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Hi all......So, I am thinking that I can make good use of some materials I have by building multiple piece necks....maybe 3 - 5 contrasting hardwoods.......I have talked to a few guys locally and get contradicting opinions on this......I wonder what some of you might have to say about it....pros and cons....

I can't really imagine any cons other than the looks of it to some people but that's subjective. Just do me and yourself a favor and use a double action truss rod. I'm in the guitar repair business and this time of year in Michigan double action rods save many guitars from the trash heap. Sorry for the highjack and welcome to the forum Len.

Back to your question I have eight of my prototypes that I built in 2006ish in my living room. Some are one piece some are three. There has been no noticeable difference in the performance including stability of any of them regardless of how the necks were made one piece or three. They all have double action rods too.

I think it somewhat depends on the type of guitar and who you are marketing it to. A well made multi-piece neck can be structurally more stable than a one piece neck but some people prefer the look of a one piece neck. As resources become scarcer I think some view the one piece as a "premium" product.
Like Hesh, I have built both types of necks and haven't noticed structural problems either way. I don't actively market what I build, so haven't noticed much difference with my "take it or leave it" attitude.

I prefer laminated necks to one-piece necks for all the positive reasons folks mention. I think it's good use of lumber and I can't (as a lay person) see but what the lamination buildup will stabilize the neck during carving and shaping. Built six, five laminated, two on the bench.

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Peter Havriluk

Like hesh I do this for a living and the only thing I can add is this.
Be precise in the jointing , the better the mating surfaces the better
the neck blank is going to be. Forced joints are doomed to failure.

I like multi necks it gives a nice chance for design enhancement
I know guys that do epoxy and some that use tite bond.

use quality glue and use good clamping technique

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
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Fancy banjos have had laminated necks for years. When they get up in age, they're usually still fine as long as they haven't been abused. I like them, especially with veneers under the headplate and fingerboard along with a nice long backstrap. The way all of the laminate lines come together can be very attractive. I use Titebond on mine as a rule (though I sometimes use epoxy for backstraps), but as John says, get the joint nice and clean.

Dave

Too much work

I've made quite a few but I have been doing a run of vintage Martin clones and man is it nice to just bandsaw a one piece neck out of a block and be done with it.

But as mentioned, good use of lumber that otherwise could not make a neck, they can look cool, and may offer more stability. I don't see any differences in the pro's and con's of either choice.

The other "good use of lumber" choice is my favorite: Use 3/4" stock, scarf joint the headstock and glue on a heel block. Multiple strip necks are fine if done well. I just prefer the scarfed headstock and glued heel block.

Like Don, I prefer to use a heel block/neck shaft/peghead glue up construction. Sometimes a scarph, sometimes a bird's beak joint. If well done it can be hard to tell it isn't one piece. For years I didn't realize the peghead of the old Martin New Yorker I have was a separate piece from the rest of the neck.

I've done scarfed headstock & glued heel blocks on the laminated necks I've done so far, ie, I laminate up a 3/4" thick plank, then cut it up.

The laminations intersecting the heel carve can make for some interesting visuals.

Thanks again to all of you who took the time to respond.......It is really appreciated. I see by reading all of the responses carefully, that overall, most think multiple layer necks are okay....no real bad side. I am very careful about all my joinery, and will be certain the mating surfaces are perfectly flat. I personally really like the look of a symmetrical, contrasting laminated neck. I think when done right, they look great, so I will move forward and do it.
Thanks again, everyone !!

If you do a laminated neck and a dovetail joint, think what might happen when you have to re-set the neck...

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

I "like" 3 piece necks, but rarely do them. Flat-sawn Mahogany or Spanish Cedar that is 1" x 4", glue 3 pieces together, then saw 2 necks out of it, just as if it were a 4" x 3" solid block.

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David, isn't each neck made out of three pieces of wood?

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Peter Havriluk

I've done the same thing on banjo necks for years. Take flat sawn wood, lay up a laminate block (with veneers or something in the middle for visual appeal), and then saw two blanks out of the block. The flat sawn pieces become quarter sawn in that configuration and it works great.

Dave