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Slot for pickup weakens neck?

I'm in the process of building my 1st CBG.

I want to mount a CBGitty mini-humbucker in my CBG but to do so would require slotting the neck about half way though. Problem is, the (poplar) neck is only 5/8" thick inside the box.

I'm concerned slotting it halfway through would weaken the neck too much. I have a 1 3/8" thick block 'spacer' I plan to glue underneath the neck on each end (and to the box). The 1st block would be underneath where the slot would be located. However, it would not reach beyond the slot, basically just to the edge of the slot toward the back

Would a 2nd block butted against and glued to the 1st block (and the neck) be sufficient reinforcement? Or should I glue a 2nd piece of 1X2 to the neck for the entire length of the neck inside the box (effectively doubling the thickness of the neck inside the box).

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on June 6, 2015 at 5:59am

I would glue another piece of 1x2 to the back of the neck, inside the box. That should give it plenty of strength.

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Permalink Reply by Westsailor . on June 6, 2015 at 7:09am

That was what was thinking too. That's what I'm gonna do. Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Bill Baker on June 6, 2015 at 2:10pm

There is one school of thought that says: If you take off 1/2 inch to add 1/2 inch on the bottom of the neck

The neck contributes to the resonance and sustain more than some realize. I guess the theory is that the

thickness remains the same. ???

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Permalink Reply by Westsailor . on June 6, 2015 at 2:32pm

"If you take off 1/2 inch to add 1/2 inch on the bottom of the neck"

Not sure I follow. My neck is 1" thick including fingerboard (3/4" without) as it enters the box. After slotting it to clear the top it's 9/16" thick (inside the box).

Are you saying that school of thought suggests I should only add a piece thick enough to equal the original thickness of the neck, i.e., making it no thicker than the same thickness of the neck before it enters the box? Anything thicker would possibly impact sustain and resonance?

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Permalink Reply by Bill Baker on June 6, 2015 at 3:55pm

I was trying to say, add the same amount you take off. Thereby maintaining the thickness of the neck.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on June 14, 2015 at 4:04am

From my experience it seems that if anything adding thickness and rigidity to the neck will add to the sustain.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on June 6, 2015 at 5:06pm

Or you could get one of my ThinBucker surface mount pickups and you won't have to cut away any of the neck, just drill a small hole for the wires to run through.

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Permalink Reply by Westsailor . on June 7, 2015 at 12:28am

I probably would have gone that route had I known such pickups existed before I bought the mini humbuckers from cbgitty. I'm learnin...

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on June 8, 2015 at 3:49am

You DO realize that you will be unable to build just one, right? ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Westsailor . on June 8, 2015 at 11:25am

That's what I'm already thinking. I've learned a lot building this one... sort of a prototype learning experience. Not the least 'measure twice, cut once' and think about it even then. Seems like every cut I've made I'm off the exact thickness of the box.