Most of the dimensioning is close to done

[rstbkt]

This is my first build and I decided to start from scratch. My reasoning was I have plenty of cherry and maple lying around that won’t get used for any of the projects I normally make. And I didn't want to waste a nice mahogany set as I go through the growing pains. My cherry sides are at .087 and my maple top and back pieces are at .110. I also have my one piece neck blank of spalted maple cut but I plan in making a 3 piece neck and need to cut it down the middle and glue the other piece in.
As far as the neck goes I plan on adding a veneer to the top and back of the headstock. My veneers are pretty thick though, Close to 1/8-3/16, and I will have to thin the headstock down a bit. When I thin the headstock down on the top for the veneer do I take it down to the line for the nut closest to the fret board?
And for the side dimensions what is a good width to start with. I have a few places that cracked when I planned them down and even though the crack is at the end and running to the outside of the piece I wanted to get it cut off just in case it pulls more with it as it runs its course. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
JP
PS I guess I should add that the final side depth is supposed to be 4 3/8

[Ben-Had]

Not sure what you mean by this: "When I thin the headstock down on the top for the veneer do I take it down to the line for the nut closest to the fret board?"

5.25" should be good for your sides.

[rstbkt]

If I add the thick-ish veneer to the top and bottom It will push the thickness of the head to close to3/4 of an inch. The only way I know of with my available tools to thin the head down is to run the head over the jointner and remove some of the wood . I drew two lines at the top of the neck where the nut will go. One is the back side of the nut, the other is the start of the fretboard. Its become apparent to me that I will be removing one and possibly two lines to get the thickness down on the string side of the head. The line I think I should stop at is where the fret board will start. After the veneer is attached I will cut the nut slot mostly in the veneer. Do I stop at the line the fret board will butt up to or is it ok to go a little past that. It probably wouldn't matter if I could get the veneer thinner but its quilted maple and any thinner and I have crumbled the piece I was thinning.

[B. Howard]

Your sides sound a little thick to me. I like mine around .070. In regards to the other question, are you going to put the nut in a flat bottom slot or set it on an angle like Martin?

[rstbkt]

I still have some sanding to do on the sides. That might take them down closer to .070.

Not sure what you mean on setting the nut on an angle like a Martin. My Martin, Seagull and Fender all hve the bottom of the nut Parallel to the fret board bottom. The Martin is set a little deeper into the wood on the head side. The Seagull doesn't really have a slot. Just a level spot. I will say that I was planning to cut into the wood to make a slot like my Martin.

[Ben-Had]

I thin my sides to between .080 -.085"
Headstock thickness- total 5/8" (15-16mm) which includes veneer thickness
Veneers - .065 - .070" (~1.5 - 2mm)
I position my FB so the nut sits on the level (I hate putting a n angle on them) and then I cut back the headstock veneer to the nut thickness I want (6 mm or just under 1/4")

[rstbkt]

5/8 would be good for me but the veneers will stomp that dimension by close to 3/16 or so. If I could figure out how I would stop the thinning right at the beginning of the fret board and knock 1/8 to 1/16 off the top. I have room to slide the fretboard down, (up the neck) if I have to. It wont mess anything up other than my pencil lines. I'm going to say that removing wood down to the line where the fret board starts will be how I go. I'm guessing that it really does not matter as long as the edge of the veneer is flush and level to the fret board gluing surface it wil be ok. Might look a little silly but it will be ok. I was just wondering about strength of the neck with the area thinned.