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View Full Version : Big Head Strat Neck - In Birdseye



Julie Moriarty
04-18-2015, 9:15 AM
Brian's friend asked him to make a pickguard for his Fender Jaguar. We worked on it together, with Brian doing most of the work. His friend must have liked it because he asked Brian to make a neck for him. He wanted all birdseye maple with black fret markers. I helped Brian make up the 1/4" and 3/4" templates and he took it from there. I did have one boo-boo when I picked out a drawing that wasn't to scale and didn't measure it first. Brian made up the 1/4" template but I caught it before it went any further. Whew!

Here's where it is now.
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab233/jules42651/Guitar%20Stuff/bhn_01_zpszfozsbhx.jpg
Sorry for the bad color tones. Poor camera skills on my part. :o

I'm going to make up some 1/4" ebony dots but will use plastic on the side of the neck.

george wilson
04-18-2015, 9:31 AM
Where birdseye maple trees grow,there is a higher rate of cancer. I will not work birdseye for that reason. Not until they figure out WHY the cancer rate is higher. Use a mask,at least.

Maybe I'm nuts,but I err on the side of caution.

Whatever causes the cancer is killed off in kiln drying,you might say. Prions are not killed off,even at burning temperatures. Who knows what is going on with the stuff? Maybe it's not the wood at all. Possibly electromagnetic properties in the areas it grows? Perhaps this is what causes birdseye. They are buds that didn't make it. Who knows.

Julie Moriarty
04-18-2015, 10:45 AM
I always wear a respirator when creating dust in the workshop. Allergies and all that.

Julie Moriarty
04-21-2015, 1:21 AM
I failed in effectively passing along my knowledge. :(

It was time to rout for the truss rod. We had everything ready to go. I showed Brian how to make the first pass. He did that fine. I showed him how to drop the depth on the router a bit, and he did that, and the second pass went fine. Then I let him go. He made another depth adjustment and began routing then I heard an uh-oh. :eek: He had taken too much of a bite and the router went astray. It didn't look too bad so he finished. The fretboard was glued on and the shaping began.

While shaping the neck I saw this tiny black spot. And it grew. Then I realized what it was...
http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_02.jpg
Somehow, the router's depth of cut dropped, and that's when Brian had his uh-oh. There's still more wood to be removed and I can see that hole will grow in length as that happens.

Completely my fault. I should have been coaching better. Tomorrow I'm going to make a run to the hardwood store and start this one over.

It's been one of those days.

Shawn Pixley
04-21-2015, 10:32 AM
Oops! That hurts. That's one of the reasons why I hate routers.

Julie Moriarty
04-21-2015, 12:31 PM
Yeah, it was a bit of a shocker. I usually rout for the truss rod on the router table but on this neck Brian had already rough cut it. So I used a template I made for my Bosch Colt. It has rails set for the standard base. But that base isn't very well designed. Setting the depth is a pain and securing the router in the base requires double checking to make sure nothing moves.

I'm considering telling Brian to give the guy his money back. He doesn't seem to have the skills nor the desire to learn them. Making this neck has been very low on his priority list (girls and partying come first) and I ended up doing most of the work. Not a good life lesson.

Mike Sherman
04-21-2015, 1:24 PM
You could always rout a skunk stripe down the back to save that neck.

Julie Moriarty
04-22-2015, 12:56 PM
You could always rout a skunk stripe down the back to save that neck.
That's what I ended up doing, Mike. Here's how it went...

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_03.jpg
I used the same jig that was used to rout for the truss rod. The narrowest width I could do was 1/2" because the hole had drifted off center.

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_04.jpg
The deeper I went, the longer the over-rout became.

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_05.jpg
I had a piece of padauk that was close in size to what I needed so I shaped it to fit snugly.

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_06.jpg
I don't think padauk is the right choice of wood but I can use this piece as a template for whatever wood I use. In figured woods I have bubinga, cherry, sapele and maple. I'm leaning toward sapele. Unless I built a border around the maple, I can't see any kind of maple looking right.

The only thing that concerns me is near the headstock. The rout is only a fraction of an inch above the profiled cut. And there is still about 0.1" I need to cut back to get to where I need to be.

Julie Moriarty
04-23-2015, 7:32 PM
I said I wouldn't use maple but that's just what I did. When I saw this cutoff that had the dark grain in it, I decided to see if I could use it to look like a flame coming up out of the neck pocket.

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_07.jpg
It looks better than the pic. Bad photographer. :o

Julie Moriarty
04-30-2015, 11:15 PM
Well... Brian has decided this was too much for him. I didn't know what to do so I asked him if he wanted me to finish the neck for his friend. I don't believe in teaching kids someone will be there to bail them out but I felt badly for the friend who handed Brian $125 in good faith and expected something in return. Anyway, I decided to take on the project, solo. Good decision, bad decision, time will tell.

I've never been a big fan of maple fretboards but that may be because I have never spent hours on end playing a guitar. Apologetically, looks mattered more to me. :o Anyway, Brian's friend wanted a BE neck and FB. And he wanted black fret markers. I didn't have any black dots so I took a piece of ebony and made some. The bit that made the dots created dots around .026". The forstner bit I used to drill the cavities created holes around .024". What I ended up doing was taking a bit a smidge larger than the the forstner bit and, running the drill in reverse, opening up the cavity. It worked! Whew!

Then I ran it through the 12" diameter jig

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_08.jpg

What surprised me the most was that I liked it. Nothing elaborate. No fancy shell. Just wood on wood.

This morning, I took some pics in the sunlight. Maybe the frustration from working with the shell inlay on the bass is blowing this little success out of proportion, but I really like how this is turning out.
http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_11.jpg

Now I just have to find out who has been messing with my avatar. I think I know. :rolleyes:

Julie Moriarty
05-01-2015, 11:38 AM
Question: I think I remembered reading unfinished maple will turn black. If so, does that mean I have to finish the fretboard?

Shawn Pixley
05-01-2015, 9:49 PM
No, The maple won't turn black. But depending upon the hygiene of the person, finger dirt will create grey / dark patches on the fretboard.I have four guitar with maple fretboards. Two are varnished, one is oiled, and the fourth is unfinished.

312664

Here is one (not mine). Superficial dirt can be cleaned. Some dirt can be thoroughly ground in.

george wilson
05-02-2015, 9:26 AM
Maple left unfinished and un touched for maybe 50 years or more will turn a light to medium brown color. Fingers will make it filthy after the lacquer is worn through.

I like the slick feeling of playing a lacquered fingerboard,but they aren't the most durable thing out there. Surprisingly,Brazilian rosewood does not wear very well either. Ebony is a lot better for wear resistance.

John Coloccia
05-02-2015, 11:27 AM
What will surely turn an unfinished maple board very ugly is if you don't tape it off before doing fret work. The metal filings and polishing residue will turn it black and icky.

I had previously worn through most of the finish on my old Strat's neck. I thought it had a nice, broken in feeling to it. When I refretted it, I changed the radius to 12", and sprayed on a bit of nitro. It felt MUCH better. I was expecting the opposite, but raw maple really stinks as a fingerboard surface, IMHO.

Julie Moriarty
05-02-2015, 10:46 PM
If you apply lacquer, or some other sealing finish to a fretboard, playing the instrument will eventually wear off the finish. I get that.

Brian has a Fender guitar neck with a finish on it. His playing has not worn through the finish. He plays his guitar almost every day. I don't know what Fender applies to their maple fretboards but it must be pretty resilient to wear.

The guy who wants the new neck has a Fender 50th Anniversary Strat that has a maple fretboard with what looks like abalone fret dots. That fretboard has a finish on it. Whatever playing the owner of this guitar has done has not worn through the finish.

Bear with me. I'm trying to learn.

Up to this point, everything I've done has been from the position that the fretboard is of a wood that is oily by nature or isn't conducive to exposing its weakness through wear - ebony and rosewood, for instance. Now I'm faced with something that I think is a problem but a company like Fender isn't even phased by. They did what they did and everybody is cool.

So I guess my question is, if you build a stringed instrument with materials that aren't "user friendly" and you market it well, is that all that really matters to today's consumers? "here's your guitar. If you play it more than what we designed it for, it will cost you."

Shawn Pixley
05-03-2015, 3:21 AM
Most Fender maple necks are finished in Polyurethane. Older Fenders (CBS) are polyester. The vintage and custom shop versions are Nitrocellulous lacquer.

If I were doing it, I would use Nitrocellulous Lacquer for the back of the neck and the headstock. I'd oil the fretboard (that's what I like). For re-sale, I'd do the whole neck in nitrocellulous lacquer.

george wilson
05-03-2015, 9:29 AM
Wouldn't oil be an even faster conductor of dirt getting into the wood?

John Coloccia
05-03-2015, 10:05 AM
It depends, George. Something like TruOil actually builds to a film finish, unlike something like straight BLO, and it seals out dirt and grime like any other film finish. I've had maple necks where I've worn some of the finish off the back, and it never seems to really get as nasty, or sticky as the front. I think it's probably the metal constantly coming off the frets, and rubbing against the strings, that makes the real mess. The back of the neck just seems to keep getting better and better, kind of like a pool cue.

The latest thing, and it's actually quite nice, is a shellac finished neck. They feel wonderful. Of course, there may be some additional maintenance involved down the line, but you'll eventually have to spray the neck anyway when you refret. It's just as easy to wipe on a couple of coats of shellac.

Julie Moriarty
05-03-2015, 10:29 AM
Using poly almost seems like a sin. I've come to really love working with lacquer, it's so user friendly. I've never really enjoyed using poly but I know it's more durable. But with the way things have been going around here, I may find myself finishing the neck in our new house, wherever that may be. My SO has been pushing hard to get the house listed and it looks like that will be happening soon. If it sells quickly, everything comes to a halt so we can pack and go.

George, I was thinking the same thing. I was just reading on TDPRI about this and opinions seem to be divided. A couple mentioned Tru Oil. That's not a bad idea. If the finish on the fretboard wears, the owner can just wipe a fresh coat on. And I don't have to unpack my sprayer or set up the spray tent.

John, I just read your post. Tru Oil gets another thumbs up.

Edit 2: I forgot to mention, the first neck was put aside. Brian felt his friend wouldn't like the dark grain on the back so a new neck was started. That's what the fretboard with the ebony dots was for.

Shawn Pixley
05-03-2015, 12:19 PM
I should have noted I was thinking TruOil but wrote it imprecisely.

I think I sweat too much for a shellac neck.

John Coloccia
05-03-2015, 3:07 PM
I should mention that the way I apply it is very different than the directions. I put a small drop on a small square of paper towel or rag, and I apply very little at a time. I'll do that once a day for about a few days or a week, depending on how it's looking. Then I'll wait a couple of weeks and I'll use steel wool to get the sheen I want, and by that I mean the feel I want. It usually ends up approximately satin.

It works on bodies too if you're looking for a natural looking finish. It's not something I do often, but some designs just seem to scream out for it. For example, this is only Truoil. The back is mahogany, so of course you still need to grain fill, but it's a nice, reasonably durable finish, and it's easy to fix. You can even buff it though you need to be careful about witness lines. I think this was just rubbed with 000 steel wool, if I remember properly.

312838

Incidentally, if you're curious, the fingerboard doesn't overhang....it's squared off, and thus the pocket needs to be squared off as well. There's a temptation to use a corner chisel to make the cut, but remember that the neck tapers! You must extend the sides of the pocket when you pencil it in, and then use a chisel to square it up after routing. I put a block of wood inside the pocket up against an edge as a stop, stick the edge of a ruler on top of the body against the block, and then pencil that in to get the proper taper. Way way way off topic, but someone asked me about that once, so I just thought I'd mention it. :)

Julie Moriarty
05-04-2015, 8:59 AM
Thanks, John. That's quite a beautiful guitar you made! Thank you for sharing that.

When the question about applying finish to a fretboard popped up, I wrote R.M. Mottola. I received his reply yesterday:

Fender finishes maple fretboards with the same material used to finish the rest of the neck. In the early days it was nitro, these days some conversion finish. The neck is fretted and the fret ends filed flush. Finish is applied right over the frets. When finishing is done the frets are leveled, crowned and dressed in the usual manner, removing the lacquer from the playing surfaces of the frets.


It is possible to finish the neck without the frets installed but I find this a tedious way to go. After finishing the fret slots are chamfered with a triangular file then the slotting saw is run through each slot to Clear the lacquer. it is tedious because the saw has to be run in from both sides of the slot but can't emerge from the opposite end, because if it does it often pushes the lacquer off the side of the neck. Then the frets are installed but this process is also tedious because pushing them down too hard will crack the lacquer.

Whether you apply the finish before fretting or after, it seems there's some work to do, if you want finish-free frets. On Brian's friend's guitar, you can feel the finish buildup along the edges of the frets. I know most Fender guitars are mass produced and attention to detail isn't high on their priority list. I can see myself taping each fret. :rolleyes: Maybe if I had the spray tent still up and the sprayer wasn't packed I might consider spraying nitro but I think Tru Oil is best way to go on this. If I can find the time to do everything but the finish, I'll see if Brian's friend would be open to applying the Tru Oil himself.

Mike Sherman
05-05-2015, 10:00 AM
I've never been a fan of oil finishes on guitars - especially on a BE neck. A few of my customers have removed the finishes on their fender necks and gone the oil route (against my advise) as they dislike the feel of lacquer. After experiencing frequent truss rod adjustments (some on a weekly basis) they asked to to have a proper finish re-applied. What I've found to be a "happy medium" for those customers is a hybrid mix of 75% sanding sealer/25% nitro. It gives the feel of sanding sealer and the nitro adds hardness to the flattening agents in the sealer. YMMV depending on brand and mix ratio.

John Coloccia
05-05-2015, 12:04 PM
Helps to have lots of carbon fiber in the neck, like in my old Wolfgang. That neck is STIFF. :)

If I ever get back into the shop, I have to try your mix, Mike! I never would have thought of that.

Mike Sherman
05-05-2015, 1:16 PM
John, I shot off a PM. Not sure if they are getting through so Pm'd you on FB.

Julie Moriarty
05-05-2015, 11:21 PM
I've never been a fan of oil finishes on guitars - especially on a BE neck. A few of my customers have removed the finishes on their fender necks and gone the oil route (against my advise) as they dislike the feel of lacquer. After experiencing frequent truss rod adjustments (some on a weekly basis) they asked to to have a proper finish re-applied. What I've found to be a "happy medium" for those customers is a hybrid mix of 75% sanding sealer/25% nitro. It gives the feel of sanding sealer and the nitro adds hardness to the flattening agents in the sealer. YMMV depending on brand and mix ratio.

Are you talking about BLO, tung oil and oils of that nature or all oils? I have little experience with Tru Oil but it seems more like a varnish or shellac finish than BLO or tung oil.

As for the hybrid mix you use, can you share what products you use and how you apply it? I'm trying to take into consideration the young guitarist who may be unable to afford the cost of professional touch-ups, so they can do some of their own maintenance. But, maybe that's a pipe dream.

Brad Horstkotte
06-18-2015, 4:51 PM
Fretboard looks nice!

Yes, you'll want to finish (lacquer, rubbed oil finish, etc.) the fingerboard - and once it's done and hard, you can polish it up and clean the finish off the fret when fret dressing.

george wilson
06-19-2015, 8:39 AM
I have posted how I experimentally used Tru Oil on a violin. Beautiful finish. The violin hung for MONTHS before I got around to stringing it. Definitely dry. But,sometime later,I noticed that the feet of the bridge had sunk down to the BARE WOOD,repeat,BARE WOOD,of the top. Tru Oil squished out all around the bridge's feet.

A guitar capo would have wrought havoc!!

So,no more Tru Oil on instruments for me. The next thing that could happen was for an instrument to get glued to the plush lining of the case. Tru Oil never really gets truly hard. Seems hard,but it AINT!!!

Julie Moriarty
06-19-2015, 9:31 AM
When I have the chance to get back to this, I'm going to nitro the fretboard. The only thing I'm wondering is do I do that before or after fretting? I have a saw that's the same thickness as the fret slots so I could use that to remove the nitro buildup. Then there would be no cleanup around the frets. What are the pitfalls of doing it this way?

Mike Sherman
06-19-2015, 7:12 PM
I fret after the finish is applied. I install the frets the day after the finish is shot as the lacquer is hard to the touch, but not fully cured. It eliminates the lacquer from chipping while installing them.

John Coloccia
06-19-2015, 7:36 PM
Yeah, the way Fender does it makes a mess.

Julie Moriarty
06-20-2015, 6:40 AM
Yeah, the way Fender does it makes a mess.
Fender seems to have a lot of odd practices.

Julie Moriarty
07-01-2015, 6:42 PM
Another slow boat to China...

http://www.julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_12.jpg
Someday, I'm gonna be a bass neck... :rolleyes:

Julie Moriarty
02-21-2018, 6:08 PM
Lazarus has been resurrected. A couple of days ago I pulled the neck out, looking just like the picture taken above. I needed a break from home remodeling. I cut the head thickness down to 1/2" and next thing I know I'm shaping the back of the neck. Rasps and spokshaves mostly. Now it's ready for finish. I'm glad I dug up this thread and re-read it. I had the same questions back then I had now except now they are all answered. :)

I had to re-sand the fretboard. The only way to explain it is to say some of the bird's eyes had swollen so the surface was no longer smooth.

Julie Moriarty
02-24-2018, 12:45 PM
With a little nitro, it's coming along. Time will tell how the birdseye maple holds up.
http://julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_13.jpg

Frederick Skelly
02-24-2018, 7:26 PM
That's a gorgeous piece of work Ma'am. This one for your son too?

Fred

Julie Moriarty
02-26-2018, 10:19 AM
Thanks, Fred.

Yes, it's for my son. Yesterday we communicated by phone video and I showed him some decal designs I came up for the headstock. He asked if I could put a manta ray on it. I found one in clipart, toned it blue and he was happy as a clam. Or should I say as a manta ray! ;)
http://julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_14.jpg

The "Fat" came from the fat head. "Blue" came from the guitar body I made him a few years ago.

http://julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/Ocean%20Blue%20Tele%20Body/BB_finished.jpg

Today I'll build the nitro over the decal. Tomorrow I'll flatten and rebuild until the decal edges are invisible. Still lots more work to go.

Shawn Pixley
02-27-2018, 8:04 PM
With a little nitro, it's coming along. Time will tell how the birdseye maple holds up.
http://julimorcreations.com/Images/Guitars/Guitar/BigHeadNeck/bhn_13.jpg

Arise!

Great to see it made the move in good order. Even better to see you take it up again.

Julie Moriarty
02-28-2018, 12:40 PM
Yeah, I miss the "old days". Learning from you and the other masters here was fun. Definitely the most fun and most enjoyable woodworking projects I've ever done. I have a cabinet job that needs to be done, staring at me every day, and I just don't want to do it. While cleaning up the shop, I unearthed the birdseye neck and was instantly reminded of how much I enjoyed guitar making.

Now that I'm close to done, I find myself thinking of making another one. But if you don't play and don't sell them, making guitars is just a very expensive hobby!

That cabinet job may never get started... :rolleyes:

Jim Becker
02-28-2018, 1:24 PM
I think you did a fine job on that neck, Julie, and hope you do get back to some instrument making once in awhile. It's ok if it's an "expensive hobby" if it brings you pleasure! I've been seriously thinking about making a guitar or bass or two myself, especially once I get through some of the learning curve with CNC. I'm not much of a guitar player (even though I own a somewhat collectable Kramer instrument that I played occasionally in a band I was in where two guitars were needed rather than my keyboard work), but the idea is intriguing. :)

Julie Moriarty
03-01-2018, 10:52 AM
I don't know why making guitars appeals to me but I do know the skills I learned took my woodworking to another level. When I look at what I was doing prior to finishing my first guitar, it seems like amateur hour. Making the body is fairly straightforward but does require precision and patience. Making the neck requires a bit more precision but feel and developing an artistic flair are just as important.

I too am not much of a guitar player. The only gigs I played were in a garage band back in 8th grade. My dad didn't want a musician in the family and sold my guitar and amp. I made the first Strat because it was the guitar I had longed for when in the band. After it was done, I realized how rusty I had gotten but it was still fun to make. Making even one guitar is highly recommended. :)

Frederick Skelly
03-01-2018, 9:14 PM
I don't know why making guitars appeals to me but I do know the skills I learned took my woodworking to another level. When I look at what I was doing prior to finishing my first guitar, it seems like amateur hour. Making the body is fairly straightforward but does require precision and patience. Making the neck requires a bit more precision but feel and developing an artistic flair are just as important.

I too am not much of a guitar player. The only gigs I played were in a garage band back in 8th grade. My dad didn't want a musician in the family and sold my guitar and amp. I made the first Strat because it was the guitar I had longed for when in the band. After it was done, I realized how rusty I had gotten but it was still fun to make. Making even one guitar is highly recommended. :)

But Julie, don't you really need to be able to play one to build one? I always thought it would be fun to build one, but I don't play - so how will I be able to judge whether it's an ok guitar or firewood?

Jim Becker
03-02-2018, 10:06 AM
But Julie, don't you really need to be able to play one to build one? I always thought it would be fun to build one, but I don't play - so how will I be able to judge whether it's an ok guitar or firewood?
Most folks can find a friend to "thoroughly exercise" an instrument once built. There are also some great videos on YouTube, including from Crimson Guitar in the UK, that detail setup and tweaking the action so things work properly and accurately. One doesn't need to "play" to do that work.

Julie Moriarty
03-02-2018, 11:58 AM
I couldn't be satisfied I made a decent guitar until a decent guitar player gave it a run. With the first one I had my SO's son give his approval. The second one I was able to hand to a local band and get their critiques. One was about to leave the band to join Kansas as lead singer. He said the guitar was too light (that surprised me) but otherwise played well. One Tele I made is owned by a guy who performs at least weekly and he says it's his favorite guitar.

Like Jim said, there's a lot of great information online. I was very careful to follow the blueprints and numbers exactly. Do that and it's hard to go wrong.

Jim Becker
03-02-2018, 12:16 PM
He said the guitar was too light (that surprised me) but otherwise played well.

ROFLOL! He would probably adore my two-ton Kramer! This sucker is major-heavy...but has sustain that lasts an eon, too. (If anyone is interested, it's for sale...contact privately)

https://6opdng-dm2305.files.1drv.com/y4mjX2VZRKyFxuQhUutxajDMjHofyG7B2GocxSW1tHt0lwHyFv WOcwEESgxmeRLR41BcwI6mc-thcb15gwmF8mqzUD7rG487w7g3H0O-tSGQj6EUQa_dZ9iLoXGB18HVEBHm28z05_i-BSgp6Vqw915AqDq_FwwhR3G_A4SE7ANhvNlMwAEI69PIsW9p-LS55SNjiqa4o9mrlLQX5G8TK3Jzw?width=660&height=262&cropmode=none

https://5updng-dm2305.files.1drv.com/y4mQL8T_zLiJIZhYzMF6qSuA8R_09sENUXDVkZNyrnuSk1P6kB ELR0iDtUuBSduzHEPzi44pA23PFuR2WfgmuDRzPgNUXWEIqaoc 6K5iEqFAnIc4dTG9nKyBREAfA8Msr-9PBBpDtQTh__Kng7k17IV9YLZr_kVdtBVAqg-yx9T7NmvHOeg6FpnaSLlfbJ8zm3HfuDWVg1bcPFKnGI03u2TeQ ?width=660&height=441&cropmode=none

Marty R Schlosser
03-04-2018, 8:56 AM
I love how you're working around that router mistake. Things like that often end out more interesting than had they not happened.

Julie Moriarty
03-05-2018, 10:07 PM
I love how you're working around that router mistake. Things like that often end out more interesting than had they not happened.

The neck in the latest posts is the second neck I had made, along with the first with the router boo-boo. I'll often make two at a time because it doesn't take much more time to make a second, or a third. Until I read your post, I had forgotten about the first neck. I saw the last post I made (#33) and thought, "Yeah, that's where I left off!", because that was the neck I unearthed. I'll have to see if the original is buried somewhere.