Buildng Advice for a Telecaster neck

[ozziebluesman]

Hi to you all,

I'm planning two Thinline Telecaster neck builds and having researched the flat verses quarter sawn discussions I'm not sure that it really matters.

In the stash there are some nicely figured Silkwood that is 47 mm square and the right length for the job. The pieces can be orientated flat or quarter sawn and Flat sawn will give the nicest show of figure. This Silkwood was cut for another project but I reckon I can use them as neck material.

I would like some advice especially from you electric builders? I planned a quarter sawn Indian rosewood fingerboard?

Thanks Alan

[simso]

It may not seem like a lot, but 47mm is a bit narrow, most necks are around that 54-56mm at the heel

I have some tl neck plans that I drew up a while back in dxf format, if your interested

[ozziebluesman]

Thanks Steve, I downloaded a printable template last night and haven't had a close look at it yet.
Hmmm, what about a three piece with rosewood fingerboard?
Cheers
Al

[ozziebluesman]

Hi Steve,
The four board are 47 x 47 mm each. Sorry for the confusion.
Yes I would like a copy of the neck plan please?
Cheers
Alan

[jeffhigh]

Alan, a tele neck blank would need to be at least 36mm on one side of the centreline and 41 on the other due to the asymmetry of the headstock
Total thickness including fretboard is 25.4mm - 1" so with a separate 5mm thick fretboard you would need at least 20.4mm

So with 47 by 47 you could rip it down the centre and bookmatch to give you about a 90x22 after dressing.
I would not be concerned flat or quarter.

[ozziebluesman]

Thanks Jeff.
Sounds like a good plan.
I am not familiar with the tele neck measurements so you have done the ground work for me.
Thank you.
Cheers
Al

[simso]

You will have to pm me your email address, just tried to post it up, dxf's not allowed

[seeaxe]

Hi Allan
You can also get a good tele neck template from the web, can't remember where I got mine but if you get stuck I have a Dxf file.

I use a flat sawn maple blank adding an allied lutherie truss rod. The blank is 25 mm rough sawn and it's just about enough. I also usually put a maple fret board on top, also flat sawn for figure. Haven't had any issues yet. I think the way you are doing it, if you are planning to join two pieces, will be fine.

Good luck...go the teles!

[ozziebluesman]

Hi Richard,

Yes I ended up making four blanks and ripped two on the quarter and two on the flat.
They are 22 mm thick x 95 mm wide dressed then add the fingerboard.


Cheers
Alan

[Woodsy23]

If you don't think book-matched halves will look good in the peghead (there is no veneer to cover) then you could consider a contrasting stripe between the two halves - sort of like a full length "skunk stripe", possibly in walnut.

[ozziebluesman]

Thanks Richard I think a stripe finishes off the join better even though the pieces are bookmatched.
Good suggestion.
Cheers
Alan

[old_picker]

main thing is not to overthink things - Leo was a man of action and expedience and that was the key to the success of this particular design - Use what is at hand and if it is top quality and built carefully it'll work.

here's a decent layout of a model T neck i PDF format - if you get that printed out at officeworks i'm pretty certain it will be to scale and you can cut some templates from it. Ive checked it in my CAD and the scale measures right.
http://www.carltonguitars.com.au/postin ... _neck2.pdf

the main dimensions dont matter as far as the heel width and depth unless of course you want to use an existing body in which case it's 2-3/16" wide at the heel and 1" deep or thereabouts. there are pretty wide tolerance on these and I have always found the best fit is when I either cut the neck or the body. After market bodies and necks are all over the shop even those wearing so-called top brands

[ozziebluesman]

Thanks for the info Ray. I am away from home at present.
Cheers