Neck Glue Up Details
This building course is a learning experience for all of us. As things go along, participants are bringing up questions that we never thought about. Here are a few items concerning the neck glue up. We've discovered that the necks are not necessarily flat where the heel blocks need to be glued on. Lesson learned-don't ever assume anything is square or flat! Check before gluing. This needs to be corrected by sanding or planing. I find planing easier, but sanding should work too. Just take your time.
As far as the position of the heel block, the front of the block stack should be 7" from the break angle created by the headstock. In other words, 7" from the front of the nut. That leaves plenty of room for carving the heel on a 14 fret neck. THIS IS A 14 FRET NECK JOINT, NOT A 12 FRET JOINT. There has been some confusion about that. Also, and I probably should not say this but I will, glue the blocks to the bottom of the neck not the top. Believe me, I've made far worse mistakes than that in my time! The heel blocks may extend beyond the neck as shown in the photo below. If they do, that's fine, and if they don't that's fine too. The neck will get cut flush at the 14th fret.
