I made my three string neck 1 1/2 inch X 3/4. How wide should I make a 4 string neck and again on a 6 string?
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I made my three string neck 1 1/2 inch X 3/4. How wide should I make a 4 string neck and again on a 6 string?
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I measured the string spacing on instruments I like to play, and allow 1/8" on each side at the nut. So, if a guitar has 1/4" spacing, 4 strings would take up 3/4", adding 2 x 1/8 for the sides, the 4-stringer would be 1" wide at the nut. (I'm making one like this right now.) I also like to taper the neck so that it gets a little wider as it approaches the body of the guitar - about 1/4" total. So the neck goes from 1" wide at the nut to 1.25" wide where it attaches to the body. This might sound fussy, but it takes about 5 minutes with a drawknife to make it happen, and is part of rounding the back of the neck anyway. It really looks better than not tapering, IMHO.
If the instrument has double courses of strings, (e.g. a mandolin), I make it a little wider - I make the strings in a course about 1/8" apart, with the same 1/8" margin on each side of the neck. So, in that case, a 3-course instrument would be 1" wide at the nut, and a 4-course instrument with double strings would be about 1.25" wide at the nut.
I use a glued-on fingerboard, which usually starts out 1/4" thick, so the basic neck blank can be a standard 1x2. (3/4" x 1.5" actual). The glued-on fingerboard raises the neck above the body of the guitar, which is nice because it lets you use a higher bridge (= louder unplugged), and also lets you continue the fingerboard for a few frets over the body. It also adds strength to the neck.
Thx to all who helped me on this
Thx Oily, That is very helpful and exactly what I needed
Four strings can easily be accomodated by a 1.5 inch wide neck. String spacing would be a comforatble 3/8" inch, which leaves 3/16" on the outside of 1st and 4th strings so they are not too close to the edge of neck/fingerboard.
And since a length of 1x2 is actually 3/4" x 1.5", you don't need to rip a wider piece of lumber down to 1.75 wide. By adding a fingerboard (usually 1/4 inch thick), you wind up with a neck 1" thick.
My three stringers have been as narrow as 1.125" wide, with 5/16" to 3/8" string spacing, which still leaves an adequate amount of space on the outside of 1st and 3rd strings, for the same reasons stated for 4 string setups.
The distance allowed on outside of 1st and 3rd or 4th strings depends more on whether you have frets for fingerstyle play, or if its fretless for slide playing only. For a slider, outside string space isnt so critical. But on fretted necks, its best to ensure the outside strings aren't too close to fingerboard edge.
Cheers
Like B.W. my 3 strings are 1.5" wide and 4's are 1.75" wide, I make the necks a full 1 inch to 1 1/8" thick on 3 strings and I go to 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" on 4 string. If I make a fretboard to attach that adds another 1/4" to 3/8" to those thicknesses, I mill my own hardwoods so thickness is made to order. If you need to, you can laminate 3/4" stock to achieve the thickness you want.
All my 4 stringers have a standard 1x2 for the neck. You can easily fit 4 strings in a 1.5 inch wide neck/fingerboard.
No clue on a 6 stringer...never built one.
im building my first 4 string right now and the neck is 1.75" wide. my 3 strings have had 1.5" necks