The Complete DIY Guide to Building a Guitar Neck (WITHOUT SPECIAL TOOLS) Part 2

[@El_Padre_Guitars]

What's great with Dan is nothing is staged. He said he was going to make a neck. He made a neck. He made some mistakes. He rolled with them. This enables those learning to make guitars to give themselves permission to make mistakes, roll with them and learn from them. Never let the pursuit of perfection be the enemy of perfectly fine!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Amen 🙌

[@smollande]

This video is as close to a dummies guide to neck building as you can ever hope to find. I really appreciated how he was like dont sweat the small stuff just make something that works. He didnt edit out the mistakes he made too - I mean most people would want to look good and do it but no he turned those into learning points and told us how to avoid/ fix those problems. What a guy. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the world and may God bless you with a successful channel!

[@janzelf]

9:41 Be sure to have your wrist right in front of the tools you're cutting with, that way if you slip and bodge up the neck, you won't have to worry very long about it.

[@GhostSC359]

Dan, if I may say, your greatest strength is how natural and you are. Allowing room for mistakes, self-irony, and no theatricals. It's a pleasure watching you and I've learned tons and tons of valuable information, you've got yourself a new subscriber. Thank you and keep doing what you're doing!

[@Hndsmstrngr1]

I've always done maintenance and adjustment work on my instruments, but I'm tired of paying people to do half ass fret work that's my next goal is to perfect my technique so I really appreciate your videos especially how to build your own tools affordably and tried and true methods of getting it right the first time. Not sure which is cheaper buying a cheap ready-made neck or a pawn shop bass guitar for 100 bucks but I figure I will practice some crap before I start dialing in some of my vintage instruments and some Modern stuff much less so charging people for work. So thank you much, I love your site. Keep on keep it on making quality and affordable instruments for people

[@JoeTheGuitarGuy96]

Amazing work Dan. I'm speechless with how you made this neck. Especially the stain, it really gave the wood a "roasted" maple look, which complements the body perfectly. 👍

[@CaptainPantys]

Dude. Not only did you save me with your super in depth floyd rose installation tutorial, now you're showing me why it's better to make your own neck. I'll needs a few more tools, like a fret saw and angle grinder.... But I was gonna get those anyways for the swords I cast. You are a mad genius. As a wood worker I can say your method is totally bonkers and I'm about it. Gold dude. Pure Gold.

[@Stringsmith]

Looks like a beauty. Try this: Run a piece of blue tape along the bottom edge of the finger board about 1/8 proud. Round over, some people say planet shape, one side of the 8" precut fret then align the rounded end of fret to the tape and press all 8" into slot starting with the bottom round so it doesn't move. Dremel off the top of the fret wire and round over one side again for the bottom of the next slot. You can clip off if not using stainless steel. Pre-rounding gives a perfect bottom edge with no filing along the bottom. I only need to shape the tops of the frets. Thanks for sharing

[@Brandonfunky]

Epic work again Dan. This video worth over million views for people who wants to build their own guitars with budget tools. Thank you so much.

[@gitbox]

I made my own radius block cheaply by laying my router on its side on some scrap wood. I measured out 12 inches from a hole in the board (bolted to my workbench ao it pivots) to the end of the router bit. I made one pass at a time on a block, moving it up after each pass

[@StandTallTx]

Dude you did an AWESOME job on that! That first coating really brought the whole thing to life.

[@ATthemusician]

The absolute hardest part of building string instruments is the neck joint and neck. What I actually did was have neck and fretboard templates CNCd for me at a local machine shop after designing them on the FreeCAD program. There's a workbench on it called Marz guitar, where you can punch in the specs down to the millimeter for a multiscale neck of virtually any size. I've only had my 7 string neck templates completed but also have 6 and 8 string neck templates ready to be made as well. That definitely took a lot of the load off of building consistent guitars.

[@KingBespokeCreations]

I never cut fret slots before radius! Just using a saw, cutting after the radius mean the slot is the correct depth all the way across

[@noahbecker1082]

What kind of saw do you use?

[@KingBespokeCreations]

@@noahbecker1082 it’s a crimson fret saw. But any saw with approx .023” kerf will work👍

[@peternotpeter]

Beautiful Job Dan! thank you for the many, many tips you have provided. I'd like to see that reverse headstock again, the one you loved so much on one of your next builds.

[@ssmbssmbssmb]

Hi, this episode is excellent and very help full. I have just made a cigar box guitar and I think I messed up everything. I just believe that my neck is straight and flat without sight and check the flatness ( I don't know how to do it ). I think that most of beginners or session DIY enthusiast won't have or think twice investing machine tools. Please make more videos like this. Thanks bro.

[@hellskreamer]

im going to attempt to build an 8 string guitar, after watching this i feel confident i can do it. Very nice videos!!

[@vvolt1368]

Did you do it? How'd it go?

[@franckydookie]

The real question is why didn't I subscribe to this channel sooner ? I love the "I'm not a luthier but someone who have hands and a brain" thing haha I'm totally like that. This neck looks so much better than I expected ! Respect from France ✌️

[@titmusspaultpaul5]

Great finished product, and it looks fantastic. Very well done.

[@jomamma1750]

That neck sounds great! Well done Sir.

[@johnstone4411]

Dean Zelinski founder of Dean guitars was doing a textured neck a few years ago but the texture was more like the checking pattern from a gunstock

[@jacknorton3771]

If you don't toot your own horn no one else will. Awesome video both parts . I learned so much and I am looking forward to building my own neck. Thanks for the inspiration and education. Most appreciated.

[@fredgonzalez6619]

Hey man, thanks again for yet another GREAT, informative video. I appreciate it soooo much! Happy New Year man!!!

[@mbontekoe3358]

having made the router template for creating the radius you can use this together with a Dremel to cut the fret slots to a set depth and you can cut blind fret slots easily

[@ACMusicland]

Wonderful video. Thanks for putting it together. I'm gaining some confidence in a spring project after watching.

[@madatterguitars2547]

Great video series Dan. On your next neck totally remove the masking tape from the truss rod before fitting the fretboard to prevent the tape showing on the back. You could also use a thin piece of veneer instead of masking tape just on the truss rod.

[@andrewjeffries8721]

Awesome. Just awesome. You have a great plan, you use simple tools, you creatively overcome a mistake and you finish it so that the grain looks awesome. For me, the fretboard needs the large contrasting block inlays (like my Jazz bass) but you built a neck that looks great and has great intonation. Thank you, Dan!!! You rock, bro! I consider myself schooled. 🙂

[@AllanCorona]

man! I loved the Stu Hamm riff! awesome neck! 🤙

[@bntaft5133]

Thanks, Dan. Love my Guitar Authority strings.

one day I'll build a neck and this video will surely come in handy :)

[@o.w.dobbins6927]

That is one beautiful maple neck, love the grain!! You know that your'e going to have the high dollar luthiers hating on you now, LOL!! Awesome job Dan!

[@roberthatten]

Awesome job

[@Bjmusic2491]

This is a amazing project building a bass neck so it will be interesting if you can build a neck out of a darker wood such as mahogany or Rosewood

[@gothridercreations]

Really enjoyed this one man, will be using a few of those tips for this year's GGBO build 😀

[@MrGwg11]

Glad the "mIsTaKe" buffed out. you are a beacon of perseverance, and an excellent craftsman!

[@GunsandGuitars]

Thank you!

[@Santacroce73]

Awesome job Bro! Came out great.

[@ambond012581]

Have you ever thought of using tritium night sight vials for fret dots? Viable solution for locating fret dots on a dark stage!

[@JordiRestrepo]

Amazing video. Thanks !!! 🤩

[@TheBoss_4151]

Nice job!

[@normbarrows]

Congratulations. Sounds great, looks great. Flamed maple, multiscale, and a nicer finish for about the same price. Did you put the whammy on the fretwork too?

[@nemethmiklos6335]

Beautiful work i like it

[@freesk8]

Great video! Thanks!

[@DefenderTIM]

Nicely done! Looks awesome :)

[@normbarrows]

What approach would you use for a more conventional type of neck and fingerboard build for a shreder guitar? You have to leave a few mil on top of and behind the truss rod for strength. So the depth of the channel determines how thin a profile you can get. So a deep truss rod like you used on that bass would be less than ideal. How would you get around the whole "fretboard blanks are expensive" and "no bandsaw" issue? I currently mod Ebay Ibanez type replacement necks to 20mm thickness, trapezoid profile w/ 10mm spine, and a 40mm x 90mm triangular heel which is 20mm thick (same as the rest of the neck, IE a flat heel). Complete necks and the blanks, truss rod, and fretwire to make one are about even in cost, at around $35 to $55. I've been getting these necks for 3 years now with no quality issues. I don't generally do multiscale builds and feel no strong need to use stainless frets on my builds (been playing 43 years without them), so "better woods" is about the only justification I have for building vs buying.

[@MrDaveKC]

I really enjoy the look of that neck. I never thought about doing texturing on the back on the neck, but I can sure see how that could matter on stage, especially when it's dark. Since I primarily play at church, lighting isn't an issue. That multiscale is quite interesting, and I haven't built my own neck yet. Maybe soon. The design and technique for doing the neck is very interesting. I got a tool off Amazon for the edge, similar to what you used and it's like $11. It actually has an angle built in and I really like it. So very cool, and yes, I'm thinking of my own future neck work.

[@MrDaveKC]

CB Gitty is a Cigar Box guitar supplier, and they have some decent stuff, although I'm not really into Cigar Box guitars. But a Fret wire is a Fret Wire.

[@GunsandGuitars]

That’s awesome you found that tool for $11? That’s as cheap as a decent file. And you’ve basically made a neck, you profiled that mandolin neck, and the neck profile is the hard test part!

[@MrDaveKC]

@@GunsandGuitars Yeah, just don't look at some of the mistakes I made on it... :p

[@BBGuitars]

You can pick up those blocks for only a few bucks on ali express for anyone looking to keep it low budget ✌

[@karemare6426]

Great video despite the mistakes! But that textured neck will be hella difficult to play, I'm sure. Feeling those surface bumps will make a lot of unnecesssary processing power blocked in the back of your brain :)

[@Jul-wt5kd]

Can I use a normal preslotted bass nut if the multi scale is that subtile ?

[@ArcanoiseProgRock]

Great video as usual Dan. Just one curiosity, are you planning in future to build a neck-thru bass?

[@GunsandGuitars]

Definitely. I prefer bolt on myself, especially as a builder, but I know that people like neck through basses.

[@TMFShooting]

Excellent , Very Good 👍

[@barracudafighter79]

Thank you thumbs bro👍

[@cloudie_eye]

The texturing on the back would be perfect for me, I’m completely blind, and often get lost past the 8 fret if I’m not paying attention.

[@chacha134]

This is awesome! Did you use a damp paper towel to wipe the glue off when you put the frets in or just a dry paper towel? Also any good affordable replacement guitar and bass necks you recommend?

[@GunsandGuitars]

I used dry this time because I had built up a really good finish to repel the glue. But if I just have one coat of shellac or none, you need it damp. As for affordable necks, the quality is going down hill which is why I’ve started making my own. You can roll the dice, any neck under $100 will have a 50/50 change of being usable. I need 100% now.

[@chacha134]

@@GunsandGuitars awesome thanks! And yeah I figured with the affordable necks, wanted to ask since it’s a pain in the but to make. I’ve had luck fixing up the necks on a couple kits I’ve put together but always on the look out just in case. Great videos as always!

[@jeff1407]

This is amazing. Going to try one on some cheap maple then go for it on an expensive piece. Any suggestions on a saw to cut the fret slots?

[@GunsandGuitars]

I use the one from crimson, but any fret saw will work. The nice thing about a fret saw is that it’s just a saw so you can use it for sawing any wood project you have. But the reason I recommend a fret saw is because the blade is thinner (less than .5mm) where most coping saws or miter saws are a tad bigger. They can be used, but you will absolutely need to glue your frets really good.

[@jeff1407]

Thanks Dan. Also, what do you think about those double sided Japanese pull saws to cut the neck down vs the drop blade technique with the circular saw? I can see myself screwing that up royally. I was thinking of doing the long cut then an angle cut and just filing the profile instead of the jigsaw at the heel. Thoughts?

[@eyeofamon]

Never before seen a multi-scale that subtle. Interesting. Which fret is the parallel/un-slanted?

[@GunsandGuitars]

12th, just so it’s an even .25” offset at both the nut and bridge.

[@tomfoolery2082]

And it sounds good too .

[@Slothclawcolseslaw]

Dark dots on a light board is a lot easier to see than light dots on dark in dim lighting.

[@tombrackettjr.9308]

Dan is there anyway to salvage a neck that you have taken too much material off the Fidel’s in spots? I have a really nice pice of walnut and I now know my big mistake is I started with way too thick of a piece almost 2” thick. By continuing to hake adjustments it is too narrow in a couple spots

[@GunsandGuitars]

There are no rules. Maybe try glueing on some thin strips of wood and then profiling it again?

[@brunolevasseur]

Thx for sharing it! ✌👍👍👍🙏

[@rontoomey8082]

Nice job!! So, you don't need Fret Tang Nipper Tool??

[@GunsandGuitars]

Need is a strong word. They are extremely helpful, but no you can definitely get by without them as I demonstrated.

[@lawaynehearn2158]

At 10:18 you had a template for the head stock... Where did you find that template at?

[@GunsandGuitars]

Um…I drew it 🤷‍♂️

[@lawaynehearn2158]

Very nice 👌

[@MetalMan1245]

Amazing.

[@catzdollz9810]

Amazing!💖

[@MangledGuitars]

Where did you buy your large 7/8 round over bit?

[@russoloco1662]

Amazon has them. I usually go with Grizzly as they have higher quality tools. Cost more but better results and last longer.

[@GunsandGuitars]

Got mine on Amazon, it was a lot cheaper 6 months ago when I bought it. I think I paid $16 then: amzn.to/3Z1Ua3L

[@MangledGuitars]

@@GunsandGuitars thanks brother

[@mbontekoe3358]

You can cut stainless steel frets with a Dremel disc (no I am not sponsored)

[@GunsandGuitars]

Great idea!

[@antonkarpov4262]

Super

[@seancca]

I am pretty sure even with a zero fret you can’t get away without not having a nut otherwise the strings will just kinda move around too freely.

[@GunsandGuitars]

They’d still be held in place by the tuners, it doesn’t add that much more length, and the break angle will help hold it. I think it’s worth a shot. Worst case I just use a nut or string retainer

[@seancca]

@@GunsandGuitars will be interesting to see if you can make it work! At least saves you a step, though not like it would be had for you to throw a nut on if it wants to be wonky. Haha

[@nowherebrain]

that nut width and neck in general look thin. I've never made a neck so...who am I to judge.... you can make your own radius sanding block.

[@tomtallic]

Yeeeeeessss

[@zsujsk]

I've already given up

[@BBGuitars]

Looks like she is holding up well, and looks mickey!

[@toto6773]

Dude...ur frets all crooked

[@E-BikingAdventures]

Why do Americans say "acrosst"?

[@dnate697]

Stew Mac sucks LOL!