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So making nicely shaped necks isn't very hard. At least it isn't rocket science. First off, you have to want to shape your CBG neck in a nice rounded fashion BUT that is not a rule at all. No one says you have to round off any neck you make. If you want to then here is a very quick and easy way to make VERY nicely rounded necks that rival CNC machines or routers.

What you will need is a neck of some kind. Here in the US we get 1"x2" (3/4" x 1 1/2") wood slats or boards. Usually poplar or red oak from our home improvement stores. Get what you can and adjust accordingly.

What you will see in the pics below is how I make my CBG necks. I do a laminated neck with (2) 1x2 slats that is cut down to 1x2 (sounds odd but you can see below what I am doing). For this illustration, I have not drawn the neck inside the box or how that is cut. As well, I do a scarf neck which is the angled end you will see. You don't have to to any of this but I do and I'm doing the illustrating :-)

You will also need a plain flat spokeshave. I have a cheap one and regret it with every neck but it works. MAKE SURE IT IS SHARP! A dull spokeshave is not only dangerous, but does not cut well.

So the neck above is how it looks before I mark and cut. See the heel (not carved yet. I usually carve that first). Also see the angle at the right end. That is for the scarf headstock. Again, that is usually attached before I do the neck rounding.

So to get the neck shape even, I'm going to use the spokeshave to 'facet' the neck as if it were 1/2 of an octagon. If shaved evenly will act as a guide to get the rest of the neck very even. I mark about 3/8" from the bottom corners into the bottom and side of the neck. I will make a pencil mark the length of the neck on those measurements which I will shave a flat area down to.

I also angle the ends in so that the neck and heel will transition well. See the areas in red. They will be the material removed with the spokeshave.

I clamp my neck down to a table (in my case I have a woodworking vise). Then I get to work with the spokeshave. Material comes off quickly but I don't want to take too much off too soon. I want the material cut evenly down to the lines. See how it looks like half of an octagon. Nice. This is what I want. You will also note that in this picture, I have drawn the marks for the heel shape.

Once that is complete, I will use the spokeshave to further round out the 'facets' but will not allow the spokeshave to make the sides, bottom, or the original shaved area any thinner. I simply want to round the facets down.

Once the neck is roughly round, I will take a wood rasp -- fine side only -- and continue to round out the neck. If you pay attention to what you are doing, the neck will come out VERY well.

Here are some real pics

Good Luck

-WY

Get up 5:30am and satnav my way north toward Birmingham for the largest UK arts festival.I pray it doesn't rain cos my rusty car roof leaks and I dont want my gear getting wet! Arrive at Chickenbone Johns' 1960's bohemian split level gaff nice n early.After a quick coffee we convoy into the city centre and set up the cigar box nation stall.It's another example of just why Chickenbone John is the Godfather of the UK cbg movement-with the stall emblazoned with cigarbox nation backdrops, his homemade cbg's and flyers.I set up my gear.Over the next 6 hours, we alternate doing short sets to the passing festival goers,selling cd's and handing out flyers for the 2nd UK CBG fest next month.

Its a long time since I played on the street and I'm reminded how different it is to playing to an indoor captive audience.I find it harder to build a relationship with the mercurial masses-they do stand and watch, but stop playing for more than 4 seconds and the crowd will soon dissipate as the river of people flows,naturally enough, along to the next stall.You have to be more aggressive in the way you interact, pulling them in and keeping them there.I see John working the crowds doing just that.I unfortunately do the opposite and give up trying to talk to them and simply resort to playing the tunes.I'm still harbouring secret doubts about my abilities-due largely to not having had the type of positive feedback that only comes from a live audience for a few months.Playing in amongst a line of stalls doesn't particularly assail my demons.After I overhear the nth person hissing Seasick steve to their partner I seriously consider having a shave.On the other hand, as John sagely points out-its really the only point of reference the public has to what they are witnessing on the stall.

Around 5 we break down the gear and dash across the city to load for the gig at the CBSO. (City of Birmingham Symphony orchestra)Damn-this place is one serious venue.We are directed through massive manned steel security gates.Not the usual parking down a dark alley behind the club.There are staff on hand to help in any way they can-its all very pro.Me and the Godfather load via the stagedoor, down a corridor lined with huge double bass cases-the effect is funereal, they stand like gleaming white Sarcophagus against the wall.We pass the Ancient Egyptian sentinals and enter the concert hall-holy smoke-the ceiling is like 3 stories high and its all polished wood floor.I throw down my grotty carpet and set up-it looks tiny but kinda cool-the addition of the cd flightcase left open toward the audience makes it look like a set-the final addition of a bottle of beer and I'm good to go-I like the way it looks and I'm learning fast about selling.The soundcheck is painless-the acoustics are the best I've experienced (but they would be given its home to an orchestra!) I dont even have monitors, yet I can hear everything.Fantastic.It might sound pretentious but I feel at home.

So I'm on at 6:15pm-opening act for an evening of blues.I think to myself "who the hells gonna turn up for a gig at this hour" but I'm wrong-the place fills-the Godfather grabs a radio mic and tells the crowd about next months festival and introduces me-I cross the expanse of polished wood and strap meself in. "its dead posh ere innit?" I say and they all laugh.I tell them I can always tell posh venues cos the toilets still have the plastic seat bit attached to the loo.More laughter.Launch into Jolene and it all goes gr8.Its so good to feel that ebb and flow between the audience and the performer-its like being psychic-you can feel what they're feeling, tell what they're thinking-gauge their level of enjoyment.This is what I like.Theres no bull-its immediate,its all out in the open.I tell them if 3 of them buy my cd I'll be able to get enough petrol to get home.Its over all too fast but the reaction is gr8 and a good number of people line up and buy the cd.It's exactly what I need and the doubt demons flee to bother someone else for a while.So thanks to Chickenbone John for providing me with the opportunity to get back in the driving seat.It felt good.Oh yes.

This sad news was in my email this morning regarding the health of Blues great, Robin Rogers. Robin is always very nice to me and always willing to sign guitars or pose for pictures. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with her in Memphis this past May for the Blues Music Awards. She is very talented and kind hearted. Please keep her in your prayers.

This sad news comes from Steve Hecht at Piedmont Talent. Robin Rogers who has been in the hospital over the last 2 weeks with a severe liver condition. This condition was diagnosed as an inoperable cancerous tumor in her liver. She is currently at home surrounded by her family and receiving hospice care. Over the last few years she has risen to prominence in the blues world, and has a new release on the Blind Pig label due out on Sept 14th. Prior to her hospitalization, she was doing extensive touring with Debbie Davies. Her humble and sincere personality, coupled with her unmistakable talent, made us all take her in and as an adopted little sister. So this news will surely come as a shock wave to the blues community. For more information about Robin from the Piedmont Talent website click here. We love you Robin.

Shane

Does anyone have a recommendation for the types of strings for a 4 string electric CBG?

In open G tuning( GDgB)...would you go with wound G&D & plain g & B? If so, what gauge?

I just installed wound 4 ( .032)...Wound 3 ( .024), plain 2( .016) & plain 1 ( .115)...sounds very electric, but not twangy....

You're suggestions are welcome

I'm sure everybody and thier brother has seen the "OOKS of Hazzard" do the Kids (MGMT cover). So It just goes to show there is something happening right now, a new movement in music that is starting to sweep across this country, and I really feel that by building and playing a roots instrument, I am a part of it. I feel it in my heart, body and soul, and I think all of us in this community feel it too. It is indescribable, and while I don't have a big name or recordings or anything other than a little box and a neck with strings that I made from my own two hands, I know the feeling that comes when I play it.

So here's a link to a random blog I ran across while on break featuring that video and a little background information behind it.

http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/the-ooks-of-hazzard-going-from

I'm no critic of films, but have to comment on the movie Honeydripper. The setting and period costumes were spot on for the era, but talk about SLOW! The dialog was just about killing me,

Glover had to carry so much of the movie's lack of momentum, with the exception of Keb Mo' who I kept thinking of being some sort of "Crossroads" reference character.

Just wish he would have ripped, on that National, just for 30 seconds.

The other star of the show was that Electric guitar. The design and sound was perfect for the movie! Sheer genius of Ted Crocker.