Official Luthiers Forum!

First time here, so I apologize if this has been covered.

I'm planning to build my first Baritone Guitar, first Neck Laminate, and first Tilt-back headstock.

If anyone's made a Baritone, can you tell me if there's anything I should be aware of before or during the build?
Whether it be measurements or bridge selection. Anything would be helpful. (I want to use a vibrato/tremolo.)

As for the neck, I have 2 pieces of Birdseye Maple. Each one is cut for a straight headstock.
I wanted to glue them together, and get 2 angled (tilt-back) headstock/necks.
In doing so, the grain (which I believe is flat-sawn) would now be at a 90 degree angle.
I am not sure if that would make a difference in stability, so that's partly why I'm here.
If anyone can offer advice, it would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,
Michael

Hey Michael, welcome!
I'd look at doing a scarf joint for the headstock. Much stronger than a Gibson style.
I know absolutely nothing about building a baritone, but someone with experience will chime in.
Do you have a scale length you want to go with?
Good luck,
Dan

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Hi Dan, thanks for replying.

It'll be a 27.5" scale, 21 frets.

I've heard that a scarf joint is riskier in the long run.
How does Gibson do it?

Thanks,
Michael

1 - I haven't built a baritone electric, but I have built a very long scale 12 string (26.5) that is designed for tuning C to C. I would spend some time on the D'Addario website calculating string tensions for the scale and tuning you want to use - in order to maintain playability on my 12 I have to bump the string gauges up considerably. I also entered you scale length into the SM fret position calculator and it will give you the location of each of their standard electric bridges. Make sure that you have enough travel in your bridge saddles to get proper intonation.

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

2 - I use exclusively scarf joints now (this winter alone I have repaired four guitars with broken headstocks including a lovely old Gibson J-35). I simply take a piece of 1" thick mahogany (do your laminate or whatever) and cut it off at the correct angle (usually 16 degrees). Flip it over and glue up - you can either put the scarf at the end of the neck or under the fretboard - I like the latter. I also stack the heel out of one inch blocks. Jig this up carefully - the pieces want to skate around on the wet glue



On my acoustics I put the truss rod adjuster inside the box, but on electrics I like to use a double acting rod with the smallest possible adjuster and make that route as small as possible (that is where all the Gibsons seem to break)



AFAIK Gibson, like Martin, uses a one piece neck and cuts the angle. That seems wasteful of materials and creates a weak area where the grain is at an angle. The truss rod route just further weakens it. I know that Taylor is now using a scarf joint (they used to use a finger joint) - don't know who else is doing it this way.

I'm sure you've thought thru your build but let me just mention some things that might jump up and get you. Lay our the side view of your neck, neck angle, pups and bridge and make sure that everything lines up the way you want it. If possible, look at similar baritones to what you are building - there seems to be a lot of variation in what constitutes a bari. Figure out your string gauges before you start - that might make a difference in bridge location. Also, if possible build to fit a standard case - you can get custom ones made to fit almost anything but they tend to be very expensive (ask how I know).

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