How to Make a Guitar Neck
Making a guitar neck takes precision and patience as some it requires advanced woodworking techniques. By taking it slow and paying attention to detail, you can make a great guitar neck for a preowned or custom made guitar body.
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Instructions
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1
Using a table saw, rough cut a 2" by 36" piece of maple wood to 3 inches wide and about 30 inches long. This will give you the rough shape of the neck.
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2
Mark the actual dimensions and shape of the neck onto the wood for final cuts. It should be about 1 3/8 of an inch at the nut and 2 1/4 of an inch at the heel where it screws into the body.
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3
Cut to the marked dimensions using a table saw or band saw. You can sand to the final dimensions after cutting these dimensions as a saw will not be as accurate.
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4
Route the channel for the truss rod. The truss rod allows you to adjust the relief of the neck, which is the distance from the strings to the fretboard. You want your route to be down the center of the front of the neck just past the location of the nut.
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5
Place the truss rod in the routed cavity. Cut a piece of scrap maple to cover the truss rod to protect it from damage.
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6
Slot the fret board for the fret wire. Make sure to space the fret slots to the correct dimensions for the length of your fret board. A book such as "Make Your Own Electric Guitar " by Melvyn Hiscock will be very helpful for slotting and attaching the neck. This wire can be bought at instrument supply companies such as Steward-MacDonald and can be cut with tin snips.
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7
Glue the fret board on top of the truss rod area and use clamps to keep it secure. Allow it to dry for 48 hours before finishing the shaping of the neck. After drying, insert the fret wire using a hammer or mallet and make sure they are each properly seated in the fret slot.
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8
Shape the back of the neck to the desired thickness. You can use wood files and finish with fine sand paper. You want the thickest area to be in the center of the back of the neck. Many prefer a C-shaped neck, but a D-shaped neck is considered faster for playing purposes, specifically for soloing. A D-shaped neck will take more filing and sanding.
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