Scarf jointed necks

[AirCap]

On any of Warmoth's necks with angled back pegheads - are any of them made without a scarf joint?

 

[dmraco]

I think anything angled uses a scarf joint.  My Warmoth head stock and angled start both have them

 

[AirCap]

So nothing like a trad Les Paul - sawed out from a billet? They'd probably charge more for it.

 

[musicispeace]

I suspect they use scarf joints. I've had a couple of phone conversations with Warmoth about exotic wood choices for the Warmoth, Vortex, Hombre and was told not all woods glue to their satisfaction so not not all the exotics are offered for those necks, if memory serves me. 

 

[amigarobbo]

What's wrong about being a scarf joint?

 

[TBurst Std]

I suspect they use scarf joints. I've had a couple of phone conversations with Warmoth about exotic wood choices for the Warmoth, Vortex, Hombre and was told not all woods glue to their satisfaction so not not all the exotics are offered for those necks, if memory serves me.

I can attest to that. I was looking at tilt back necks in dark colored woods that needed no finish. The only ones they do are Rosewood and Wenge. All the others they said the scarf joints don't glue well. 

 

[dmraco]

So nothing like a trad Les Paul - sawed out from a billet? They'd probably charge more for it.

Cause Gibson are so strong!

Unless you do not like the looks I would not worry.  They are strong.  I recently glued a guitar together with tightbond.    I had a scrap left after cutting the body out.  I tried to break the two pieces apart and the wood broke (mahogany) before the joint did.

 

[AirCap]

Cause Gibson are so strong!

So..... scarf joints don't break? Is that what you're saying? Because lately I sure seem to be regluing a lot of Epiphone Les Pauls with broken pegheads that have scarf joints.

Unless you do not like the looks I would not worry. They are strong. I recently glued a guitar together with tightbond.  I had a scrap left after cutting the body out. I tried to break the two pieces apart and the wood broke (mahogany) before the joint did.

Yes - it's about the looks. The client cares about the looks.

And I know they are strong. You are answering me like I'm a complete dolt, when I've been a working guitar repairman for 40 years.

 

[amigarobbo]

I thought scarf joints were stronger than straight through single piece of wood?

Of course given enough strain everything will break.

 

[AirCap]

I thought scarf joints were stronger than straight through single piece of wood?

I understand many builders do it because there is less waste of materials.
And as with all joints - there are many variables, and no hard rules.

 

[dmraco]

Cause Gibson are so strong!

So..... scarf joints don't break? Is that what you're saying? Because lately I sure seem to be regluing a lot of Epiphone Les Pauls with broken pegheads that have scarf joints.

Unless you do not like the looks I would not worry. They are strong. I recently glued a guitar together with tightbond.  I had a scrap left after cutting the body out. I tried to break the two pieces apart and the wood broke (mahogany) before the joint did.

Yes - it's about the looks. The client cares about the looks.

And I know they are strong. You are answering me like I'm a complete dolt, when I've been a working guitar repairman for 40 years.

I am doing either.  You commented on Gibson's in the OP and Gibson are solid wood and break all the time.  I was not referring to Epiphone.

Concerning the scarf joint my comment was add address that many people feel they are weak and an area that can easily break. 

I do not feel you are a complete idiot.  However NOT knowing your history, (how would I???) I obviously answered to the lowest common denominator.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

To answer the OP's question, I believe ALL of their angled headstocks are scarf joints.  I'm unaware of any off the menu option like a one piece angled headstock being available.  Purely speculating, I imagine their necks are all made from similarly sized blanks, and the size blank required for that is probably out of the realm of their usual inventory.

 

[aarontunes]

All Warmoth tilt-back necks use a scarf joint. All have a volute as well. This method uses less wood, and is less prone to breaks.

 

[AirCap]

All Warmoth tilt-back necks use a scarf joint. All have a volute as well. This method uses less wood, and is less prone to breaks.

Well, thanks for the info..... although the last bit is simply generally accepted opinion, not fact.
I shall pass this along to my client.

 

[aarontunes]

All Warmoth tilt-back necks use a scarf joint. All have a volute as well. This method uses less wood, and is less prone to breaks.

Well, thanks for the info..... although the last bit is simply generally accepted opinion, not fact.
I shall pass this along to my client.

Yes. Let me restate it as "...less prone to breaks, in our experience."

 

[Cagey]

It's not the scarf joint that causes headstocks to break off. Anyone who's seen one of those breaks knows it's not the joint that breaks, it's the wood. What causes it is the headstock being in harm's way when the guitar falls over. The headstock being tilted back causes it to hit first, so it takes all the impact at the furthest point from the grain transition where it has the most leverage. So, snap.

 

[Frankencat]

I had a conversation with Spike just yesterday about this as I was ordering a  tilt back neck. I don't care for the look of a  scarf joint but I don't believe there  is anything about it  that is less stable than a non scarfed tilt back like Gibson uses. The answer the to OP's question is that all of Warmoth's tilt back style headstocks have a scarf  joint. I  did  not get  into asking  about a custom order. I think if I wanted one that badI  would make it  myself from scratch.

 

[Slackjaw]

I remember an issue with the fatter Explorer headstock early Kramers where the scarf joint would slip due the end of the joint landing precisely on the first fret...

 

[Jesse]

The issue with scarf joint necks is that over a long time, you will get uneven drying or shrinkage of the wood that will cause the neck to back bow right around the scarf joint. This is a common problem on old (late 80's to early 90's) Ibanez necks. Although the thin nature of the necks may be a significant factor with that problem. In 2004 they switched to a multi-lam design that eliminated the scarf joint. I believe that design also eliminated some of the warping and twisting issues that could affect those necks.