One Piece Maple Tele Neck Build, (No CNC)

johnP_90 · February 2018

Thank mate, that Limba is lovely stuff and a bit of a waste to chamber it on the SC build and best kept for solid body builds me thinks. Nice one with the thickness planer, I could well do with one! Jealous..... I have to cut some more maple boards tomorrow from the remaining board and definately the way to go.

The neck is now carved this afternoon, sorry this is getting a bit picture heavy but these ain't a walk in the park and its all the little things that make a decent neck imho. I could do with a better camera mind.

The 1st and 12th fret facets cut into the square, to depth using the radius gauge as a reference
https://i.imgur.com/EVC0TNm.jpg

Its doesn't show well in the flat light but the center is still uncarvered at this stage, then its on to the spoke shave and rasps to connect the 2 radius's if that makes sense.
https://i.imgur.com/8kWIW5B.jpg

I have used masking tape and heavy pencil lines to protect the 2 radiused areas and will use a long sanding block with P80 self stick to get the shaft down to full depth, and match the 2 curves/facets. When the tape is sanded off it is all level and straight.
https://i.imgur.com/u46Anrz.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Jq2Ql4q.jpg

Now pretty much there,
https://i.imgur.com/0j9354Q.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Gg2v4id.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/77K2pr3.jpg

These radius gauges are a tad wider than a tele neck by a hair but fit nicely on my gibbo necks that are 1mm or so wider at the nut, but they work for the main radius....
Now the final depth check at 1st and 12th fret.
https://i.imgur.com/Qp26zET.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HHz268E.jpg

I am happy with that but I was shooting for a tad thicker but as usual get a bit "carried away" or cab happy with the sanding block. As it happens I have ended up with the original 57V exact dimensions, or within a hair anyway, grin.
Transitions tend to go a tad wonky if not careful,
https://i.imgur.com/cxeMSfJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8e0syZ4.jpg

It still needs some final fine sanding and TLC here and there but now for a test fit in a mates Tele body I sprayed recently (in the depth of soddin' winter)
https://i.imgur.com/imSV2jr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3ymgBvS.jpg

The truss rod needs another thin washer to bring the nut flush with the heel face but its a good fit, when sprayed it will be pretty tight as adds a bit to the 55.65mm heel width of this neck (std is 55.55mm)

The compound radius starts 7.25 at the nut and ends up at 9.80ish at 21st fret. The "cone" radius at the bridge ends up at 11.85" or so according to the maths bit, 12" to you and me so bridge saddles are set to 12" radius to complete the set up later.
https://i.imgur.com/JID8Sw5.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EAT6vCM.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/iEvZQAI.jpg

Final check of the finger board relief. I have left the truss nut loose after fretting so this is now in natural relief as it where...
https://i.imgur.com/pyuAnWD.jpg

I have a tube light behind it but there is a tad of relief around the middle, a .004" feeler guage worth to be precise with the rod loose, so very happy with that. It will go in to up bow when strung up so the truss rod can have a bit of tension, always good for tone!

Anyway I wanted to post the process as been a couple of years since I did a one piece neck and plan on doing a few more. I started making necks in desperation about 12 years ago as could not get any decent necks in UK apart from Mighty Mites back in the day. Fender ones from USA "stratosphere" (un reliable fender) were all wonky and needed fret work hence getting a few fretting tools. It then got a bit carried away ever since, grin....

Cheers, John

Edit: I should fess up, the Guitarbuild body was sprayed as a trade for some Mojo pickups for a new build. And returning some favors for Darren at CustomKits, while he gets his new workshop and proper spray booth set up completed. (Mine is a fridge at the moment ,as built in a large unheated shed at the bottom of my garden). This neck is going in another Tele of mine, as so impressed with the light weight swamp ash body from "Guitar Build" I now want one myself!

Danielsguitars · February 2018

Really nice work John as usual

AustrianJohn · February 2018

Stunning work. I have a Tele build planned and will reference this thread many times while building the neck.

johnP_90 · February 2018

Thanks customkits and AustrianJohn, I am hoping to build a few more now, another flame maple neck for my Jazzmaster and a couple of private jobs now the jigs are all dialled in. The indoor pictures were a bit rubbish last night so here is a couple in daylight.
https://i.imgur.com/OfjxTkH.jpg

The carve goes from a pronounced V carve towards the nut and becomes pretty much "59 Roundback" C profile by the 12th fret.
https://i.imgur.com/XByxD8k.jpg

It is just a hair under 22mm at the 1st fret or .860" and very nice feel in the hand as dont feel as clubby, that and the low action from the compound radius should make it a bit "swift Nick" ah hem.
https://i.imgur.com/lM5NQIY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/13k7tfK.jpg

Anyway enough posing for one day, the neck is out of harms way while I get on with some re-sawing of my 8 year old rock maple board, or whats left of it now.
https://i.imgur.com/a9dCpD6.jpg

This 1 3/8" thick Curly Maple board should give up 2 necks as well.
https://i.imgur.com/7YYLDbj.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sy4nVhi.jpg

I also have these 2 billets already thicknessed a couple of years ago.
https://i.imgur.com/lYkYHSO.jpg

Safety-Planing the boards cut today to just over 2" thick to remove any warps and saw marks. I can get 1 x 3/4" slab board neck and 1 x One Piece neck out of each one after band sawing and planing.
https://i.imgur.com/hBpCq65.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/301DdDY.jpg

Thats about it for now, I just need to make a bone nut for this neck and start saving up for a light weight swamp ash Guitar Build body. I have bought swamp ash from a Luthier supplier a few years ago that was as heavy as baseball bat ash and unusable. It is worth paying the money to know what weight your getting me thinks, but takes the fun out of building the whole thing, soddin' cheating sniff.....(lol)

Thanks for watching folks, I may post some more stuff soon on other builds and stuff.

Cheers, John

Danielsguitars · February 2018

I used to think it was cheating John but I honestly don't think it's worth the hassle making vintage bolt on body's

Apart from I've got some 100yr old pine for a blackguard tele replica so have to make the body

The necks are always hand made that's the important bit imo

Corvus · February 2018

Very nice crisp work, nice jigs too.
Possibly daft question - there's a little block against the saw in the slotting setup - is that doing a job? Blade steady or .. ?

Teyeplayer · February 2018

I’m in awe of the skills. That 336 and SC are stunning builds. Great looking work.

johnP_90 · March 2018

Thanks Customkits, Corvus and Teyplayer for the kind words on the builds. Corvus, not a daft question as didn't explain it but the little perspex block on the fretting saw is a depth stop superglued in place when at the fret tang depth. It means that the fret slots follow the finger board radius and are curved, not sawn flat. There is little to no void or fresh air under the fret tang this way thats got to be good for tone

I've heard tell "Pinecaster's" sound pretty good btw Darren, aged pine should chime a bit I recon. Its sounds pretty good on acoustic tops so why not?

Cheers, John

Corvus · March 2018

Cheers John - I like that idea, I may steal it. I've a saw for initial shallow slotting and a little 'un with a depth guide screwed to it for doing a curved slot to depth, but doing it one go seems a nice plan.

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One Piece Maple Tele Neck Build, (No CNC)

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