Enlarging a kit guitar headstock
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:12 pm
Hello forum, my first post here. I'm almost a beginner. I made a semi-hollow electric about 25 years ago from scratch, and I just built a cheap Telecaster kit recently to get back in the game a little. Now I'm trying to build a kit copy of a Gibson Trini Lopez. Kit info is here:
https://thefretwire.com/collections/hol ... guitar-kit
The issue is this: the kit neck has a large unshaped paddle headstock, from which you are supposed to cut the outline of the headstock to approximate a Trini Lopez shape. The Trini had a large six-a-side headstock similar to a Firebird. I'm attaching photos of the kit and the original here for reference.
The issue is, the supplied blank is not large enough to accurately replicate the charming (to me anyway) original shape. I need a longer blank, wider on the treble side, and the tuners need to be relocated further away from the nut in order to be a convincing imitation, at least to my eyes.
At first I thought, cut back to the scarf joint and graft in a new larger "paddle" to cut from. The existing scarf joint tapers to its thin edge way back past the 2nd fret and cutting back to that spot would involve reworking the truss rod nut location. Way above my pay grade - no way I could do that well enough.
My second idea: slice off the portion of the paddle that has the tuner holes so as to leave a clean edge. Attach an extension to the treble side of the headstock (and another bit more to extend the tip of the headstock.) Then shape from there and drill new holes. This would avoid having to plug six tuner holes. Not sure if I have enough glue surface along the cut edge to bear the string tension.
Another idea: remove, say, the front 1/4" of the paddle's depth only - this would allow me to avoid cutting back into the truss rod area, if I'm slick about it. Maybe stop at the fingerboard or remove under the fingerboard only ΒΌ" or so but still stay in front of the truss rod nut. Prepare a flat piece with a rout on the back that would surround the existing paddle but show a large, flat true surface on the front to work with. Fill the old tuner holes, and veneer the routed cover onto the front of the paddle, with the thicker portion surrounding the remains of the original paddle. A lot of glue surface and - I think - I'd avoid weakening the nut area unduly.
Are any of these ideas viable and practical and possible? Or is this an insane idea? Is there a better way that I haven't thought of? I know I'm getting close to the point where I might be better off building a new neck but I don't think I could do a very good job of the double diamond fretboard inlays for this neck so I don't know. Plus I've never built a scarf joint neck.
Suggestions welcome. (Try not to diss the wacky Trini Lopez model too much please - I've always thought it was just one of the coolest guitar designs ever. But I understand it's an acquired taste.)
Thanks for having me as a new member!
-j
https://thefretwire.com/collections/hol ... guitar-kit
The issue is this: the kit neck has a large unshaped paddle headstock, from which you are supposed to cut the outline of the headstock to approximate a Trini Lopez shape. The Trini had a large six-a-side headstock similar to a Firebird. I'm attaching photos of the kit and the original here for reference.
The issue is, the supplied blank is not large enough to accurately replicate the charming (to me anyway) original shape. I need a longer blank, wider on the treble side, and the tuners need to be relocated further away from the nut in order to be a convincing imitation, at least to my eyes.
At first I thought, cut back to the scarf joint and graft in a new larger "paddle" to cut from. The existing scarf joint tapers to its thin edge way back past the 2nd fret and cutting back to that spot would involve reworking the truss rod nut location. Way above my pay grade - no way I could do that well enough.
My second idea: slice off the portion of the paddle that has the tuner holes so as to leave a clean edge. Attach an extension to the treble side of the headstock (and another bit more to extend the tip of the headstock.) Then shape from there and drill new holes. This would avoid having to plug six tuner holes. Not sure if I have enough glue surface along the cut edge to bear the string tension.
Another idea: remove, say, the front 1/4" of the paddle's depth only - this would allow me to avoid cutting back into the truss rod area, if I'm slick about it. Maybe stop at the fingerboard or remove under the fingerboard only ΒΌ" or so but still stay in front of the truss rod nut. Prepare a flat piece with a rout on the back that would surround the existing paddle but show a large, flat true surface on the front to work with. Fill the old tuner holes, and veneer the routed cover onto the front of the paddle, with the thicker portion surrounding the remains of the original paddle. A lot of glue surface and - I think - I'd avoid weakening the nut area unduly.
Are any of these ideas viable and practical and possible? Or is this an insane idea? Is there a better way that I haven't thought of? I know I'm getting close to the point where I might be better off building a new neck but I don't think I could do a very good job of the double diamond fretboard inlays for this neck so I don't know. Plus I've never built a scarf joint neck.
Suggestions welcome. (Try not to diss the wacky Trini Lopez model too much please - I've always thought it was just one of the coolest guitar designs ever. But I understand it's an acquired taste.)
Thanks for having me as a new member!
-j