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Neck Heel Depth
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=11451
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Author:  j.Brown [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:55 am ]
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Whats the minimum depth that one should keep on the heel to ensure structural stability? 1", 3/4"?

-j.

Author:  j.Brown [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:08 am ]
Post subject: 

Maybe thickness is a better way to word it?

Author:  JohnAbercrombie [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:04 am ]
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This is the measurement parallel to the fingerboard?
Are you including the tenon/dovetail depth or is this a flush no-mortise neck?
Lots of jazz-type guitars have wider and 'thinner' heel profiles at the bottom.
I don't think it's too critical, but I wouldn't make the transition from the straight neck section to the heel curve too sudden.
For me, it's one of those 'If it looks right, it is right' sort of decisions. That said, people seem to manage to crack stacked heels fairly often. However, building guitars strong enough to be used for fighting is a losing proposition, IMO.
Cheers
John

Author:  JohnAbercrombie [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:15 am ]
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[QUOTE=JohnAbercrombie] However, building guitars strong enough to be used for fighting is a losing proposition, IMO.

[/QUOTE]

I should have specified acoustic guitars!
Solidbodies (esp Fender style-Gibsons have that pesky weak area at the headstock join) are excellent as clubs if you get in a tight spot!

Sorry for the detour!Back to the original thread!
About that heel 'thickness'....


Author:  Shawn [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:58 am ]
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you need to be even more specific...I build acoustic but they are all classical with a spanish heel so my neck heel depth would be different.

Author:  Shawn [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:22 am ]
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When I am begged into building a steel string, I use a bolt on neck with a tenon (ala Cumpiano) so the neck block needs to be big enough for the tenon (I use barrel bolts) and enough wood so the barrel bolt doesnt split out so my neck heel block is 1 1/8 inches w. the tenon extending into the body by 5/8 with ~1/2 of wood between the end of tenon and the outside edge of the block.

I build so few steel strings that I dont have any better information as it all seems foreign to me as everything is so much bigger than I am used to with classicals.

Author:  j.Brown [ Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:10 am ]
Post subject: 

Yep, I was talking parallell with the neck from the body back toward the headstock.
Mortise and tenon with all of the hardware being in the tenon, so nothing to worry about going too shallow and hitting steel or something.
-j.

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