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I'm thinking of starting a a guitar project and am after a birds eye maple neck with 22 medium jumbo frets, does anyone know where i could get one from? ive tryed all the usuall places, axes r us etc but they aint got nothing, i did find one on an american parts site but by the time i added the p&p it was a stupid price. I did even think about making my own but my local hardwood merchants dont do it and said i would probably struggle to get some, can anyone help?

neil

Make it yourself... it's a great learning experience. Just Google tonewoods for guitar and find a supplier near you. Or go here... http://www.guitarplans.co.uk/guitar%20making%20and%20building.htm

I made a birdseye Tele neck, shaping it with a rasp!

For a good guide as to "how to" get Melvyn Hiscock's Make Your Own Electric Guitar (Bob Pearman Book has it in stock...)

The tricky bit is the routing for the truss rod...

Or you could just get Alan Brason to make you one... fabulous quality and great value...

Alan Brason Musical Instruments
17 High Cross Road
Tyne & Wear
NE30 3JE NORTH SHIELDS
0191 290 1751

thanks for the advice guys, i am a carpenter/joiner by trade so i would actually like to have a go myself at making one, but where would you get the actual truss rod from?

Check the link I gave you... will take you here...

http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/

Go to Catalogue, Electric Guitars, Truss Rods...

(You'll need a really accurate router!)

Unless you have the practical skill and tools to hand, I'd cheat and go the Alan Brason route - he masterly restored an original Burns Marvin that I'd made a start on - just breathtaking and he's also made me several strat like necks (no logo for obvious reasons) in birdseye maple which are significantly more featured than the ones I imported from the States.

Chippy I posted my last response just as the others were comming in too, including your response - clearly I should have noted your moniker - chippy!

Good luck with your endeavours!

David Martin wrote:Check the link I gave you... will take you here...

http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/

Go to Catalogue, Electric Guitars, Truss Rods...

(You'll need a really accurate router!)

Thanks for that David, its a great site and the birds eye blanks aint a bad price either.
I should be able to do a accurate cut on my router table ( i hope! )

BobGreg wrote:Chippy I posted my last response just as the others were comming in too, including your response - clearly I should have noted your moniker - chippy!

Good luck with your endeavours!

no probs Bob, i might phone Alan up just to get a price anyway, i aint in any rush cuz ive got lots of work on my house to do first. if Alans busy for 9 mths his work must be good, maybe i should think about setting up in buisness as a custom guitar maker!

neil

chippy71 wrote:

David Martin wrote:Check the link I gave you... will take you here...

http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/

Go to Catalogue, Electric Guitars, Truss Rods...

(You'll need a really accurate router!)

Thanks for that David, its a great site and the birds eye blanks aint a bad price either.
I should be able to do a accurate cut on my router table ( i hope! )

And you'll need to make a template or two...too. The one for the trussrod channel is very interesting as it has a vertical curve to give a curved channel... I used a hand router...