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I'm building a new square neck to replace a broken roundneck on a Gibson Hound-dog. Are there any bracing issues that I shoul be concerned with? When I took the neck off I noticed it didn't have a soundwell. Could I put one in while I have it apart and would it be worth the effort?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Some pics of the project.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

That's the support post design (sometimes misleadingly called soundposts). I wouldn't bother with a soundwell unless you want a more traditional tone out of the guitar - Josh Graves/Mike Auldridge rather than Jerry Douglas/Rob Ickes.

The top looks pretty thick under the fretboard so I think the bracing should be fine as it is.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

I've got the fretboard almost completed and I'm cosidering whether I should fret it off the neck or on. I know it's a lot easier to fret it before installing, should I just go with that?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I always do the frets before attaching the fretboard. They're only a visual guide to the bar position on a squareneck anyway.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

1. How do you attach the nut on these things? Being so tall, I imagine you use more glue than on a regular instrument.
2. Though it's to late to change it, do any of you bother with a truss rod? I didn't.
3. How do you take care of the sharp edges on the back. I'm not sure where to start and stop and if I should a router with a round over bit or champher bit or just sand the edges smooth.

I've got most of the work done on this neck, I'll try to add a picture of it in it's current state tonight. I'm very pleased with it so far. I only work on it for about a half an hour every morning before I go to my real job.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Latest pictures. Should I wait until it's done before posting photos? I really wanted to show more of the construction process but it's difficult to remember to bring the camera with me.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Hello Hutch,
That a pretty good lookin neck you have made
When I make the neck I leave a slot between the overlay and fretboard so the nut will fit rather tight. I use just a thin coat of hide glue for this (this is just my preference). It sticks well to the bone and wood.
Super glue or Tite Bond will work.

I use a non adjustable truss rod or carbon fiber rods.

I round over the edges(quite a bit really) on the back of the neck just using a rasp. The round over starts where the neck joins the body and gets smaller where it transitions to the peg head.

Keep posting pictures as you can. I like looking at them

[quote="D.L.Huskey]Keep posting pictures as you can. I like looking at them[/quote]
Thanks, I'll keep em coming.

Because I used the actual blueprint to make my template instead of using the dimensions, lesson learned, the fretboard ends at where the nut should meet the peghead. I'm going to need to cut an extra deep slot or put another overlay on. If I put another overlay on I might use the flamed maple from the cutoffs and let the coco look like a stripe on the side of the peghead. I will have a tiny bit of an edge if I just cut the slot normal but I just don't know if it will be enough to secure a 3/4" tall nut. What do you think, more coco or maple or leave it alone?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

[quote="D.L.Huskey]Keep posting pictures as you can. I like looking at them[/quote]
Thanks, I'll keep em coming.

Because I used the actual blueprint to make my template instead of using the dimensions, lesson learned, the fretboard ends at where the nut should meet the peghead. I'm going to need to cut an extra deep slot or put another overlay on. If I put another overlay on I might use the flamed maple from the cutoffs and let the coco look like a stripe on the side of the peghead. I will have a tiny bit of an edge if I just cut the slot normal but I just don't know if it will be enough to secure a 3/4" tall nut. What do you think, more coco or maple or leave it alone?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I've got some time before I attach this to the body and I've been thinking about thescrews that go through the fretboard extension. I was planning on using flathead wood screws but then if I want to remove the neck Iwill have to first remove the inlays. Does anyone use a machine screw with nut and washer. If so, how would you lock the head of the screw in the neck?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

[/quote]the fretboard ends at where the nut should meet the peghead. I'm going to need to cut an extra deep slot or put another overlay on. If I put another overlay on I might use the flamed maple from the cutoffs and let the coco look like a stripe on the side of the peghead. I will have a tiny bit of an edge if I just cut the slot normal but I just don't know if it will be enough to secure a 3/4" tall nut. What do you think, more coco or maple or leave it alone?[/quote]

You might use a file to flatten a ledge at the end of the fret board for the nut to sit. I've done this before and had no problems. Be careful not to file the end of the fretboard.
You can buy a nut seating file but I just ground off the Teeth? of the file on both sides leaving the edges to do the cutting.

Here is how I attach the neck and fretboard.There are 4 bolts that go in from underneath into the extension.

It's all prepped for finishing and now I'm having second thoughts about adding an inlay on the headstock. It sure looks blank. I'd like to put something very simple and easy for a begginer like myself. I have all the tools, I just haven't tried them yet. Some kind of diamond shape or cresent moon. Opinions appreciated.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!