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| Neck strength/flex http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=10854 |
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| Author: | Claire [ Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:27 pm ] |
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Hi folks. I've made a couple of really nice neck blanks. One of Mahogany and the other of Sp Cedar. Blank as in trued, thicknessed, head spliced on and tapered along the length. Neatly worked, however the mahogany one flexes more than the other under test loads. Perhaps flex 2mm using hand pressure. I'm a bit concerned it might have too much flex along the length once strung up on a guitar. I make flamenco guitars so lightness is imprtant. I think a steel truss rod might add too much weight for a flamenco. Does anyone know of any other methods of adding to the strength of a neck? cheers, Claire |
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| Author: | JJ Donohue [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:08 am ] |
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Claire...I have no feel for the requirements of a Flamenco neck so take this with a grain of salt. I laminate my necks with three 1/8" layers of maple, rosewood or bloodwood in the center. This increases the stiffness significantly. On 14 fret necks I also install two CF rectangular rods to add further stiffness as Todd has suggested. Would this work for Flamenco necks? |
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| Author: | Colin S [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 2:13 am ] |
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Claire, on all of my steel string necks I install the 1/8" x 3/8" carbon fibre rods, but on classical necks (1!) I put in an ebony spline. I have pre-war Martin necks with just an ebony rod in them, no truss rod that are still perfectly straight 70 years later. So, if you don't fancy carbon fibre in a traditional Flamenco neck then ebony should stiffen it up for you. Colin |
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| Author: | John K [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 6:59 am ] |
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I second the carbon fiber suggestion. They do not add much weight and are very stiff. What I find interesting is that the mahogany neck flexes more than the Spanish cedar neck. I thought it would be the reverse. |
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| Author: | Todd Rose [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:06 am ] |
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I'd be very surprised if you had a problem with too much flex once your fretboard is on, esp with nylon strings. |
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| Author: | Shawn [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:50 am ] |
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the carbon fiber or ebony does not need to be big to help add the stiffness needed. That would be the easiest way to stiffen it up but I also agree with Todd in that I doubt that you will see much flex once the fingerboard is put on, at least not from string pull. Les Stansell and a couple of other builders I know that build alot of flamenco's use mahogany instead of spanish cedar because of its ability to take more abuse over the long term. |
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| Author: | Claire [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:31 pm ] |
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Thanks for your replies, everyone. Lots of great advice and suggestions there. Cheers, Claire |
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