How To Build A Neck Through Guitar (Part 1)
Filed in Learn Electric Guitar Videos on Nov.22, 2011
How to build a neck through guitar (Part 1). My first attempt building an electric guitar. It’s made of Maple and Walnut with Ebony fretboard. I put all the bells and whistles on it to learn the hard way. It turned out really well. Hope this walks you through the process and encourages you to build one.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
November 22nd, 2011 at 5:32 am
what is meant by check for daylight?
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:01 am
With the neck v got it ready do i have to angle it? or do i just glue it in straight?
and let the Truss rod Do its work Later? Thanks
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:16 am
Could the same process be done for a bass guitar?
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:36 am
Yes i did. I would love to make one myself but I just didn’t want to have to measure out all the frets etc. Stewart McDonald sells a fret saw jig that aligns everything with pins and it does all the measuring for you which is awesome, I’d just have to buy it and I think it’s expensive. Just like everything else haha.
November 22nd, 2011 at 7:08 am
Sorry I haven’t responded in so long. I think it’s great, just make sure you have good tools to work with in your school shop. I know the stuff we had in our shop was so misaligned and dull I wouldn’t make a birdhouse in it. Just take your time and plan 3 steps in advance of what you’re doing. I’d suggest buying a premade neckthrough neck from Stewart McDonald.com to save time. If you aren’t under time constraints and have good, good funding, make everything yourself. Good luck.
November 22nd, 2011 at 7:50 am
@Virgil605 awesome! did you have to buy the ebony fret board online?
November 22nd, 2011 at 8:15 am
Menards in the hardwood section
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:10 am
where did you buy your lumber???
November 22nd, 2011 at 10:03 am
@constructivereconcil well, you could try getting an old bunkbed or someting that is cheap but made out of good wood and using that. I am a bit disabled as well. But we will do our projects ^_^ I have reshearched this lital over 2 weeks ^_^
November 22nd, 2011 at 10:19 am
@snakev10v5 Cool! All I need is a good source for lumber, and a larger drill press. I might get a pre-slotted fingerboard though. I am a little bit disabled, so I am not sure what I can manage physically moving stuff around. I’ve been researching and planning since 2005! I have several projects I started to get a feel for the tools. I refinished several guitars, and my current project is adding a tone chamber to a double-cut Les Paul. I’d like to add a MIDI bridge too, but too many projects!
November 22nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
@constructivereconcil I do not have most of the tools needed for making aa guitar neck that is true, however I know a carpenter that can cut it so I only have to do final sanding and check that its right an so forth.
November 22nd, 2011 at 11:44 am
@snakev10v5 What tools do you have already? You might start with a prefab neck, because the neck is by far the hardest thing, and if you have no router, well you probably are missing even more tools. Depending on what you want to build, you can still build a great guitar either bolt on, or neckthrough with prefab neck from Carvin or a few others, can’t remember, stewmac .com IIRC.
November 22nd, 2011 at 12:28 pm
@constructivereconcil errm I think you sen that to wrong , guy if you wanted the one who made the vid to respond……O.o however I am using an old bed for my guitar
November 22nd, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Where did you get your lumber? It looks great.
November 22nd, 2011 at 1:48 pm
@snakev10v5 Is that the only tool you need? Seems like a router is an early tool to get. I have a Rotozip that is palmrouter sized and plenty flexible for addon tools, I use the rotary cutting tool more than routing, but I imagine it will do any guitar routing needed.
to video owner, what do you think about the ideal router to get the most use in making a guitar? Have you made any lists from this video series?
November 22nd, 2011 at 2:40 pm
@Virgil605 what about a fret saw, would that work? Also, cuting the neck shape, can I do that with the same thing, or other hand saw?
November 22nd, 2011 at 2:44 pm
This will suck hard without a router, but hey anything is possible. The only way i can think of doing it is with a table saw or a radial arm saw. You’ll have to know exactly where to stop when pushing the neck into the blade and it’s an eighth inch wide so you’ll have to reposition the saw fence over to get the width of slot you need. Just make a fence of some kind on the other side to keep the neck from slipping away from the fence on the table. hope this helps
November 22nd, 2011 at 3:12 pm
I do not have a router, how would I go about cuting the truss rod slot by hand?
November 22nd, 2011 at 3:44 pm
About to make a Neck through… i asked my woodwork teacher if i could and now were both building one any Tips? Thanks
November 22nd, 2011 at 4:08 pm
@Fleg There is no neck angle. it’s completely parallel to the flat body. I don’t experience any fret buzz at all. I do have heavy Jazz gauge strings on it so i don’t know if that contributes to not having any buzzing.
November 22nd, 2011 at 4:31 pm
The only question i have to formulate is how about the neck angle with the body? And do you have experienced any fret buzz or any problem like that?
November 22nd, 2011 at 5:28 pm
what’s the title of the 12 stones song
November 22nd, 2011 at 5:35 pm
@goodyear2602 Thanks. I used Imovie that came stock with my Macbook laptop. It’s really easy to work with, just drag pictures in the sequence you want them and drag music where you want it and there you have it.
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Sweet build! What program did you use to edit the video? Much obliged!
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:45 pm
@deathreapre I got it from Menards in the hardwood section. It comes from mastercraft. I tell a lot of people that but they end up being from england and they don’t have a menards. You’re best bet is to find an exotic wood distributer that’s is around your area. Good luck with that one haha. If you do that though you’re going to pay a lot more. I sorted through the boards at menards until I came across the figured stuff that you see in the Project 2 video