Making neck blanks - timing

[WardEarth]

Chinjazz, a great way to do a multi=laminate neck and get 1/4 sawn stability would be get a piece as close to flat sawn as possible, cut, then stand on end. As far as the picture in other post... as long as the grain is pointing in opposite directions from each other you're in business. Personally (on the necks I've done) I'd flip the boards so the grain makes an oval pattern when seen on the end grain. The boards would bow out from the middle (if not laminated) instead of the ends, the hope is that the pressure from each piece cancel each other out.

You don't happen to be related to Garrett Shaffner? Good friend of mine in denver

 

[chinjazz]

Whenever I was working at the Deering Banjo company everything was processed fairly quickly. Most of the wood didn't sit more than a few weeks in the shop. I'd say that you don't have much to worry about, but who knows exactly how long the wood has been sitting before you purchased it.

Good point and also where it came from.
I bought these two pieces from a place that said their source is the same place Ethan Allen gets their wood (or something like that). The place I got it from said it's been there for a few months (it was hot and humid in there! Jacksonville Fl). I picked the straightest pieces and they're still very straight in my air conditioned house. Who knows but I sort of feel good, and got enough for maybe 4 necks depending.
I do think I'll have less to worry about since I'm going for laminating now as well.

 

[james condino]

As an upright bass builder, I'll say that is a pretty manageable size right now. SMaller will have minimal seasoning effect. 'Best to leave it as is until you start making it into a neck, that way you have more options. I've seen a lot of folks trim their wood down to a certain size and then a week later they wind up wanting to make a bada$$ picknick table or other odd sized item and they wind up with "cutter's remorse".....

I made a one piece pao ferro strat neck with EVO frets last year- fantastic and beautiful. Definitely make up one of your necks out of it!

 

[WardEarth]

I just moved a bunch of wood that my parents picked up at a house that was being sold. I think they got it all for free. Probably 40 or 50 boards of walnut aprox 3/4" thick x 6" wide x 8+ feet long. I just see 100 basses sitting there...but some of it will maybe become some nice furniture some day. I'm going to start working on this maple bass I want to make. Just picked up a cheap sx neck and we've got a good piece of walnut for maybe a 2 or 3 piece body. Then I'm going to use this electrical current thing that basically makes lightning burn patterns, taking that to the headstock and body. should be interesting. I'll probably just do that then oil finish the back of the neck, headstock, and body. Probably make some maple pickup covers as well, we'll see.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I just moved a bunch of wood that my parents picked up at a house that was being sold. I think they got it all for free. Probably 40 or 50 boards of walnut aprox 3/4" thick x 6" wide x 8+ feet long. I just see 100 basses sitting there...but some of it will maybe become some nice furniture some day. I'm going to start working on this maple bass I want to make. Just picked up a cheap sx neck and we've got a good piece of walnut for maybe a 2 or 3 piece body. Then I'm going to use this electrical current thing that basically makes lightning burn patterns, taking that to the headstock and body. should be interesting. I'll probably just do that then oil finish the back of the neck, headstock, and body. Probably make some maple pickup covers as well, we'll see.

Just remember that walnut could make for a pretty heavy body. You could try chambering it or make it a little thinner @ 1.5".

 

[WardEarth]

Just remember that walnut could make for a pretty heavy body. You could try chambering it or make it a little thinner @ 1.5".

Ya, maybe some nt's would be cool with some lighter weigh and color wood attached for the body wings, that classic look

 

[Fender_Bender]

Ya, maybe some nt's would be cool with some lighter weigh and color wood attached for the body wings, that classic look

You could go through the wood pile and see if you can find a nicely grained or figured board. Even just a nice section about 22" long would make a nice top if there was someone nearby who could resaw it for you. Yo'd probably end up with a top 5/16" thick that way. If a full 3/4" top is used you could glue it onto 1x8" alder if you can get some locally. Lots of possibilities.

 

[WardEarth]

You could go through the wood pile and see if you can find a nicely grained or figured board. Even just a nice section about 22" long would make a nice top if there was someone nearby who could resaw it for you. Yo'd probably end up with a top 5/16" thick that way. If a full 3/4" top is used you could glue it onto 1x8" alder if you can get some locally. Lots of possibilities.

That's a good point, turn the best boards into a few tops.