Strat Build

[CabanaBoy]

Maple dots - I'm liking that.

 

[Dewesq55]

Maple dots - I'm liking that.

I like anything that doesn't require me to buy more materials. For these, I ripped a 1/16" piece of maple from some scrap and used a 1/4" plug cutter to make the dots. I did the same with rosewood scrap on a maple fretboard a made a couple of years ago. I also made my own face grain side dots using the StewMac small screw extractor to cut 7/64" plugs out of the same piece of 1/16" thick maple.

 

[CabanaBoy]

They make for a good contrast and look nice.
That's actually a pretty sharp idea.

 

[Dewesq55]

Neck carving day!

The heel end isn't done yet.

 

[Dewesq55]

So the neck is done, save for some finer grit sanding and frets.

 

[syscokid]

Amazing...

 

[CabanaBoy]

Looks nice, man. What tools did you use to do these last steps on the neck?

 

[Dewesq55]

Looks nice, man. What tools did you use to do these last steps on the neck?

I did the bulk of the carving with a Shinto saw rasp. The shaping around the heel and headstock I did with some imitation dragon rasps I bought on Amazon.

 

[Dewesq55]

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Another for amazing work.

 

[Inspector #20]

View attachment 24696 View attachment 24697 View attachment 24698 View attachment 24699 So the neck is done, save for some finer grit sanding and frets.

Very, very acute attention to details!!!!

 

[Session 5]

Just Luvin your build Sir!! Going along very very nicely!!

 

[Sp8ctre]

I'm in awe of people who scratch build like this! Great job!

 

[Bocc69]

Really nice work. Very enjoyable to watch the progress.

 

[Inspector #20]

Wow.......

 

[eSGEe]

you sir -- are a WIZARD of the WOODSHOP!

 

[RVA]

View attachment 24696 View attachment 24697 View attachment 24698 View attachment 24699 So the neck is done, save for some finer grit sanding and frets.

That looks incredible!

 

[Inspector #20]

I tried carving a neck and even under the guidance of a Luthier chum...reduced it to firewood!

 

[Dewesq55]

I tried carving a neck and even under the guidance of a Luthier chum...reduced it to firewood!

Sorry to hear that. Neck carving takes patience. Also, although some so it with success, I would suggest not using power tools to carve the neck, at least not until you've been successful the slower, hand tool way. Dave Fletcher, of Fletcher Custom Guitars on YouTube, has a series where he builds a strat. The video where he carves the neck he lays out an approach for successful carving that is very useful and pretty easy to follow.

 

[Dewesq55]

I have to say, I have built 5 complete necks and have 1 more in progress, and I've never ruined one during carving. I did, however, trash one on the router table. Fortunately, I have basically a lifetime's supply of maple suitable for neck blanks in my shop so I just ripped another one and started over.