Matching the fretboard to the neck, or vice versa

[Mitch]

I have a SM dread kit that came with a pre-shaped neck. The neck tapers from 1-3/4" to 2-1/4". Do I:

1) Trace the neck shape to the fretboard, and then saw, file, plane, etc. the fretboard to match the neck shape
or
2) Cut the fretboard to a given size, then sand, file, etc. the neck to match the fretboard shape?

Strangely, the SM video says to do 1), but the booklet say to do 2)!

Thanks,

Mitch

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Hopefully your neck is over width enough to shape your fretboard to the desired width/taper, then center it on your neck, and eventually attach it and bring the neck down flush with the fretboard. The shape of the neck is predicated on your fretboard.

Kevin

[tippie53]

personally I start all my builds with the fretboard. I taper it and size it. Everything on a guitar is plotted from the fretboard , scale length , saddle position and braces.

[Mitch]

Makes sense.

Thanks to all

Mitch