Neck options

[moobox]

Hello all - I'm back. This time I need to know things about choosing the neck options. So what I'm wanting is a maple neck/fingerboard. Going for the Vintage Modern neck looks like that is 1 piece. So no separate fingerboard. New to me but anyway.

Then for the width at the nut I'm looking at 1 3/4" with a Fatback contour. The width is pretty much what my acoustic guitars widths are so I thought that should sinplify things a bit. Just not sure of the combination of that with Fatback. I also hear good things about the compound radius, so should go for that.

Then, for frets, is it worthwhile to shell out for the stainless steel? I'm looking at 6150.

Tuner hole sizes: Would I be correct to say that the Gotoh/Grover 13/32 11/32 is the safest to go for?

Thansk and cheers - Ed

 

[AprioriMark]

Compound radius is a wonderful thing.  Fatback is a sweet contour; you'll enjoy it if you like a good chunk of wood in your hand.  I love my one piece Vintage Modern maple necks.

Lots of people say stainless is the way to go.  I don't have much experience with it, myself.  All the necks I currently have use regular 6150s.  I also don't tear up frets, but if you do, I imagine it's well worth getting stainless.  The *only* downside that I've heard of is that they're harder, and thus more difficult to shape/polish.  That, and a minimal cost difference.  I'd suggest trying stainless, honestly.  I don't hear any tone difference when I've played necks with stainless frets.

As far as tuners, I always suggest Sperzel locking tuners, because they're hands down the best machines I've ever had on guitars (I own about 65).  Here's a quick look at how they work: http://www.specialtyguitars.com/sperzel.html  If Sperzels are too modern looking for you, any of the tuners that Warmoth sells are good machines.  If you're asking what tuner ream we suggest while ordering, my advice is to figure out what you want before you order.  The extra hour, day or two is worth doing it right.  If you're comfortable reaming out holes for different tuners, just order the neck with the default holes (11/32") and go bigger from there.

-Mark

 

[AutoBat]

You want stainless steel. They are fantastic.
Smooth, very durable, shiny.

Get the tuner ream for the brand you're planning on using.
Gotoh & Grover make great tuning machines. (note: that ream will not work for Vintage (Kluson style) tuning machines, without an adapter)

I'll recommend one of the locking versions. It'll make your setup easier and will hold the pitch longer than a non-locking variant.

 

[noname]

+1 on SS frets. For tuners I like Schallers the best. Locking ones are heavy, no doubt, but they work great.

 

[Cagey]

Given a choice, I'd never have a neck without stainless frets. They feel/play a lot better, and they last forever. Depending on what color your hardware is, you might consider the gold ones as well. They're just as smooth and nearly as hard, so it's like gold-colored stainless. As for machining on them, I'd avoid anybody who wants to charge extra to work on them. The local pros around here don't, and I don't. I haven't found them to be hurtful of my tools. Perhaps in a few years that may change, but I expect abrasive/cutting tools to wear anyway. Nature of the beast.

Also, Schaller mini-lockers. Love 'em.

 

[Johnfv]

I prefer a smaller neck (1 5/8" or 1 11/16" for me). Standard thin contour. I have the Schaller mini locking tuners on several guitars and I do like them but they are heavy. I'd probably go Sperzels if I could choose anything just because of the weight. I've never tried SS frets, maybe on my next one?

 

[swarfrat]

Maybe it's a southern thing, but I love fatback. And Stainless. A good guitar neck should be able to double as weapon in a pinch.

 

[Johnfv]

Maybe it's a southern thing...

Hmm... Are you south of Austin?

 

[moobox]

OK thanks everyone. Looks like SS is the way to go, a little extra but what the heck. And the Schallers but then again I like the look of the Vintage Gotoh's so still undecided there. One thing that does worry me is the width at nut thing. As I said I play acoiustic with 1 3/4" and was thinking to get similar. I'm pretty much sold on the Fatback and just worried that the combination of Fatback and 1 3/4" might make it crazy big. Anyway, I guess I'll have to see.

 

[Cagey]

The differences in neck dimensions are minor and measured in thousandths. So, the real effect is not as great as it seems. It'll feel big in your hand, but it really isn't. It's just surprising how small a difference your hand can feel. I normally get a Standard Thin neck 1 11/16" wide, but while yours will only be .200" thicker and .062" wider, it would feel like a baseball bat in my hand. So, it's just a matter of getting used to it.

You won't be sorry about the stainless. I was apprehensive about them the the first time too, but the improvement is dramatic. You're gonna love 'em.

 

[bagman67]

Maybe it's a southern thing, but I love fatback.

Really?

Ohhhh, you said FATBACK, not BACKFAT.

 

[Disco Scottie]

Maybe it's a southern thing, but I love fatback.

Really?

Ohhhh, you said FATBACK, not BACKFAT.

Mmmmmm... boobies.

 

[Cagey]

Or, a highly effective emetic.

 

[moobox]

OK sorry for this people, I'm leaning a bit heavy I know but before I order I just want a "there you go, you'll be fine" sort of thing hey. So, I've been looking at a number of places to get necks and Warmoth seems about the best option. Not always the cheapest but the body I got from them is quality and the options that they offer sort of appeal to me and a lot simpler than other places. So I'm looking at:

A Stratocaster Vintage Modern in maple neck and fingerboard - so it's one piece.
Nut Width: 1 3/4"with Boatneck profile. Somebody reckoned that is going to be like huge but I'm not planning on anyshredding.
Radius: 10-16" compound.
Fret Size: SS6150 (Stainless)
Tuner Ream: Gotoh vintage style (11/32") - I see they have a 15:1 gear ratio which should be OK?
Inlays: No Inlay,Side Dots Only.
No Nut Install because I'm thinking of putting bone in and that option didnt pop up for building a neck.
And I'll finish it myself possibly with Tru-oil.

The boatneck just looks comfortable so that it fits into the V of your thumb and rest of your hand. At first I was thinking fatback and I may still go that way.

And I never see the fretboard markers so decided to have the face blank.

Cheers - Ed

 

[Cagey]

If that's what you want, then "there you go. You'll be fine."

If it was me, though, outside of material, I'd change two things. First, I wouldn't use the "Vintage Modern" design unless I had to, which if I wanted a one-piece neck I'd have to do. Outside of aesthetics, I'm not sure how much advantage, if any, there is to that sort of construction. One could probably argue that without that lamination of the fretboard to the neck meat that you'd have a livelier neck overall.

But, if aesthetics aren't an issue, I'd do the Warmoth Pro construction. You can still have a Maple/Maple neck, but now you get a dual-action truss rod, which is a Good Thing for a couple reasons. One, you get a side adjuster, which is just plain handy. Two, with a Vintage Modern or Total Vintage neck, if it develops too much bow, no amount of loosening the truss rod will get you any relief. A dual-action truss rod will let you force some relief in.

Certainly Warmoth necks are premium quality parts without peer, so I wouldn't worry about one of their necks developing excess bow. Chances are vanishingly small that'll ever happen. But, if it was going to, it would happen with a Maple neck before any other, and more so with one that doesn't have a hard finish.

The other thing I'd change is the tuner ream. As anyone here will tell you, for as seriously acidic a curmudgeon as I am, I cannot buy into "vintage" anything other than body style. Modern tuners are miles ahead of vintage tuners of any sort, so they're the only thing to use as far as I'm concerned. Few things are more aggravating than a guitar that fights being tuned or won't stay put. So, I'd ream for some locking Schallers or Sperzels, preferably Schallers.

 

[moobox]

Thanks for all that Cagey. Precisely the sort of advice I am after being a first timer at this.

I must say that I have been looking at the Warmoth Pro necks and everything seems right about them except that I have been pretty keen on the skunk stripe. A little bit petty I'm sure but it's there in my head.

When you refer to a hard finish would that be lacquer? Becasue that is also an option as is 2K.

And as for tuners I have been keen on getting Schallers and have been eyeing those at StewMac which seem to be a bit cheaper. I just cant get the measurements that I need sorted out for the tuner holes.

Cheers - Ed