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After playing my dreadnought for over six months now, I am happy with most aspects except for the neck profile.

Now I know I can't thin the width of the fretboard, unless I take off the existing one and replace it, but I was wondering if it was possible for me to thin the back of the neck slightly. I feel I am used to the width-in fact, it's practically perfect for fingerstyle, but the thickness of the neck gives me hand fatigue. Are there any considerations I need to bear in mind?

It is slightly thicker than conventional guitars, or rather the two factory made ones I own already.

Sam,
I had the same problem with my 2nd guitar. I just unbolted the neck, and then recarved it to a more comfortable shape. I went about 1mm thinner and more C shaped. It now plays much better, and I'm really happy with it. When I refinished it, I just Z-poxied for pore filling, then just brushed on the zinsser shellac sanding sealer. This is a very comfortable neck. Just make sure you have enough room under your truss rod so you don't carve too much and carve into the truss rod channel. I wouldn't go any closer than 1/16". Hope that helps!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

[quote]Hope that helps! [/quote]


Thankyou, it sure does!!!

Sam, what you could do is take your neck off and lay it on the fretboard, put a truss rod next to the neck, right above the fretboard and draw a line for the play that you'll have to carve away some more meat, that's what i did on no 3 and my neck feels way more comfortable than the one on no 2.

Hi Sam, what is the nut width and thickness of neck (including fretboard) at the 3rd fret?

I think the convention is the wider the nut width the thinner the neck profile.

What are the numbers in thousandths of an inch (thickness at the nut)?? - unless you are aiming for about 750 or a bit less, anything over 800 will be fine unless the truss rod was huge - the Allied rods can be used in necks to about 700 or so if needed. Most of my necks end up anywhere from 800 to 860 thick depending on the client. If you are after a soft V profile, you need about 840 minimum, 860 is better IMO.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Tony, the reason for asking the width of the nut is a lot of folks use the following measurements as a guide:

* 1-11/16" nut width - 5/8" (0.625") neck thickness at the 3rd fret or 7/8" (0.875") with a 1/4" thick fretboard;

** 1-3/4" nut width - 9/16" (0.5625") neck thickness at the 3rd fret or 13/16" (0.8135") with a 1/4" thick fretboard.

Add to that about 3/32" at the 12th fret. These measurements work with the Allied or LMI two way adjustable rod.

Tony - at which fret are you providing your neck thicknesses?

Hey Anthony .. changing the nut width a 16th shouldnt affect at all really the depth at the nut (or mid first fret if you have a volute). The difference between the numbers you have shown is HUGE .... 875 is a very thick neck, while .814 is rather thin, especially if thats at the third fret. Most acoustics I think are more in the 820-850 range at the nut, no matter what the nut width (within reason). I usually make my std around 830-840 if its a C shape, 850-860 if its a soft V. Nut width can vary between 1 11/16 to 1 7/8.

As for where I take measurents, only two spots - nut and 12th fret on a 14 fret neck. Its a straight line between the two points.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Tony -- I am measuring at the third (3rd) fret (not the nut - you nut ).

Right, I see that, but .813 at the third means the nut is more like 800-805 - thats really thin to me (however I do have one client who likes them that way but only one !!!)... for an acoustic anyway, those do nothing but soloing guitars of the 80s had necks at about .750 - felt like toothpicks.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Some Gibsons from the '50's had necks measuring close to 1.000" from nut to heel. If the shape is nice and round, I like 'em like that--and I've got little girly-man hands!