Acoustic Guitar Construction

To final shape a neck, You have to have the fingerboard attached.
To fit the neck to the body, the neck has to be at final shape with the fingerboard unattached.

How do you do this. Attach the fingerboard with hid glue or double-sided tape then remove it?


Thanks

Great question

It is my view that using the actual fingerboard extension to determine the fit of the neck is a mistake. In all likely hood with or without frets the extension has some tiny distortions these are variables that can throw things off. So the method I have devised is to use a "finger-board simulation tool" simply a perfectly flat piece of MDF shaped like the finger board. Remember the plane of the fingerboard is a straight line! Here's the process -- KMG kit builders use this method.

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/neckfitpart1.html

This topic will be moved to or duplicated in the neck fit forum

Ken:

The question is how to get the neck to the proper width so that it can be fitted. If you permanently attach the fingerboard it can't be removed
to fit the neck to the body.

Setting the neck angle on/to the body and the center line of the neck is done with the simulator -- that does not change after you actually glue on the fingerboard -- get that correct, then glue on the FB, shape the neck and you'll only need to floss the neck joint after finishing. You can and should have the neck bolt firmly to the body when drilling the locating hole through the 2nd and 13th frets. I hope this makes sense it is the key to avoiding all the problems associated to fitting a neck and dealing with the goofy mis-measurements the finger-board extension can inject into the process.

Slim,
The neck doesn't have to be at final width to get it set correctly. Ideally, you want the heel to be close to final shape and only need finish sanding. Once the neck to body joint is set, and you can have the rest of the neck the size of a rail road tie when doing that provided the heel is roughly the size you want it to be, you can fiddle and whittle the rest of the neck shape all you like. Then drill your fretboard locating holes with neck attached with clamps or something and then glue it on with neck off the body.
Make sense?

Thank you everyone for your replies, and I understand the answers, I think, but I'm not asking about setting the neck joint.
I'm asking how do I get the neck, specifically at the joint, to the approximate shape without permanently attaching
the fretboard. I need something that I can reference to size it.

Since the heel has to be undercut, starting about 1/8" in from the edge I have to have an edge that is
close to the correct final shape.

Do I attach the unfretted fingerboard with double sided tape? Do I hide glue it and remove it with heat later.
Do I use my fingerboard shaped MDF template and screw it to the neck? Is simply drawing lines good enough?

Thanks again everyone.

If you know how wide you want your string spacing to be at the bridge, then you know how wide to make the neck at the 12th fret. Shape your heel down from there accordingly. Again, you don't need the fret board on to do any of this. Don't glue it, tape it, use gum, paper, clips, etc. Once you know where your body joint is, 12th, 14th or any other fret, that spot will be the same width as your string spacing at the bridge, with me so far? Now you know the width of the neck at the top of the neck where the fretboard will be glued. Tapering the heel down from there shouldn't be too hard, right? Maybe I'm not understanding the problem if this isn't what you are having an issue with.