How to Slim Down a Neck

[jaguarcat311]

I have a neck that came on my jazz bass copy, ironically it has the measurements of a p bass neck. its a decent neck, just too big and wide for me to play comfortably. i really like slim j necks so i would like to slim this neck down a little, are there any good ways to do this or has anyone tried it before?

[Hambone]

I do this all the time. In fact, I decided to make it a regular thing so I built a jig for it. That jig is part of a larger system for all sorts of neck building processes.

The first way I did it is to attach your neck to a flat surface then mount 2 level rails alongside the neck to run a router on. The rails should be taller than the neck is and the same height as the neck plus the guide bar. The guide bar I use is a 1/4" x 2" x 48" long aluminum bar clamped to the fretboard at either end of the neck - off the ends of the neck - as my router guide. Mark the width at the nut you prefer and line up the bar with that mark and the side of the neck at the last fret. Clamp the bar and route the sides using a climb cut. You don't have to defret - just go slow and you'll trim the frets with the neck. Be careful with the headstock blend. I usually chicken out here and peel out the router leaving plenty of material for hand blending the contour. Then blend in the little flat surface the cut has made along the neck, redress the fret ends, make a new nut and, voila', you've got a J where there was P before!

Hope this helps

[jaguarcat311]

Thanks a lot, im going to try that this weekend, ill let you know how it works out and hopefully post some before and after pictures