in building a guitar is getting the neck wood selected. No reason going any farther until that
happens.
 
What I do is build neck blocks because I prefer laminated necks. I think they're better all the way around.
I like to have 42" and if over 2" thick it's good...not worrying about it coming up to thin for a neck through.
Width...just as long as it's wide enough for the fretboard.
 
If I decided to use it as a set-neck then the extra length isn't wasted- I make little boxes that have lids like fretboards.
They're cute and make nice gifts.
 
One of the deals is that you really don't know when you start a neck block if it's going to work out. Could waste a lot of money and have to make little gifts.
A couple of things that can happen to send it in a tailspin...a bad glue-up- in that any glue can be seen. You clamp best you can if you don't have a hydraulic press and hope for the best. The other is that I build the neck block so it can be split yielding two necks. Wood has stored energy so you don't know what it might do when it's split. I have lost blocks that just went nuts after splitting. Not fun.
 
I'm very happy because this last block that I've had setting for a couple of weeks has shown no sign of moving and it's also the first one that I've laminated with such thin pieces. I think they are going to be beautiful pieces so thought I'd share this very beginning stage with ya'll....something I don't remember ever doing out of all the builds.
 
The only thing I'll do to them before starting the build is make sure the fretboard/body face is flat. When that is done I'll router for the truss-rod and then everything starts...I'll have a neck piece to see how far I can take it. Hope you enjoyed this. For one of the most important parts of the build it sure doesn't seem like much lol.
 
They're Mahogany with Maple/Mahogany thins.
 
 

 
I'm drooling already 
 
 

 

SteveStrummerUK
 
I'm drooling already 
 
 

 
LOL...me too Steve!
 
Now I have to design a guitar!
 
 
 

 Spacey do you maintain a particualr humidity when you're trying to see if the wood is going to change? If I ever attempt this I am counting on a few of those boxes you mentioned. I might get lucky but I doubt it. I figure if I anticipate a mistake and one doesn't happen I'll be ok.
 
 I think you've done this a few times before.

Looks amazing already.
 
Good luck with it, though I think you could easily market your cool little fret-box gifts!

Oh Joy! Another thread to mark in my "favorites" folder. I love these build threads. I'm on my iPhone and can hardly wait to get home an see this on my 27" screen.

It looks great already.  I like the grain in the second shot.  Good luck with this project. 

Star my shop is foamed lined from the floor up. Much like a fridge. 52% of lower and I'm good. It's not that way to see if the wood is going to warp or move- it's
just that there is a humidity range that is preferred.
 
Yes, I've built quite a few guitars in the last three years.
The last three have had my pickups on them. I also wound a set for my first Strat type.
 
Craig...lol...probably but that would take the fun out it for me...and much better than wasting the woods.
 
Mike, sorry to tease if I did. It'll be awhile before I start a build. Since the wood didn't freak I'll still be sitting on it for many more weeks/months. I really thought it would be cool since I've posted builds to backup and show this very first step.
 
Jan this is some excellent wood. It was purchased as hand picked guitar neck woods. Kiln dried 8% or lower...and thank you. I'll never turn me back on luck!
 
 
 
 
 

Awesome. I dig when you post that kind of thing. :)

That is really cool, Spacey. One of the most important steps I assume. I would love to see how you go about shaping the neck as well out of a block of solid wood.