Building neck - question about thickness for headstock

[jmfranc]

I have a 4" wide board that's 45" long for a Tiger build. It's going to be a thru neck so I need it 40" long when it's done with the heat stock. My question is how thick I need the board to be to have the proper angle for the headstock. 5 inches?
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\_\ _5" high?

[milobender]

In order to cut it out of one piece, just make yourself a drawing life sized or to scale (I prefer to make it life sized), draw your body length, your scale length, where your nut is (and it's a good time to verify where your bridge goes, tailpiece and bridge height), pick your headstock angle (there is no 'right' angle, pardon the pun, different folks use different angles), and draw the head at the angle you've picked, end at the top of your headstock (you'll have to decide on the headstocks actual length too, and the thickness of the head is + or - 1/2")... that will give you the thickness you'll need. You can then modify the angle you've picked a bit, if you need to, to fit the width of the board you have. Hope that's not too confused...

Brian

[jmfranc]

I can do that easy enough. But I figured there's some general 13 degree rule for headstock angle. And if so then a general rule should exist for a Tiger neck. I know it's a little under 4" wide at at it's widest. So I want enough of an angle to make sure there's no buzz. So should the block be around 4" deep to majestic sure there's enough?

[milobender]

I would think, without drawing it out, that 4" would be plenty... and I don't know what Tiger's angle was. It won't effect string 'buzz' ; that's determined by other factors... otherwise, every fender neck would buzz, as there is practically no angle. Draw it out assuming 4" stock and see what the steepest angle is...

[softmachine72]

when I build neck though wolf I use a 12 degree head stock.I cut 1.7 degrees neck angle in to the middle section. the final piece is about 3.25 top to bottom . The head stock will be no more than 3/8 thick because you will be adding a 1/4 ebony on to and those alternating layers of maple an paduk on the bottom. the final thickness should be a at the frst tuner to at the end of the head stock to facilitate a smooth transition of the neck angle at the bottom at the neck. The neck section is 2.25 wide and has two angles built in. have the end of the fret board be the first fulcrum point and then the head stock angle starts after the nut 12 degrees off of the 1.7 neck angle. I have found that you waste a lot more wood for one degree of angle on the head stock . I do it this way because it eliminates having to raise the pick ups a mile. other wise you have to rotate the body wings to get neck angle and you have to have a thicker piece. basically 3.5 inches thick will do it. on the other hand if you are building a tiger neck through which i have not done. tiger is a much thicker guitar. wolf is 1.75 body thickness tiger is probably 2 to 2.25 in the middle and tapers down in the carve. because on a neck through tiger the piece could be theoretically be thinner because you will be putting the top and bottom cocobolo over the neck-through section. you nees 5/8 to 3/4 in. (depending on the carve) on top and 1/2 to 5/8 on bottom. make sure you have a extra book match for the back to cu the pick up cavity cover out of . I have found it very hard to cut the cover out before the instrument goes together just my two- cents.
Leo
Scarlet Fire Guitars