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Neck building- best tooling for shaping

earlysecond

earlysecond

In Memoriam
Jan 26, 2016
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#1
I have shared that I am building my first neck from scratch which has proved to be MORE than a handful in many ways. I think the biggest is my lack of experience, technical expertise on what makes a great neck (I am a much newer player, been at it for only 4 years) and my indecision on what would be the proper tooling for the neck shape. I am prepared to build a fretboard radius jig and believe that I should have that issue worked out.

My question relates to design and execution (tooling/shaping) the actual neck profile. Here is what I did, which is far less than ideal- I stared with a 1/2" roundover bit. The 90 degree "curve" that it imparts to the back edge of a neck was far too sharp and created a razor thin profile. So far, while it is workable it is not that great. UNLESS you want a huge 1" flat spot in the back of the neck for your thumb and there may be some players who do. I have seen prole pictures of most options and I am not sure that I have a neck shape that I like quite yet.

The bigger issue is how do I pull this off, obtain the best profile and make minimal cuts and only have to finish sand what I cut. The most logical solution is the scariest to me and I have seen it done on youtube. It includes the use of an overhead router and a 1.5" thumbnail bit. That means about 3" of steel spinning at a billion RPM right in front of your face. . . .wow! BUT it is quick and efficient. One jig, headstock mounted one pass down each side of the back edge of the neck, done! I can think of some other ways to attack this with a router. I have seen people use angle grinders and 36 grit flap discs (which with my lack of experience is likely a recipe for disaster) What works the best, is the least dangerous and the quickest which would sill allow the flexibility to create multiple neck profiles on multiple length necks?

I have an option to purchase a 220v 3 HP shaper. I am betting that this machine would be up to the task? So maybe I should pick it up? Ultimately, as I know myself well, I will have the desire/need to produce a neck (bass or 6 string) as often as every 2-3 weeks.

I am open to how you do it and the potential traps or limitations of various methods but I need to improve my own process!

Thanks in advance,
Brent
 
#2
You're over thinking it. You just need some good hand tools such as micro planes, rasps, spoke shaves, scrapers, sander (ok that's not really a hand tool!)...with those you can carve a neck inside an hour. Building a router jig for the radius is a good idea as sanding a radius can be a pain, but carving a neck is not only fast, but very enjoyable :).

You may be worried that your carving skills won't be up to much and that may be true, but there's not really a shortcut to getting good results without practice.

Edit: you don't need every one of those hand tools, just find one or two that work for you.
 
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#3
Manton,
Thanks and I value your coaching! I have learned much from many resources. What do you think my best bet would be for learning how to shape a neck? Youtube? Book (unless it is electronic I will not buy or read it). I tried my hand at some free from shaping with rasps and some air tools I have used to shape metal and body filler on cars, it seems to come to me fairly easy (trying not to brag because that is brash) If I could get my process down to a couple of hours for shaping I would consider it a huge win! haha

Brent

EDITED TO ADD- I over think everything. . . .it is a gift from God! LOL
 
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#4
Practice, practice, practice. :) A shaper could make quick work of it, but it's more of a pain on neck throughs and necks with a scarf joint and tilted headstock. I'm with Manton in that they are pretty quick and easy to shape by hand, but I'm also with you in that I use powertools at this point because all that hand carving makes a lever on my lower back which makes it a painful and angry process instead. :) I use a flap disc in an angle grinder, and yes there is risk to the shape of your neck with that much action going on, but once I got the hang of it, I can do it quickly and pretty easily. I also use it to tweak the shape of bodies...
 
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#5
Try this Brent, I pretty much use this same process. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]



earlysecond said:
Manton,
Thanks and I value your coaching! I have learned much from many resources. What do you think my best bet would be for learning how to shape a neck? Youtube? Book (unless it is electronic I will not buy or read it). I tried my hand at some free from shaping with rasps and some air tools I have used to shape metal and body filler on cars, it seems to come to me fairly easy (trying not to brag because that is brash) If I could get my process down to a couple of hours for shaping I would consider it a huge win! haha

Brent

EDITED TO ADD- I over think everything. . . .it is a gift from God! LOL
Click to expand...
 
#6
The safest approach I've seen is the "facet" method, where you first cut 45 degree bevels and then continue subdividing those facets until you have an approximation of the curve that needs only hand sanding to complete. That's How I plan to carve mine anyway. I may use a router sled just to get close to center thickness, but I think the slower hand approach allows you to guage how much material is coming off by touch.
 
#9
If you draw out the profile you want along the neck (on my recent build I drew out the first fret and the 22nd fret), then draw a straight line that intersects the arc of the profile you drew - then mark the two spots where it hits the edge of the neck blank. Transfer those two marks to the neck blank, then connect them with a straight line (you should have one line on the back of the neck and one on the side of the neck). Create a flat spot between those two lines with a shinto rasp, once you have those two facets it's pretty easy to go to the next facets.
 
#10
Ok Jisch, I think I have some idea what you are trying to teach me. Its a connect the dots (lines in this case) scenario. I get the facet part, just spent more time doing this right now.

On a TB post, I learned a REALLY valuable tip for getting exact bevels on guitar tops. I really put it to use for my Iced Bongo project. Draw a line on the perimeter in as far as you want the bevel to extend toward the pups. Draw another line on the side of the body around the entire area to be beveled. Then carefully, and accurtely connect those two line with many saw cuts from the top edge extending on the top back toward your line and down the side. Once you do this, use tool of choice to remove wood until you have erased all of those lines. Clean, simple and accurate. Is there anyway to use this technique to shape a neck.

I think the final struggle I face is I have no idea how a neck is really to be shaped. I know that it is a matter of preference but I am sure there are standards! I will continue to research the profiles etc but just not sure I have any frame of reference to make a good starting point.

After I say all of that, I have a one piece laminated, complete neck (minus fretboard for which I am building a jig after a brief break) it is a black walnut center stripe and maple on the sides, has a tele headstock shape which on which the glue is currently drying, it is ready for the truss rod, final fitment and the fretboard BUT it is a unique shape, I think. My hands are fairly large and this neck with from top of the fretboard to the bottom of the neck on the first fret does not likely make .75 of an inch! I guess that would make it pretty thin right?

Well, I will carry on. Because this bass will be heavy but have a thin neck. . . .I may need to find a bass player who is big and strong but has tiny hands! haha It is all a learning process and I am very addicted!

Thanks,
Brent
 
#16
OK guys,

Guess that I am over complicating it and looking forward to the days of my full production guitar company when I need to do it like this. OR if I end up with the shaper I am considering it WILL be done this way!

Plus my fav ELP song plays in the background of thid video. I'm liking the shop model where the music is louder than an overhead router!! He has another with an over head router is is doing a bolt on neck. I guess this is at the production level. . . . I ain't there yet! hahah



Efficient!!

Brent
 
#17
I forgot that I took a picture of the first facet cut I made on the neck I just made, this was with a shinto rasp:
20160429_182032_zps6zmcdh4i.jpg
 

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