Carve a guitar neck profile | The Facet method
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- Опубліковано 10 лип 2024
- This video demonstrates the process I use for shaping a guitar neck. I explain step by step each of the tasks in order to achieve a Modern C or Perfect C shaped neck profile. This is a step by step guide to carving a perfect neck profile every time. There are lots of ways to carve a neck but most new guitar builders a simple process to follow will be the most useful. There are lots of tips and tricks in this video that I use in order to get consistent shaped necks every time.
0:00 Video Intro
1:11 What tools to shape a guitar neck?
2:13 What is the facet carve technique?
2:37 What is the process for carving a guitar neck?
3:42 What's the difference between C and Modern guitar neck for carving?
4:30 Tips for carving a guitar neck
5:49 Demo - Tapering a guitar neck
7:03 Marking and carving facets
10:02 Carving a C or Modern C shape guitar neck
11:40 Photos of finished guitar neck
My Links
Website
If you would like to know more about the guitars I build you can visit my website here: www.tornelliguitars.com/
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What influences me in my guitar building?
I love building guitars and the community that has grown around luthiery. I like to build reimagined versions of classic guitars and give them my own twist. So classics from Fender Guitars and Gibson Guitars tend to be my main inspiration. From the community, I hope to create content similar to Crimson Guitars, BIGDGUITARS and Guns and Guitars. I have found their content invaluable over the years.
I love building guitars! Join me as I build original design electric guitars and share my guitar building tips and tricks. On this channel you will get full guitar building series and detailed 'How To' videos describing the step by step process for some of the trickiest parts of building guitars.
My guitar builds cover everything from designing, wood choices, shaping guitar necks & bodies, installing truss rods, neck carving, guitar fretting, guitar binding, installing guitar pickups & electronics, guitar set ups, dyeing and colouring, finishing & polishing guitars.
I build original and reimagined versions of classic guitars. Everything I make is for sale and I also like to make videos of my guitar builds to show customers how their instruments are made. Its also a great way of making friends within the guitar building community! I've also entered the Great Guitar build off for 2021 & 2022 as a bit of fun and to help share what I've learned.
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This comment is always the link to my latest video. Please enjoy:
ua-cam.com/video/C4qDcLSQ-xo/v-deo.htmlsi=XiXaeHKK8qjxK8sa
I have carved quite a few necks and yesterday I gave your facet method a try....brilliant. Takes a bit longer but the result was so worth it. Thank you for sharing this.
I have never seen a video with your carving method or level of detail. I have learned so much. Thank you!
Agree the “ well Ill get that later method” is bad because the brain forgets to come back until it’s inconvenient 💯
Good god you have a video for everything. Maaaaaaaany many many many questions answered with this.
I followed all of your instructions ti make my first two home made buildings from scratch, and now I started my third One doing a scalloped neck!
thanks Bro
Thanks my friend, I’m so glad my videos were helpful. I’ve seen your work on Instagram and I love it!😀👍
Very clear and informative. I just completed my first neck with this method on a 5 string bass neck. I was a little skeptical that I would get it right the first time, but it came out great. I changed your step #2 to be 1/2 and 1/2 instead of 1/2 and 1/3. It came out great with a very slight D-shape which I find to be comfortable. Great idea to use a box cutter blade. I used a card scraper to remove thicker shavings on the facets and then switched to the box cutter blade to remove thin shavings when I got close to my final thickness.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, I’m really glad this was useful, it sounds like you got a great result! 👍
I’ve seen a few videos on the facet method, but this is the clearest and easiest to follow of them all. Most new builders say that carving the neck is the scariest part but this video breaks it down into simple stages. Guess what I will be trying out tomorrow!
Thanks Tim, I appreciate the feedback. So long as you’re methodical it’s not that daunting. Go for it!👍
I'm on my first neck carve 😬 it's awesome to have videos like this to help us newbs!
Thanks for the kind comment, I’m really glad it helped!👍
Thank you. I like the tape usage that will help me greatly with my own build.
Thanks Lisa, I’m glad it was helpful!👍
after watching to the end, have to say, that is crispy, My Brother!
Haha, thanks Spike, I’m really pleased with this one! 👍
That's good advice thanks
Ok. That tape method is MONEY. Specially if you work with old tired eyes or like me with the permanent migraines my vision can change several times an hour depending how stressed or how much tension I develop in my neck looking down so much. I can keep a fairly straight line doing sanding and filing by feel after what I was taught in school and from my grandfather growing up but that ensures no wandering.
Your wood choices are amazing. You have a good eye as well as access to great materials.
Thanks Bill! I came up with the tape method when I was working with darker wood but now I use it for everything, it’s just so much easier to follow. And thanks for the kind words on my wood choices, I don’t know how long I spend testing what woods to pair together but it’s a lot of time, but something I really enjoy! 😀
@@TornelliGuitars Thats like me and sanding. People hate sanding. I enjoy it. Its where everything comes together and the true beauty of the materials start to show its true nature. I love feeling the texture change and the smells some wood release when sanding.
@@borgonianevolution I agree completely! It’s where all the subtleties of the wood and grain start to show.
Thank you for doing this video. I use the facet method as you know, however, I really needed a good explanation as to what it is that I'm doing😁 This is a great video describing this process. The best I've seen honestly. Peace my brother.
Thanks Todd, I’m really glad you got something out if! 👍
so aware of this process, but have never seen it so well explained and demonstrated...thank you so much, I will refine my methods because of your video
Thanks for the kind comment, I really appreciate it, I’m glad it was helpful!👍
Thanks Giacomo, this is spot on! I’ve seen the facet process many times, but this by far the most in-depth and helpful I’ve seen and the technique I’ll use. I have some half rounds, but they’re old so I’ll investigate the Iwasaki files. The neck’s looking stunning by the way.
Thanks Jamie, I hope it helps. And the Iwasaki files are really great, a worthwhile purchase!👍
Great video
I always end up with a little too much on the shoulders. I am gonna try your method of sanding straight down and see if that helps on the current neck I am building.
Very clean and precise. I like it!
Thanks Arran! 👍
Nice explanation of your process for carving a guitar neck. That is also a nice looking neck.
Thanks For the kind comment Robert!👍
Fantastic tutorial Thanks!!!
Thanks, I really appreciate it!👍
This was so well done. Thank you so much!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a kind comment, I really appreciate it!👍
This is a great tutorial! Very well explained! GRAZZIE MILLE !!
Grazie, that’s very kind! 👍
Perfect! God bless you
Thankyou!👍
thank you sir, Crystal clear
You are very welcome my friend! 👍
Great video, thanks!
I’m glad it helped, thanks for taking the time to leave a kind comment!👍
Very useful - thanks. Something that would be of help is a few seconds each of your diagrams full screen, so that we making our first necks can take a screenshot for references of your facet proportions.
Cheers!
You’re right I should have done that! I’m going to see if I can upload it as a link so people can download the pics. Thanks for the comment Paul!👍
Thanks I’ll definitely need this for next year as I will be making a neck then and my son will be making the body
That’s great to hear, hope it helps!👍
great demo of the method, I am about o start on the bass neck. all this will come in handy, But my profile is way different on it, lots of flat back on the 5 string bass
Nice job on the video
Thanks Spike! Looking forward to that bass!👍
Great stuff Giacomo 👍
Thanks buddy!👍
Thank you. That was very helpful.
I’m glad it helped!👍
@@TornelliGuitars It really did. Subscribed.
Have you ever tried to use a roundover bit to route the neck shape?
Hi Adam, no I haven’t because the roundover bit will only carve one consistent profile up the neck. The facets are all slightly tapered so that the carve profile expands as it gets closer to the heel. I’ve seen people using them but it’s not the way to get an accurate profile as the neck taper and thickness increases. I hope that makes sense. I should probably qualify that by saying this applies to perfect C and modern C profiles.
I am planning my first build and one of the only thing that really scared me was shaping the neck as it can literally make or break an instrument. I had no idea this approach existed, but it makes so much sense - and being very methodical, it is right up my alley. Thanks so much!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a kind comment. I’m glad the video was helpful.👍
@@TornelliGuitarswell I actually finished my build and it came out much better than expected - it's a fine instrument with only a few cosmetic flaws and no functional issues at all. And the neck is carved as a neck - no dips, ho bumps, and all smooth thanks to your video! Now to practice more to get a better feeling on which facet measurements give what neck feel... I'll have to build 10 more guitars ;)
@@verbenasenensis that’s great my friend, I’m really glad to have helped! And to have no functional issues is brilliant, well done 👍
Very helpful, I can't see very well what type of tape you are using, what is it? Great tip to use tape rather than depending on your eye 👍
Thanks Joe, I just have a few different colours of normal masking tape so I can pick one that contrasts with whatever wood I’m using.
Do you include the fretboard when measuring your halfway points for the facets?
super nice video! It was very clear. I will try to use the tape next time insted of the pencil for be more precise!
Thanks Lars, I’m glad it helped!👍
It’s a great tip.
Excellent explanation bud! Way better than my waffle lol
Haha thanks for the kind comment! But I do enjoy listening to your videos 👍
This is absolutely great! Love the focus on detail and the slow, careful and deliberate execution! A question, if I may... what sort of Iwasaki are you using? Medium? Fine?
Thanks for leaving a kind comment I really appreciate it. The Iwasaki is a medium 👍
Idk if
It was mentioned. But what if we wanted it flatter at 12 fret like a d shape then transition to 1st fretlike a modern c shape.
Hi. Great video, thank you.
Looking online (in Australia) I have the choices of a coarse/medium medium/fine shinto file. I understand that these are broad and subjective descriptions, but which do have a view as to which one you would purchase?
Thanks for the comment Stuart, I’d probably go for coarse/med 👍
Very informative, it's great to see the detail that goes into your building process, how do I spell the names of those two files btw for googling purposes?
Sorry, should have said; Shinto Rasp & Iwasaki half round file! 👍
@@TornelliGuitars its cool you did say I just thought id save myself the hours of fun of trying to google various spellings of iwasaki haha! thanks dude
Beautiful work! What size Iwasaki file do you recommend for this?
Thanks Christian, I use a 200mm (medium) half round Iwasaki file. Hope that helps!👍
Hello, great video and pictures for understanding this process. I have one question on tapering the neck - what should be the minimum reliable distance between the bottom of the truss rod tunnel and the bettom edge of the neck? I wonder how much could I taper the neck towards the head. The truss rod I use has an allen key hole on the head side and it gets taller and goes more downwards than the truss rod itself, so the bottom of the tunnel there (at the headstock) is even deeper. If the neck here should be the thinnest here, this question becomes crucial. Any thought? If 5 mm is ok I could manage tapering it.
Yes 5mm will be fine. I don’t really have a min but I wouldn’t want to go less than 5 out of choice. I know people that have gone to 3mm without any issues but for reference if it helps, I tend to end up around 6 or 7mm. So my (personal,) advice would be 6-7 is plenty, 5 is fine, 4 would likely be my limit. I hope that helps 😀👍
Thanks a lot. It makes me sure I won't screw it up :) BTW, I knew the trick with marking tapes for shaping the neck but I haven't thought of using them for marking the taperline 👍
Great video, now where can I find some nice wood…….! 🥰🥰🍷🍷🎸🎸😊😊
Hi! First of all, great video! Do you you count the distances only from the neck material and not from fretboard? Thanks!
Thanks for the kind comment! I count the distance including the fretboard 👍
For the side measurement of the first facet, are you measuring halfway down from the surface of the fretboard, or are you measuring halfway down from where the neck and fretboard join?
I measure half the total distance, including the fretboard. Hope that helps! 👍
I’m going to start using the facet method. Can you tell me, are you including the fretboard in the side measurement?
Hi, yes I’m including the fretboard in the measurement. However if you reach the point on the last set of facets where your measurements mean that you are carving into the fretboard (depending on the fretboard thickness you are using), you may want to stop the carve where the fretboard actually starts and just sand (to blend in that part of the profile) rather than carve just to be safe and make sure you don’t go too far with the carve. Hope that helps.
Hi, I tried googling uasaki file and didn’t get much. I got the spelling from your transcript. Is there a different spelling I should try. Maybe you have a source you could recommend? Thanks for the video. Jeff
How long does it take you, once measured and marked with tape, to complete the shaping, not including sanding beyond 180?
Hi Shayne, to get rough sanded to the exact final profile is probably about 3.5 hours without carving the heel and headstock transition. That takes about another 1.5 hours. That’s working at a relaxed and careful pace, which is what I always do on the neck profile. I hope that helps 👍
@@TornelliGuitars that is some serious dedication!
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Good afternoon!!! I would like to clarify a doubt: let's say that the neck is made of maple and the fingerboard of rosewood. Did the measurements you took include rosewood or just maple? let's say in figure 1 you used the first notch 1/2 did you consider rosewood or just the maple part? Thanks a lot for the help! I'm Brazilian and thank you, because your technique is the best I've ever seen, after a lot of research. God bless you always 🙏
The measure include the neck and the fretboard, together. Thanks!
@@TornelliGuitars thank you Very much!!! God bless you!