Cutting up a billet of ribbon sapele for resawing, and necks

[Kevin in California]

I've had this sweet Sapele in the shop since the first of the year. I finally today cut it up into chunks for resawing, and made my re-saw fences for the bandsaw. This billet is 1.75" thick. It was 62" long, 11.5" wide and perfectly quarter sawn. I chunked it out so I could get in addition to the B & S sets, 5 necks. At 1.75" thick I can do a double stack at the heel and get 3.5", almost enough for a dred, and plenty for an OM or other small body guitar.
I have a question I'd like some help with. At 1.75", I can cut the headstock out as one piece, but the most angle I can get is 10 degrees. This looks fine to me, but do you all see any reason that it has to be greater?? My necks generally come in around 15 degrees. Kinkade says in his book his headstock angle is 10 degrees so it must work. I'd love to use this and not have to do a scarf joint.
What do you all think? This is beautiful straight ribbon grain and will make beautiful necks. I've made 2 one piece sapele necks in the past and they turned out real nice, easy to work, albeit they were a tad bit heavier then the Honduras mahogany necks

Kevin

[ken cierp]

Go for it -- why not? I believe the HS angle is arbitrary just like so many other dimensions used in guitar construction.

[Tim Benware]

I had one neck with a 10* angle and the heel angle was 88*. The body I had done was angled at 91.3* so I had to re-cut the heel from 88* to 88.7*. I felt the resulting string angle coming off the headstock was too shallow for my taste. Just something to consider.

[ken cierp]

Tim is this an appearance issue for you? I've never made a neck less than 12 degrees but I know there are mass makers that have the shallow angles Fender comes to mind first. I have no science for back up but it would seem that as long as the string stops properly on the leading edge of the nut the acoustics should not be affected the same string tension is applied to the bridge.

There is concern however that the "E" strings are riding high on the posts which could lead to poor contact with the nut.

[Kevin in California]

I had not thought about the tuning machine posts and the angle from there to the nut. I can see how the closer posts will have less angle, but there is still an angle/breaking point. I wish I could hear a Kinkade guitar and see if I can tell anything in particular from the 10 degree headstock.

Kevin

[Kevin in California]

I just read that PRS acoustic guitars use a 10 degree headstock angle....interesting.
They are top quality production guitars.

Kevin

[Herman]

Nice Kevin, Sapele is so nice under a finish. With flames of gold. I expierienced a tough bending on the tight curves. But otherwise, great wood.

About the PRS-acoustics. You mention them top quality. Last year I saw them on the "PRS-World Tour". And I was a bit disappointed. The necks were not all 100% tight on. And one had a dip in the bodyshape where the neck was attached. Yes, they make flaws too. But still I'm a huge PRS fan.
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