Neck construction methodology

[DougP]

i am preparing to build my first neck. i have the neck blank with a 13 degree angle headstock ready to go.

i have a good grasp on what needs to be done, except for one little detail. i am going to be using a veneer on the headstock. i had planned on glueing on the veneer and then routing the truss rod channel (which would be accessed from the headstock end). upon further thought and looking at my design i am not sure this is the proper procedure.

the design calls for the fingerboard and the veneer to butt up against the nut. with just the veneer on the neck blank there is a bit of a lip (end of the veneer raised above the plane of the neck blank) that might cause a problem with trying to route the truss rod channel. (i hope this is making sense)

so, i have two solutions and wanted to know if anyone would like to offer opinions or other solutions.

1. route the truss rod channel first, then glue on the veneer and then trim away the truss rod access area. (This is my favorite solution so far)

2. glue on the veneer and then create a shim on top of the neck blank for the router to ride along. Then route the channel.

thoughts? opinions?

thanks

 

[DougP]

er...um...it seems that glueing the veneer on first then sanding it flush to the top of the neck blank may be the best course of action here.

 

[Musiclogic]

um....yeah....glue on veneer, sand flat with face of neck blank, rout truss channel, install rod, glue up fretboard. That's usually how I do it.

 

[DougP]

thanks. its the obvious things that i miss.

 

[Musiclogic]

no problem....we all learn from our mistakes, that's what makes this forum great, we, who have already made the mistakes, can help the new guy from treading the same water....LOL See....Luthiers are useful for something.....LMAo

 

[DougP]

luckily i have a local luthier who is going to help me out. i have built a body already and i have been doing woodworking since high school, but the neck has always been daunting for me.

now its time for me to become a man and make my own necks.