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 Post subject: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Wed May 29, 2013 7:46 pm 
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Traded into a nice sunburst Strat body, want to make a couple Eric Johnson model necks. Anybody tackled one of these?


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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 2:55 pm 
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Never done it, but I do know one thing.
The necks on the Eric Johnson models are quartersawn, not flatsawn. So if your maple is flatsawn, you need to go find some that is quartersawn. IMHO, aside from any other differences, that's the biggest difference in that neck and the rest.
Edited to add: It also has a 12" radius fretboard and the headstock is slightly thinner.

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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 4:52 pm 
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Yep, they're quartersawn (as the boards in the pictures appear to be as well,) have a headstock thickness of about 1/2", and the tuners have staggered heights to increase the string angle. I know gotoh makes such a set, and while I've never used them, they supposedly make string trees optional.

BTW, that's a great looking body.


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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 6:54 pm 
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hugh.evans wrote:
Yep, they're quartersawn (as the boards in the pictures appear to be as well,) have a headstock thickness of about 1/2", and the tuners have staggered heights to increase the string angle. I know gotoh makes such a set, and while I've never used them, they supposedly make string trees optional.

BTW, that's a great looking body.

Yes it is, Thanks:) Mike I guess the pics don't show but these are quarter sawn . The tuners are the Gotoh HAP "height adjustable post", I have a set and I like them. Guess I need to go to GC and look at a couple.


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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 9:27 pm 
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The pictures are actually quite clear, I was able to notice from the grain lines that it is quartersawn and nicely quartersawn at that. It reminds me of maple I get from Bell Forest Products... What is your source? I look forward to following your progress, because that flame looks like it will pop if you look at it funny let alone apply finish.

As for the height, tuners on EJ necks are built with three distinct heights. I would be willing to bet the highest strings are bottomed out while the middle two are set in between. It probably wouldn't hurt to just make a linear gradient, with likely no impact on function but a better cosmetic result.


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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2013 9:50 pm 
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Koa
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I can't look at the flat face of any type of wood and determine whether it's quartered or not. Especially on pictures as small as a 15" laptop screen. My eyes aren't that good. I need to look at the ends or sides of the piece. Especially if there is figure involved. Maybe when I'm in this thing longer.....

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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2013 4:52 am 
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hugh.evans wrote:
The pictures are actually quite clear, I was able to notice from the grain lines that it is quartersawn and nicely quartersawn at that. It reminds me of maple I get from Bell Forest Products... What is your source? I look forward to following your progress, because that flame looks like it will pop if you look at it funny let alone apply finish.

As for the height, tuners on EJ necks are built with three distinct heights. I would be willing to bet the highest strings are bottomed out while the middle two are set in between. It probably wouldn't hurt to just make a linear gradient, with likely no impact on function but a better cosmetic result.


Jeffries Fine Lumber, Knoxville Tennessee, has a surprising variety of domestic and exotic hardwoods, no website. They get pallets of Curly Maple turing blanks, these were 3-3/4" X 3-3/4" X 38" for $22.50 just dig through the pile:)


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 Post subject: Re: Strat Necks
PostPosted: Fri May 31, 2013 12:12 pm 
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Good thing my blanks were 3-3/4" wide, just barely enough for the headstock. For a template, do most of you get one of the many PDF files available and make a template or just keep hacking at it?


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