Hey folks,
Still not finished my current builds and already thinking about my next...🤦🏻
I've seen a few builds with a carved heel on the body to improve access and reduce thickness on both set neck and bolt on designs.
I'm wondering how far it's possible to go in taking material off the body at the heel and if there's a difference between bolt on and set neck? On the course, it advised keeping a minimum of 10mm of meat at the heel, would this still be the case with this type of heel?
This is a random image from the internet as an example of the kind of shenanigans I'm on about and not one of mine.
Cheers
Dan
Hi Dan,
I would think that with the glued on neck you've got a bit more strength but looking at that picture of the bolt on I'd say that was on the limit if not a wee bit past it.
🎶🙂🎸🙏
🗝️ "Life's what you make it"🗝️
Mark did a video showing how to do the neck joint like you’re referring to. It’s on the guitar making YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/live/Unp0clPhqVo?si=t0r-QvZEALkyOrtK
@russ thanks, ok so with a glued neck there's a bit more strength, that makes sense. To your knowledge is there a minimum measurement of meat to leave at the heel?
This is closer, albeit at the more extreme end of what I'm thinking..
This is closer, albeit at the more extreme end of what I'm thinking..
Hi Dan,
10mm seems to be the recommended minimum but if both sides of your heel are being glued into the neck pocket then you could possibly get away with a couple of millimetres more. In the picture you've shown where one side of the heel is fully exposed then I'd leave at least the 10mm and maybe a bit more if it doesn't look too chunky.
🎶🎸🙏🙂
🗝️ "Life's what you make it"🗝️
@liebe what you’ll find in the video is you need the wood of the body to extend beyond the body so the heel of the neck is covered by the extension of the body wood under the neck joint. You then carve it to suit your design. It isn’t real hard but it isn’t something really easy.
In Mark’s course on building an electric guitar he says to leave 10-12mm thickness at the neck joint. What I’ve found my self after building 4 guitars with a seamless transition from neck to body is that measurement can be thicker. I’m leaving between 15-18 mm now but it does depend on the thickness of the body to begin with. The rule I’ve made for myself is the heel on the neck itself must be at least 5mm thicker than a bolt on. But that’s my rule for myself.
Here’s the 4 I’ve done thus far. I’ve had a lot of great feedback from players concerning that neck joint. So much so I’ve decided all future builds will have that style of neck joint.
