting it in bags and then pressing it into the back of the neck but again I do not have a neck shaped in the modified V shape to begin with.

The plans I am working from have a different shaped neck more like a C shape or U shaped neck so the plans are not much help. I am sure there must be a way to get the modified V shape either in some plan or there must be a method that builders use when they do not have the shape of neck that a client or in this case that I want. I just don't how to do it yet as this is my first build.

Any suggestions or help will be greatly appreciated.
Chuck

Chuck-
LuthierSuppliers might have a template that you can use- they are pricey but useful.
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com/products/p10-1.html

BTW- you can add epoxy putty (the hardware store stuff that looks like a tootsie roll?) to your list of stuff to use in picking up neck profiles. Use the method described by Mark blanchard- it works really well. (Thanks, Mark!)
http://www.13thfret.com/articles/blanchard/blanchard1.html

Or, use this method for tracing a profile:
http://web.archive.org/web/20070521214043/http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/necks_pegheads/ts36borges2/ts36borges2.html

BTW- a couple of profiles- at the 1st and 9-10th fret areas will be enough - just straight lines in between.

Cheers
John

If you find one you can copy a roll of solder can help. It will conform to the shape and you can make tracings off that to make your templates

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I made my last a "modified V".
Basically I imported the published images of 1st & 10th into cad, resized to scale, & did a line dwg (new layer) overtop. This became the basis for a template.

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Dave
Milton, ON

I have a few Luthier supplies templates including the Mod V and they are right on for shape.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Thanks for the plug Fred and others! They are expensive I admit, but well worth it if you are copying an exact neck shape. But if you only want a profile, then just use 3 or 4mm thick soldering wire at the first and 9th position. Trace this shape on poster board and Bob's your uncle!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Tracy...what's the part number for the modified V template? Think I may order one.

Nice, I'm going to have to give that a try. Thanks!

So if I buy a template that is for a modified V with a 25.5 scale will I still be able to get it to work for a short scale as the 24.9?

Sorry for being so dense.
Chuck

Chuck -
The templates we are talking about just give the cross-section profiles of the neck at two locations. The 'commercial' templates from LuthiersSuppliers add a bunch of other info like string spacing, fingerboard radius, etc. Although the scale length is listed, it really doesn't matter much in practice- the important thing is to make sure that the nut width (neck width) matches up with your intentions/plans. The templates only work easily if the neck width is the same as the template. For the LuthierSuppliers templates, the part # matches the nut width.
Draw this all out on paper or posterboard- the string spacing on the nut and fingerboard must 'work' with the hole spacing on your bridge- make sure that the #1/#6 strings will be more-or-less constant distance from the fingerboard edge, with your bridge and scale length.

Neck shaping is not that difficult- you will find it is all quite obvious once you get going, especially if you have a good template to follow. The classic beginner mistake (which the templates prevent) is to let the neck 'get thick' too quickly - the result looks like the proverbial 'baseball bat'.

Cheers
John

Thank you all for the help. John after your last response I get it . Thanks
Chuck

Don't see why not. I ordered one to do exactly that. I like the 1.76" nut width so I'm good with that but its easy to use them for something a bit smaller just by eyeballing it. I don't use the nut and saddle string spacing features. I use the other measurements as guidelines but I do the final layout myself.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"