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I have too much neck angle, about .17 over the saddle slot.

Working the other way and keeping a nice joint has never seemed difficult, but sanding more from the fingerboard (already glued) side of the heel is difficult, and I've managed to lose the flush edge of the join without making much progress.

Anyone have a good technique for working this way?

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Gabriel Regalbuto
Carlsbad, California
Freedom 35!

How about making another neck!

you can always use that neck for something else!!!

Or use a very sharp chisel to remove the wood on either side of the
upper part of the joint -if ya get what i mean!


Mike

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Mike Collins

Are you suggesting I beat myself over the head with it?

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Gabriel Regalbuto
Carlsbad, California
Freedom 35!

NO!
I forget I can make a neck very easily !
Sorry!

But I just thought it might be easier for you !
If ya have the time & woods!!!

Mike

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Mike Collins

Thanks, Gabe. Now I have to go clean the soft drink off my keyboard!!!

Interesting post, though. I've often wondered what the best way to do that is. bump

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Brad Tucker

It's not easy at all. You have to make sure you use the "sharpest" edge of your sandpaper, butt up up to the fretboard and only pull about 1/2", reset the sandpaper and pull again. It's very very tedious and a real PITA! but it can be done. Might be easier to pull the fretboard off then your can mount the neck on the body and pull your sandpaper from the fretboard side.

This is why I always set my neck angle before attaching the fretboard, much easier to get it perfect.

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Gabe;
I don't know what to tell you about making this one fit at the right angle, but I've found this to be very helpful in establishing the correct neck/heel angle (before cutting) . After the box is closed I stand it up on it's bout and using a scrap piece of wood that fits in the mortise, (or dovetail slot) I cut an angle, seat the scrap in the slot and measure the height at the bridge location using a straight edge running along the scrap over the body. Often, the upper bout (after closing the box), angle from the sides to the top at the neck joint is not precisely what it is supposed to be. even 1/2 a degree off will cause a bad angle here in a predetermined neck angle, so I always check and measure this before cutting the neck angle. A 3" wide by 1/2" piece of straight stock cut at the guessed angle will help determine the correct angle needed. I uniformly cut my tenon or dovetail joint out on the table saw after figuring the proper angle by this method. I don't know if this helped or was found further confusing, but it works for me.
Good luck--

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

Thanks for the link. Great thread, and one I hope to reference on as few occasions as possible. I've taken the chisel and sandpaper route, and have a good angle and a not perfect, but approaching acceptable join. Certainly close enough to fix in Photoshop.

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Gabriel Regalbuto
Carlsbad, California
Freedom 35!

It could have been worse....

Gabe I have done this and it does not sound like your off by enough to pitch the neck.

In this toot: http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=15022%22 you will see a neck fitted with not enough neck angle. When you get to the section where a sanding block is used you can do this too concentrating on the area as close to the fret board as possible. In short order you will see where your sanding block can't reach and this is where you use the uber-sharp chisel to nick this off.

It works for me.

Also is the .17 from a fretted neck or unfretted neck? In either event I think you can fix this my friend. Once you get the angle down just floss your cheeks (no pics please... ) as usual and you should be good to go.

Thanks Hesh, I've managed to get it within reason. I may go back at it again and drop it some more, but its a small guitar and will be strung with lights, so I think I'm okay at ~.1" (fretted neck). Great link, by the way. I've read all your tutorials but can't seem to find the one on solid color tops with inlayed rosettes... lost during the upgrade?

As far as cheek floss goes, my wife swears by them , but just because you are Brazilian Rosewood status doesn't mean you can post that kind of stuff just anywhere. The moderators have provided an off topic forum.

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Gabriel Regalbuto
Carlsbad, California
Freedom 35!