Specifications and steps taken to build necks.
Tele style headstock design for our custom bodies. All measurements are in millimeters.
Finished neck thickness: 25
Neck slab thickness: 18
Fingerboard thickness: 7.5
Steps
- Ensure neck slab is 18 thick and fingerboard is 7.5 thick.
(Use thickness planer if needed. The fingerboard can be attached to a thicker slave with DS tape. Attach a piece of stock at the head and heel to eliminate snipe.) - Route channel for truss rod. Use wheel-type double action Hot Rod with wheel to heel.
- Attach template to neck slab and outline with pencil.
- Cut out the neck, following just outside the line.
- Square up the fingerboard and make two sides parallel. Width is a touch narrower than the width of the radius sanding bar.
- Use slotting jig and blade to cut fret slots.
- Radius the fingerboard using table saw tap as flat surface. Use two boards on either side to guide the sanding block. DS tape everything to table top.
- Mark center line on tape attached to each end of FB.
- Place masking tape on table surface at each end of FB, draw a line that corresponds to the CL of the sanding beam. Line up FB, centering it on these center marks. There will be a small gap on either side of the FB.
- Save dust from sanding FB and use later for filling the slot ends. Use calipers to check corners during sanding, get them close as possible.
- Silicone the truss rod in place. Keeps it from moving or vibrating.
- Use metal tacks with shanks cut off as pins to align FB on neck. Drive into neck just a little.
- Tape two strips on bottom side of FB for penciling the edges of the neck. Draw lines and cut the FB just outside these lines on bandsaw.
- Center FB on center lines, apply downward pressure over pins to mark the underside. Use a 1mm drill for pin clearance. Keeps FB from moving while gluing.
- Clean gluing surfaces with acetone.
- Put tape on side of neck to catch glue squeeze out drips.