Pain in the custom neck

[Andyjr1515]

@fleabag sent me some impressively detailed dimensions and shape for the 2-a-side headstock.  This look about right, @fleabag ?

 

 

Next job will be putting a new blade on the band saw (rock maple is tough stuff!) and cutting this out, including a few mm 'just in case' oversize for the neck length itself.

 

The neck is going to be the length of a standard Fender (23 57/64 inches from zero fret to end of heel...don't you just love 'em) and shaped to fit a standard Fender pocket but there will be a substantial overhang of fretboard

 

[fleabag]

Marvellous sah 

 

Shape stolen from an Ibanez but dimensions changed

[Andyjr1515]

And the plan-view shape is cut.  Although this is still oversize, you can see the planned overhang.  The end of the fretboard will be cut into a curve before it is fitted.

 

Lots of other stuff to do this afternoon but tomorrow I will have a go at getting the headstock top angle cut and planed.  Then (I think) it will be the heel; then gluing the fretboard and then the side 2-D profile cut.  After that, the neck profile itself.

 

But, again, I'll have a think through that to make sure that there isn't a better sequence   

Edited April 7, 2022 by Andyjr1515

[fleabag]

Nice work guv ! 

 

Never thought of wrapping a laccy band round the neck.  Looks ace ..

[Si600]

May mute the sustain a smidge though. 

[Andyjr1515]

And so out comes the plane!  As a new convert to the magic of sharp-bladed planes, a proper set-up and a sturdy workbench, probably my favourite bit nowadays of guitar and bass builds

 

 

And - aware that there seemed to be some scepticism of using an elastic band to attach the fretboard, I've come up with a GREAT idea.  Why not double up fretboard attachment with a ready made capo!! 

 

Beats epoxy any day!  Genius, I reckon.  I wonder if I could patent the idea? 

 

 

And they do say that the true quality of timber can only be seen when you cut into it.  This is a great piece of maple:

[fleabag]

Can you get those capos in black ?

 

Would match the bass nicely, thank you

[Andyjr1515]

5 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Can you get those capos in black ?

 

Would match the bass nicely, thank you

There will, of course, be a small premium - a serious consideration for a person on the breadline, but mere trifle to someone of your means - but whatever is sir's request is my command.  This is our deluxe version of the (pat applied for) Capoboardfixcombo Mark2 .  Consider it done and invoiced 

 

 

 

 

[andyaber]

G Clampo . . . available in other keys

[fleabag]

Brilliant Andy - it well blend in nicely

[Andyjr1515]

Next big test of my modest bandsaw - cutting the side profile.

 

 

 

 

This will be around 2mm oversize and will be then spoke-shaved down to final thickness

Edited April 11, 2022 by Andyjr1515

[Andyjr1515]

And at a band saw cut rate of around a minute an inch, done

 

 

While I still have a flat surface at the top, I will do some indexing in the router jig to set the accurate depth of the spine, which - when I carve the profile - will be the datum.  But before that, a few more pm discussions with @fleabag in terms of the bridge that is planned so that I know whether this needs to be a flat bottomed heel like a Fender or a neck-angle-built-in like most other basses.

 

And then the fretboard can be epoxied on 

 

[fleabag]

Oooh,  go Andy !

 

Bridge is a Schaller  3D, if that helps. It also comes with a 3mm thick spacer, if needed

 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by fleabag

[Andyjr1515]

That's great @fleabag 

 

I can look up the spec (in fact, I may have one in my bits box) but if memory serves me correctly, I think they have broadly the same height range as the Fender standard and therefore shouldn't need any neck angle building in.

 

Great stuff - no excuses for me not to make more progress

 

[fleabag]

Is this any good ?

 

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

More than perfect, @fleabag 

 

Thanks

[Richard R]

I know you can adjust the string height individually, but do you buy a Schaller 3D bridge that matches the fretboard radius? That seems to be the only measurement missing from the drawing.

[fleabag]

I think all 3D schallers are the same, so no matching one with differing fretboard radii

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

Generally it would be a nonsense to try to sort a neck heel without the actual body to fit it to - but @fleabag's intended body has a 'standard' Fender type pocket and he has sent me some double-check accurate measurements he was able to do with his vernier.  And I have 'for this kind of purpose' a paulownia Fender-ish body in my bits pile!  In fact, some folks who were at one of the Midlands Bassbash might recognise it as the one that I did a 'live' veneer application demonstration on

 

Also, @fleabag won't fit the bridge until he has the neck and so can do the micro-adjustments with the bridge positioning once the neck has been fitted.

 

The test-bed body also has a Fender-type socket and the dimensions match:

 

So paper template and the all important centre-line drawn:

 

And that let me plane, scrape and sand the heel to size and shape.  There's a lot of fettling involved to ensure a good fit and a neck that is straight to the centreline of the body:

 

And a good double check - the fretboard is at finished taper and, of course, that heel is now also at finished taper...so when the fretboard is in the right place, the fretboard and heel sides should be completely flush.

 

And......               

 

 

So I just have to cut the curve at the end of the fretboard overhang and the fretboard can  be epoxied.  After which, we move to the neck carve

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by Andyjr1515

[fleabag]

Luverly jubberly

[fleabag]

I've been thnking about when it's time spray the neck gloss black, and i'm now thinking another route, to save a load of work.

 

My new route is Fiebings black leather dye. Heard good things but never used it.  Andy, dont know whether you've tried this, and anyone else can chip in who's had experience...

Does it go on uniformly or patchy ?  If patchy, what is the trick for a uniform looking black coating , and how many coats am i looking at ?

 

The next stage will be Poly Varnish over the top to give a more gloss finish.  Now then, does Poly V  need flattening between coats, and what is a reasonable amount of coats?

 

Can anyone enlighten ? 

 

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

I've just PM'd @fleabag  Originally, the plan was for this to be sprayed black - and I have neither the skills or equipment to do a spray job.  But, assuming that something like Fiebings is actually black enough and even enough on this particular wood - and I have an offcut I can test some on - then stain and poly varnish is fine.  

 

So that's the plan.  And if the trials on the offcut are not great, at least we know

 

[Andyjr1515]

@fleabag sent me a stick of Hosco white side dot material for the dots on top of the fretboard - running along the line of the E string.  A bit like Luminlay, you drill with an accurate brad point, spot of CA glue on the end of the stick and firmly press it in, finally cutting it off with a razor saw and then flush with a sharp chisel:

 

 

 

And the missing ones?

 

Ah - that'll be my cunning plan.  Fretboards 'float' on the glue during clamping - and on this, it is going to have to be smack on accurate and so I will be pinning using some good old cocktail sticks...which happen to be 2mm diameter...the same as the hosco stick and respective holes.  And so I have drilled the 1st, 9th and 21st through and will position it on the neck dry, get it absolutely right, drill through into the neck, remove, glue the cocktail sticks in, add the epoxy, position and clamp 

 

But first, I'm going to put a swift in at the 12th 

 

 

[fleabag]

Very sneaky, very clever. 

 

 

Wasn't that a Uriah Heep album ?

[SpondonBassed]

3 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

I will be pinning using some good old cocktail sticks

 

1 hour ago, fleabag said:

Very sneaky, very clever.

 

That's it.  Humour him.  It's just an excuse for him to have a few cocktails.