Official Luthiers Forum!

I just proved that I am still an NEWBIE!!!!!
This was the first neck that I used carbon fiber rods. Well, I guess you just
cannot place them anywhere!!!!
The freboard was on and leveled via tape as described in a previous thread.
Removed and fretted. GLUED on. All I needed was to carve the neck. I do
this with rasps. Well WOOOOPS...I carved right into the carbon fiber rod!!!!!
I thought I was going to puke!!!!! I assume this is not fixable. I have already
used my heating blanket to carefully remove the fretboard. I guess it is time
for a new neck. I TOLD YOU SERGE I STILL DESERVE THE NEWBIE STATUS
UNDER MY NAME!!!!!

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Hi Andy

Don't be too hard on yourself, this sort of stuff happens, and we live and learn, Not really fixable without it showing, or at least I don't know how.

Keep on smiling

Andy, Just a thought before you terf that neck. You can use autobody filler to fill around the CF and plug the grain in that part of the neck and finish it black for some other guitar that you plan to do a dark burst on or something. A concern with that is how well the adhesion between the CF and the wood is and whether going through to the CF will weaken the neck too much. I have not used CF so don't know. But just a thought on some salvage.

Shane

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Canada

Andy,
Don't feel bad-there was an article in one of the trade magazines were a very famous luthier did the very same thing and fixed it by inlaying pufling over it and making a design that he now uses as a design element.
I am not implying that you do this just trying to make a point that it happens to very experienced people as well.

Andy, It seems your CF rods were a little far out from the truss rod?

I do mine a little bit tighter, or so it seems


What you might try to do is cut that neck in 3 pieces and glue it up with two color lam's right where those rods are now. Then reshape. Just a thought, probably more work than what its worth.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Bummer, Andy...I know that feeling of nausea only too well.

A few questions from your pic. What are are cross sectional dimensions of the CF? How far from the TR were the slots routed? It looks kinda close to the edge where there's less meat.

From the pic, (slothead) it looks like this is a 12 fret neck. I've only installed CF in longer electric necks and 14 fret acoustic necks. My rationale is that the shorter neck will be stiffer and may not require the addition of CF. I'm sure others will have better info.

Anyway...take heart! Tomorrow will be a better day!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Stuff happens. I've made my share of kindling out of good wood. I don't use cf in my acoustic guitar necks, except as a line between laminations.

Al

Thanks for the sympathy
Clearly my rods were to far away from the truss rod.
No it was not a 12 fret. Just a 14OM were the client wanted a slotted
headstock.

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

I feel for ya Andy, I really do. Stuff like this happens on occasion. All you can do is learn from it and move on. Better success on the new one!

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Wow, it's like deja vu all over again. I did that exact thing on my first neck. I started seeing a darker line that I thought was a pitch pocket so I kept chasing it out and it got bigger and bigger. Until I realized...
From your photo it looks as though the CF rods were not seated all the way to the bottom of the slots. Is that what is going on there? If so, in the future, you'll want to fill that void with epoxy before you put the carbon in. Voids in necks are not a good thing. If it's not a void, well then never mind.

Man! That pukes me out, a lot. Try not to do that again!

The bondo idea seems like a good one to me. I don't think I'd trash it just yet. This project gets a new blank!

Das ist das macro-bummer!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Andy, I'll agree with Hesh that you are no longer a newbie, but, you sure are a courageus and humble man to be able to come here with this mishap and show us what can happen to all of us. When i say things like" you are an inspiration to me" , i really do mean it, i know what it is having a full time job and trying to spend all or most of my free time in my shop. You and Hesh are real inspirations for me and for other newbies. That said, i could understand fatigue and adrenaline rush and complexity of a new task to be the mix that caused this but i'm sure you're gonna be able to sit down and think of the reasons that brought you there and might find like me that a blessing is just waiting to happen!

I'll also agree with Shane, the blessing i was talking about could very well be found in his solution, who knows!

Good luck with this, you have all my support dear friend!

[QUOTE=Brad Goodman]
...there was an article in one of the trade magazines were a very famous luthier did the very same thing and fixed it by inlaying pufling over it and making a design that he now uses as a design element.
[/QUOTE]
It was Ervin Somogyi. He exposed the truss rod. His solution was to glue in a long strip of mahogany down the center, and hide what would have been noticable join lines with a very creative purfling design. To his surprise, prospective customers either saw or heard about it and wanted that on their guitars. It's become somewhat of a trademark on his instruments. Lemonade from lemons!

Hey Andy -- been there done that! Let me put a different spin on things. If that's the biggest mistake you ever make -- you done real real good! Bet if everyone posted their loo lou's this topic would be a really long one! Mine would fill a couple of solid paragraphs!
Anthony Z38799.9899074074