neck re-profile

scalino65

HI there. I have come to realise that an old strat that I have has a neck profile that I just really adore. It has that feeling of being "home". Now I've found another strat that I really like but it has a fatter neck on it. So, I'm just wondering how tricky it might be to take some meat out of a neck to make it much more like the strat that I love. 
I feel this is a bit daft but I wanted to ask if anyone here has done similar, who did the work and what sort of cost is involved.
Are there people out there who could really accurately measure my existing strat's neck and then re-work another guitar to match it? On the face of it, it must be entirely possible to do this, but would it work and is it nuts?
cheers.
Will

breezytele

I’d check the width isn’t different firstly.

You have think about the truss rod too...

But you can often take some of the heft out of the shoulders, and that can make it more comfy, without risking exposing the truss rod.

I’d only let a luthier do it (I wouldn’t do a DIY here )

WezV

Yes, its much safer reporting the shoulders unless you know exactly how deep the truss rod sits.


So it depends how different the necks currently are, but it is possible to copy neck profiles and reprofile necks

scalino65

Thanks chaps. I need to get my digital calipers out! I think I'd shy away from a diy job, would need a long sanding block in order to be consistent and I also imagine the need for some sort of way to keep checking on the radius/curvature of the profile, so it stays as a c,d,etc. 
I wonder how fender do this when they make replicas of players guitars, CAD scan I guess.
 

SteveRobinson

You can use a profile gauge like this to copy/check the profile

scalino65

Thanks Steve, thats exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. Can you lock that in position once you've taken the "scan"?

WezV

scalino65 said:

I wonder how fender do this when they make replicas of players guitars, CAD scan I guess.
 

this old vid from Gibson always makes me smile.  They are recreating Clapton's 335


18 minutes in - digitally scan the neck
20 minutes - physically measure everything
27 minutes in - take a cast of the neck


30 minutes in - finalize the profile  by feel on a big inaccurate belt sander

SteveRobinson

scalino65 said:

Thanks Steve, thats exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. Can you lock that in position once you've taken the "scan"?

You can certainly buy locking versions

scalino65

I think youve posted a different vid there but it did remind me of the time I met MK. I didnt recognise him as he had big sunglasses and a funny hat on, was chatting away for about an hour about his grandchildren, etc then chris evans turned up and MK basically told him to push off as he was "talking to Will"...then i started to realise who he was....a very down to earth and lovely fella.

WezV

correct vid added