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I bought (2x) 3" X 4" premium fiddle back figured mahogany neck blanks that if I used a stacked or heel I could get 6 (stacked) to 8 (with heel block) necks out of. Before I mill them into whatever I mill them into they will be split down the middle and laminated with B/W/Ebony/W/B then scarfed. My problems are:

1. I hate the look of a multiple stacked heel and it's a PITA to keep the lamination straight throughout 4 stacked pieces- so this option is pretty much out.

2. One solid block glued to the heel area of a 1" neck blank Looks fine and can even be hard to see at times. However, when using wood this figured it will be pretty obvious that they are two different pieces of wood as the blocks I have are not fiddleback figure. I can live with this but I hate to.

3. I can cut 2 necks with a solid figured heel included form each blank yielding 4 necks instead of 8, which seems wasteful.

So that is the dilemma aesthetics vs. fiscal responsibility and material conservation.

The best solution would be if Hibdon carried figured uke neck blanks, then I could just buy a couple of those and turn them into 8 heel blocks for 8 gorgeous necks. I emailed them but haven't heard anything back. Anyone know where I could fine some figured heel blocks? Never thought I'd ask that question but man I hate to live with any of these compromises as they stand.

Something I’ve done for laminated necks with a scarfed head is to make the neck blank up first, meaning stack the heel and/or scarf the head before ripping the piece in half for the center laminates. Makes lining up at the head and heel a non-issue.

As for the wood source I can’t help you there.


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I would carve 4 drop dead gorgeous necks and never look back, chopping those into parts is a crying shame.

I’d do 4 also. A block heal is as you say hardly noticeable but with that figure, I wouldn’t want to risk it looking obvious.

Wow. I understand the desire to preserve as much of that wood as possible but with the much figure I agree with the others, make one piece necks and don’t worry about the waste. Maybe see if you can make tuner buttons from the remainder...?


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That is a great idea. Got any tuts on how to do that? That’s a bridge I have not crossed yet.


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That was my original plan but getting 8 necks is awful tempting. Even if I could find a figured heel block the joint would likely still be noticeable.

Thanks for the input guys, I think I'll be sticking with the original plan.

I don’t. But you might be able to send the material to Burton...?

I think there are some toots of sorts here somewhere. Also might think of making other parts too... if you have a mini lathe you could make some really nice bridge pins too.

Headstock veneers, inlay material, rosette tikes, tail wedge pieces, truss rod cover. You could even use the wood as a classy upgrade for the back strap piece.... lots of options to use the scrap pieces.


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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

IMO even cutting them in half to add the stripe is a waste of the potential for one-piece figured necks.

But you could do stacked heels and stain the heel and headstock dark, sunburst/violin style (and carefully mask when doing the staining so the white lines remain bright).

Check out this recent thread where we talked about pre-thicknessing neck blanks http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=51459
If you saw alternating angles, you could probably get five tapered-thickness shaft blanks out of 4". I do 3/4" at the body joint to 5/8" at the nut (after planing smooth). Then glue heels and headstocks to them, then rip and add the center laminate.

As for making tuner buttons, here's one way to do it starting from ~3/16" stock http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=624583#p624583

If you did a hidden scarf joint you could probably cut the neck blocks off one end of each of those billets, cut the remaining pieces into eight 1 inch slices, use 6 for the neck shafts and 2 for the pegheads, and make 6 necks. With luck you might make seamless looking joints and have stronger necks.
But as others have said, with figured wood like that I might be inclined to be lazy and cut 4 one piece necks from it. You have already paid the premium to have thicker 12/4 stock so you may as well use it as such.

I measured it out to try it that way but it's too tight I think. I'll have to overlay some paper and actually cut it up to see if I could make it work. I don't think it will though because these necks are a little longer for 27.5"-25.7" fanned frets on an OM-ish body.

I always use a scarf joint regardless for a stronger construction instead of having that run-out on an angle of a single piece. Same for the lamination, more about strength than looks but it will also compliment the binding/purfling scheme on the back and sides. Both are quite stunning pieces but neither is perfectly quartered so a lamination just makes me feel better.

I do use Carbon fiber rods but that won't prevent twist. I see Tom Bills laminate very figured maple as well mahogany necks for the same reasons and and I think it's a good idea to make it as stiff and stable as I possibly can.

Another vote for 4 1 pc necks.

Knife handles, pen blanks as two more options for scrap...er, pardon, I meant leftovers.

Why does your neck template appear to be about as long as your fretboard template? Is that an optical delusion?

Haha yes, a crappy phone camera. Also the headstock is .75" short on that version.