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Neck Stock? Where you find?

Posted by Mark Ballard on February 4, 2020 at 4:15pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I’ve made a couple of trips to the local Home Depot and Lowe’s and their wood sucks!  Only have poplar and some oak and NONE of it is straight.  Most of it is not even close to straight!  Is that normal?  Where are y’all finding your neck wood stock?  Where are you finding woods like maple, walnut, etc?

Going to head to the closest Woodcraft (50 miles).  Hopefully they have some decent selection of something that is straight.  Are any of you ordering wood from online sources?

Thanks,

Mark

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Replies

  • MadJohnShaft April 4, 2020 at 8:05am


     Menards (I had to get out of the house so I made up an excuse to get TP and went at 6am) had Hickory and Mahogany all of a sudden.    I looked there previously but this is new. I sorted through two dozen and bought the only two straight ones.    Plus a couple other ones just to have a little stock.  4322066542?profile=RESIZE_710x

  • Ron March 1, 2020 at 4:06pm
    I'm out in the southwest roaming and I've recently seen HD's carrying maple, cedar, cherry, and birch in 1x3 and up sizes. I spied a 1.5x1.5x8 maple piece a few months back before I got into cbg's and didn't buy it. Went for the cherry and birch instead. Not all HD's carry the same wood and it's usually all where you would see the cedar 1x8's.
  • Jon February 9, 2020 at 7:36am

    http://www.alamohardwoods.com/

    if you can find a real lumber mill near you, you should find lots of good options. I found the one in the link by searching near San Antone. It’s fun to go there and they have lots of choices. Buying hardwoods at home schmepot is severely limited. Good luck!

  • Mark Ballard February 9, 2020 at 5:09am

    Ben,

    Thanks.  i’ll Check out Hibdon.  I love working with Spanish Cedar.  Have built some Ukulele necks with it.

    • Ben Ridgeway > Mark Ballard February 9, 2020 at 5:03pm
      You're welcome sir, glad to help
  • Ben Ridgeway February 7, 2020 at 10:11pm
    Hibdon Hardwood has irregular neck blanks at a very reasonable price
    A guy can get 2 CBG necks from each blank
    The Spanish Cedar is a personal fave
  • Taffy Evans February 5, 2020 at 7:04pm

    Hi, I do as you other guys do, sort through the stack. At the hardware stores its a lot easier, as in the photo I have posted before. In a timber yard its a bit more demanding, as in the photo of a stack of rosewood I picked out of a huge pile over 3 years. In this case I identified what was suitable down the pile, and waited until others had purchased what was on top so there was less for me to move. 

    I was looking for quartersawn boards while other buyers did not care. I got it cheaper years before it was stocked in Luthier supply outlets and received a more expensive status.

    If I could not get it on a good 1/4 cut [in the 3rd photo] I do as you guys have already mentioned. I recut and reglued, I removed any bows first so as not to have any stress in the piece.

    3675126375?profile=RESIZE_710x 3849310435?profile=RESIZE_710x 306729789?profile=RESIZE_710x Notice how the angled grain orientated. And in the middle photo the boards and neck blanks are "stickered" so as to have air movement all around.

    Taff 

    • Mark Ballard > Taffy Evans February 5, 2020 at 10:16pm

      Great info.  Thanks!

      Mark

      • KOOL DOG HOOCH > Mark Ballard February 6, 2020 at 11:03pm

        Try Parker's building supply on Court st. Stores like that usually have better grades.

        • Mark Ballard > KOOL DOG HOOCH February 7, 2020 at 1:12am

          LOL, I forgot about that place.  Good idea, thanks!

          Mark

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