So, I'm going about building the neck a bit differently than how I have done it in the past.
Prior to this build, my construction sequence went basically like this:
1: Neck beam cut to length and surfaced to the correct thickness
2: Scarf joint cut in the proper location
3: Headstock piece surfaced to the correct thickness
4: Headstock piece flipped and glued on
5: Bandsaw used to cut the neck taper prior to profiling
It works pretty well, but it is difficult to exaggerate and decorate the scarf joint that way. No matter how it is made, the scarf joint is visible (unless it's painted, I suppose) either from the top, back, or sides of the neck and headstock, so I've had the desire lately to embellish it, rather than hide it. As such, I've decided to change the way I do this joint.
Many of you probably already do it this way. But for the people who are even more n00bish than this n00b, here is the modified process:
1: Neck beam cut to length and surfaced to the correct thickness
2: Scarf joint cut in the proper location
3: Headstock is flipped and glued on, with 3 layers of contrasting veneer in between the neck piece and headstock piece
4: Bandsaw used to cut the neck taper and headstock thickness prior to profiling
This has a couple of advantages, or at least aspects which I perceive to be advantageous. First, it moves the joint away from the headstock. Second, it allows me to more visibly embellish the joint.
I don't really know if there are any structural advantages (or disadvantages) to doing it this way. But I like it anyway.
This obviously works best for neck-through neck beams of significant thickness. In this case, it's 1-5/8" (41.3mm).
It's sad you destroyed that 5 stringer 
