Reinforced neck

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

Reinforced neck

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>Lutherie >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Phrygian

Posts: 40
Joined: Aug. 19 2008
From: Sweden

Reinforced neck

I wonder what the pros and cons of a reinforced neck(from both the builder and players perspective)and why some luthiers choose this method over a solid wooden neck?

//Phrygian

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 2:54:11

Exitao

Posts: 907
Joined: Mar. 13 2006
From: Vancouver, Canada

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Phrygian)

I would think that there is at least one advantage to a reinforced neck for both the luthier and the player...

It allows for a thinner neck.

Not sure, but it may also affect how much the heel can be carved out too, which allows easier reach to the higher frets for the player.

_____________________________

Callidus et iracundus.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 9:26:22

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Phrygian)

If the cedar you use is well cut and dry, reinforcement is not nescessary and you can make the neck the thickness you want and the heel the shape you want.

If the cedar is very dense and thus heavy, I even chisel some of the centar away in order to compensate for the extra weight. Weight in the neck is not something possitive on a flamenco guitar

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 9:37:53

Phrygian

Posts: 40
Joined: Aug. 19 2008
From: Sweden

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

If the cedar you use is well cut and dry, reinforcement is not nescessary and you can make the neck the thickness you want and the heel the shape you want.

If the cedar is very dense and thus heavy, I even chisel some of the centar away in order to compensate for the extra weight. Weight in the neck is not something possitive on a flamenco guitar

So you could say that using reinforcment is a way of cuting a corner in the build bu allowing you to use "cheaper" woods and building faster?

Thanks//Phrygian

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 9:50:04

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson

If the cedar you use is well cut and dry, reinforcement is not nescessary and you can make the neck the thickness you want and the heel the shape you want.

Anders is correct but there is one advantage of using a laminated (reinforced) neck. It allows you to use pieces of cedar that are otherwise too small for a neck. For example you can take a flat sawn plank of cedar and cut strips off the edge for laminating resulting in quartered stock (of course the plank has to be thick enough to make half a neck).

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 11:51:04

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Phrygian)

I always buy quatersawn cedar for the necks, but who says that the neck needs to be quatersawn?

I know a 1962 Manuel Reyes in perfect condition with a 100% flatsawn neck.

_____________________________

Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 13:47:00

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Phrygian)

I have taken to splitting neck blanks perfectly down the center on the bandsaw, then flipping one half end for end and epoxying it back together. I think just having that glue joint in there gives the neck some reinforcement without adding much if any weight. I do the same with my heel stack and have a permanent center line for carving the heel

The luthier that I work for/with makes a center reinforced section for classical guitars out of 3 laminations of neckwood each 1/8 " thick with fiberglass mesh glued in between the layers. Then under that he runs a 1/8" x 3/8" carbon fiber rod, and caps it off with a strip of ebony

I've made 4 necks like that for him... it's a lot of glue operations but the neck doesn't move after it's on the guitar.
For flamencos I think that would be too heavy and frankly totally unneccessary.

I think some luthiers reinforce all necks just to cover their ass so they don't get any guitars back in the shop with relief problems or whatever

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 15:24:13

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Reinforced neck (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson

I always buy quatersawn cedar for the necks, but who says that the neck needs to be quatersawn?

I know a 1962 Manuel Reyes in perfect condition with a 100% flatsawn neck.

Quartered is usually much easier to carve and way more attractive.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2010 16:39:51