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Hello luthiers, Just wondering what you all do/don't do for reinforcing a neck. Carbon fiber rod? Fiberglass mesh? Ebony strip?
I'm going to assume that you all split the neck and flop one half end for end so the grain looks like this /////\\\\\ instead of like this /////////// ? If it's not well quartered that is.
You can build the necks the way you like. Many options. I have made most of my guitars with a double reinforcing using some dark african wood, which is old, stable and doesnt schrink. (ebony schrinks a lot and therefor not the best. But to be honest, I dont find it to be nescessary if you use a nice well cut piece of cedar which has dried for some years. So I actually prefer building without reinforcement. Just like most of the good guitars have been made. I dont split the cedar either and noone here does so. If the wood is not cut well enough, dont use it for the neck and use it for the heel.
Besides, who says that necks need to be quatersawn? I tested a 1962 Manuel Reyes, and the neck was completely flatsawn and totally straight.
I have a thing with straight necks and I don't trust my judgment of the wood enough to not do something, so I install carbon fiber rods. Keeps the neck straight for sure.
I like to inlay a wee bit of hard wood into the neck. what ever i have lying around. The strenght comes from the lamination of the wood and not the bit you put into it. I have heard that just putting a channel in the wood and leaving it can add strength.
I have used hollow necks, it works also, Bernal uses them, however I used some form of rosewood in the neck and am now using hollow round section carbon fibre from a tent I had... put in with epoxy resin! really stiff, but if your neck isnt dry then you have trouble anyway... dry wood!
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