MTD Headstock

[pacmanb]

I'm not sure, but it seems their headstocks are not scarf-joined, but laminated horizontally - like a fender neck that has an additional piece of wood glued underneath, which is then cut at a certain angle to form the actual angled headstock. I think Fodera uses a similar technique, but they add just a narrow strip (as wide as the neck at the nut), and then glue additional wings to make the whole thing wide enough.
Is that correct?

[Lo end PUNCH]

Yes, but not on every one, I have seen other ones like this.

[wilser]

hmmm, I'm interested in this ...anybody got a close up pic to show?

[jmarcus2]

There you go.

[jmarcus2]

Again.

[wilser]

Thanks, I was thinking more of a detailed back or side of the headstock ...where you can see what pacmanb described.

[JSPguitars]

I'm interested in seeing a side/back shot as well. I have yet to perform a 'perfect' scarf joint, and hate doing them, but like the look of a tilted headstock.
I also REALLY like what Robbie, a.k.a. Mcdade does with his headstocks.

[FBB Custom]

I think what is being referred to has no impact on the tilt-back headstock. We are talking about adding "wings" to widen a headstock, yes?

[Tim__x]

Picture guide:

1: Top neck is my guess at the MTD headstock.

2: An uncut neck with a scarf joint cut marked on it.

3: Standard scarf.

Sorry about the sloppiness, it was mouse drawn with a line tool, no keyboard or simple trig used.

[pacmanb]

Here it is-
http://www.basscentral.com/2003/mtd.shtml
Look at that line on the back of the headstock, it's pretty obvious in some of the pix. It's definitely not a scarf joint.

And the Foderas-
http://www.basscentral.com/2003/fodera.shtml
the wings are the same colour throughout, but the neck lams seem to 'stop' at a certain point, followed by another piece of wood

@FBB - Not exactly, my idea is that they glue a piece of wood where the headstock would be to make the whole neck blank thick enough at the heastock end - similar to JP's J-neck, but with an angled headstock. I'll try to post a pic later.

Edit: Later:

[FBB Custom]

I think these could be scarf joints. At least the Foderas. The Foderas also have the "wings" as I thought you were describing originally.

There are two ways to align the scarf joints. One places the seam around the nut and one places it farther up the neck.

I have done a neck as you are describing, and it places the seam well up the back of the headstock if you start with ~ 4/4 lumber. Here is a picture where you can see the seam:

http://www.fbbcustom.com/basses/m081-03/m081-back.jpg

The problem is that unless your headstock is very compact, or you have a peghead overlay, you get a seam on the front as well. And it is very hard to make the seam ... errr ... seamless.

It's less clear whether Mike is doing a scarf joint or this other type of joint on his MTDs. The seam seems farther up at the back of the headstock. The only way to be sure would be to get a shot of one of these basses from the side. He doesn't mention scarf joints anywhere on his web site.

[jmarcus2]

Does this help?

[pilotjones]

Originally Posted by jmarcus2

Does this help?

Thanks! Could you get a little closer in on the area from maybe the second tuner to the second fret?

[budman]

Originally Posted by FBB Custom

It's less clear whether Mike is doing a scarf joint or this other type of joint on his MTDs. The seam seems farther up at the back of the headstock. The only way to be sure would be to get a shot of one of these basses from the side. He doesn't mention scarf joints anywhere on his web site.

Yes, MTD uses a scarf joint. I've examined a friend's 635 closely and there's definately a scarf joint there.

[jmarcus2]

Better?