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I have all this mahogany or sapele and one block of walnut. I'm considering making a 2 or 3 ply block because the grain direction is all over the place on these. Looking for opinions.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I'm really picky about neck blocks and like the grain to be pretty even. Grain next to the sides should be aligned with the side grain direction. I haven't done a laminated neck block but I routinely use 1/2" baltic birch plywood for my tailblocks so wouldn't expect it to be a problem.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I'm with Steve on this. I look for pretty clean grain and allign it with the side grain.

Laminating a few pieces will help but for such an important component I'd be reluctant.

+1 for ply tail block

Cheers Dave

One thing to add: I would not want glue lam lines in the middle of a dovetail, obvious failure area if the joint is steamed open.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

That was a good factor to point out. Though, one could use a glue that would hold up under the steam like TB3 or PU glue.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Since the OP is showing end grain, I think the question is about degree of quarter. Most of my neck blocks are Honduran mahogany, and I don't think it makes much difference. Conventional wisdom says quartered should be the best, but that is countered by the argument that it is more likely to split at the base of the dovetail mortise. 45 degree grain would be more split resistant.
The only lamination I have done on neck blocks is a 1/4" thick vertical maple strip on the face. That guitar had a bolt-on neck, and the maple strip served to distribute the force of the bolt.
While some builders (including Prewar Guitars) do vertically oriented blocks (grain running from the top to the back), I prefer grain running side to side, ala Martin and Gibson. The idea of gluing the top and back to end grain is not my idea of the best approach.

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John