I have a hand plane, but I can't imagine that would work based on what i've seen about how you make necks. Any advice?
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Is building a neck without an electric planer useless?
- Thread starter bassbrizzle
- Start date
Musiclogic
Commercial User
- Aug 6, 2005
- 6,505
- 73
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- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder: HJC Customs USA, The Cool Lute, C G O
Stradivari, Rocca, Guadagnini, never had anything but hand planes. It depends on your skill and determination.
Hand planes are an extremely useful tool, I did my first couple of builds (laminated neck on one too!) with just hand planes and learnt a great deal. The only problem is they take a long time to master. I have been using them for around 3 years and still struggle occasionally. But their versatility is great, there are no real size limits for the workpiece like with a planer, leave a perfect finish (if used correctly) and are dammn enjoyable to use and maintain..... It is a waste of time to use a plane which isnt set up properly 
So, if you have got the time to learn to use them they are anything but useless, quite the opposite. In the wrong hands though, yes it would be completely useless, but thats the same with anything.
So, if you have got the time to learn to use them they are anything but useless, quite the opposite. In the wrong hands though, yes it would be completely useless, but thats the same with anything.
Absolutely correct.. Since I don't have these skills I need sharp fast spinning metal tools..
The short answer is that you can indeed build a perfectly fine instrument without an electric planer.
Plow through the hundreds of build threads here and see for yourself how many different ways you can build all types of basses with or without all types of tools.
Plow through the hundreds of build threads here and see for yourself how many different ways you can build all types of basses with or without all types of tools.
I've not got an electric planer and I don't use my hand plane much either. A good straight and a long sanding block is good. As is a router and a good straight edge. Planes can be worse on timbers with a wavy grain. They literally just rip bits out of the wood. However, on straight grain stuff they work nice enough with a bit of patience.
Hand planes are an extremely useful tool, I did my first couple of builds (laminated neck on one too!) with just hand planes and learnt a great deal. The only problem is they take a long time to master. I have been using them for around 3 years and still struggle occasionally. But their versatility is great, there are no real size limits for the workpiece like with a planer, leave a perfect finish (if used correctly) and are dammn enjoyable to use and maintain..... It is a waste of time to use a plane which isnt set up properly
So, if you have got the time to learn to use them they are anything but useless, quite the opposite. In the wrong hands though, yes it would be completely useless, but thats the same with anything.
They make a cool sound, too. Well, as long as the iron is sharpened and honed properly.
You don't actually need flat, straight or smooth wood to make a neck. Once you start, you can flatten the fact where the fingerboard is with a hand plane. The rest is all carved and smoothed to shape. If you make some templates and can follow them precisely, it will come out as planned.
Thats part of the art of using one. If your careful you can even plane burls with hand planes, it has to be a really sharp plane and always in the right direction for the particular spot and light passes. Also you can use a toothing plane (a serrated blade) or a bevel up plane for burls.
adam.beauchene
Commercial User
Just search for threads with 'build' in the title. You'll find that the majority of necks that people build here are done with mostly hand tools. There are a LOT of different ways to go about it, and I've never seen anyone use a power planer.
Here, searched for ya: Luthiers Corner build threads
Here, searched for ya: Luthiers Corner build threads
I'm a pro Luthier, and I've built about 800 instrument necks over the years. I have an industrial building full of machinery, including a small Delta planer. I have most of the standard woodworking machines, a table saw, radial arm saw, chop saw, jointer, several bandsaws, and a bunch of drill presses. I also have many classic hand tools, including a nice collection of old Stanley planes that I've trued up.
But you don't need all that stuff to build a bass. The only essential machines that you need are a drill press, a bandsaw, and a good router. When I build necks, all of the cutting operations to make surfaces flat are done with routers in fixtures. Even thinning down a fingerboard blank is done in a special fixture with a router. It's a little slower than using the planer, but it does a better job with minimal risk of damaging an expensive board.
Routers are the workhorses of my shop. I have at least a dozen of them, set up for different purposes. And I have, literally, shelving units full of special fixtures and patterns that I've built over the years. Being a pro Luthier is mostly about building all of the fixtures and special tools needed to build the instruments quickly and accurately. The other machines are mostly used for building fixtures. And storage racks for fixtures.
But you don't need all that stuff to build a bass. The only essential machines that you need are a drill press, a bandsaw, and a good router. When I build necks, all of the cutting operations to make surfaces flat are done with routers in fixtures. Even thinning down a fingerboard blank is done in a special fixture with a router. It's a little slower than using the planer, but it does a better job with minimal risk of damaging an expensive board.
Routers are the workhorses of my shop. I have at least a dozen of them, set up for different purposes. And I have, literally, shelving units full of special fixtures and patterns that I've built over the years. Being a pro Luthier is mostly about building all of the fixtures and special tools needed to build the instruments quickly and accurately. The other machines are mostly used for building fixtures. And storage racks for fixtures.
you don't even need a drill press or a band saw. I've made 7 basses so far without them. I think all you NEED is a table saw or something to cut straight lines with. I find the MOST IMPORTANT tool is a precision straight edge, and a truely flat sanding block. Then a router. And a jigsaw is cheap and easy. Hand tools and sweat can handle the rest.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I have never had any luck cutting anything more than 3/4 inch with a jig saw. You have to be very careful or you can ruin a nice piece of wood. You can get a small used band saw that will cut out a body for cheap enough.
Its strange how many different ways there are to do things. The only time I have ever used my table saw for bass building purposes was for making a couple jigs.
The router is prolly the only tool that's an absolute necessity to me.
I can rout and plane with it like the sliding bed device a couple of posts ago. I thought I needed a joiner - and I really DID want one until I built something akin to that sliding bed.
I don't think a power planer is all that important, although I have one - it's usually used for other projects, not guitar work. Half round wood rasps and 'cheese grater' body files are much more important to me I think.
Fortunately a lot of my automotive body tools cross over the line and work well on guitars and basses.
I can rout and plane with it like the sliding bed device a couple of posts ago. I thought I needed a joiner - and I really DID want one until I built something akin to that sliding bed.
I don't think a power planer is all that important, although I have one - it's usually used for other projects, not guitar work. Half round wood rasps and 'cheese grater' body files are much more important to me I think.
Fortunately a lot of my automotive body tools cross over the line and work well on guitars and basses.
Thanks for all the tips. I'm not quite ready to start, but I'm getting very close to a jump off point where I just go for it and see what happens.
Hopkins
Commercial User
It's not useless at all. It's great fun
Just stop a mm or more (depending on skill level and wood) before the desired level and sand the rest.
At least that's what I just did on my first build. Might have been easier with the routerjig though.
I'm surely gonna spend som time on TDPRI in the near future.
Just stop a mm or more (depending on skill level and wood) before the desired level and sand the rest.
At least that's what I just did on my first build. Might have been easier with the routerjig though.
I'm surely gonna spend som time on TDPRI in the near future.
For this neck, I used a power planer only to get the blank to the right thickness. Everything else was hand tools.
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/hardmark/guitarwork/003/neck_mounted.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd60/hardmark/guitarwork/003/neck_mounted.jpg
