Glue lines that show in mahogany

[Kevin in California]

I've done a few stacked heel, scarf joint headstock necks and it seems although I think I have dead flat gluing surfaces, when done I still get a joint that is quite visible. I'm using LMI white glue. Is there a secret to doing this that I'm missing? I've seen guitars where you can barely make out these seams.

Kevin

[ken cierp]

The clamping set up for the scarf joint is really important if you hope to get the minimum joint line. The instant you put glue on the two halves they begin to cup (its down to paper thin) -- you must have cauls or backer the full scarf overlap so when you apply the clamp compression it will flatten out the wood.

[Kevin in California]

Well perhaps I've not clamped this area properly. I will be more diligent next time.
What do you think of the way Kinkade does his headstock in his book?

[ken cierp]

That would eliminate the cupping issue, I never did it that way. Actually I forgot about it, looks like the seems end up just about in the same place as cutting a scarf. I use a veneer plate front and back so for me where the joint line lands is not an issue. Now you have every body wondering what we are discussing -- so you have to post pictures!

[Kevin in California]

I'll have to take a close up pic. For those of you who don't have or haven't seen the Kinkade book, he stacks a cut off about 7" long under the neck blank and glues it on, then cuts the angled headstock from this assembly. Uses a bit more wood, but as Ken says, it seems to come out looking the same, however the grain would b running the same way, not reversed so the seam probably blends in better.

On this current guitar, also when I thicknessed the headstock from the back, what I suppose are 2 sap lines showed up too that were in the middle of the wood. I could have put a back plate on but didn't, and I think it will be fine. It is wood, natural is good, the beauty shows through, and all of that! :)