I hadn't thought about why the structural compromise in Gibson necks existed to such a specific degree. Although I understood a volute adds structural integrity, your drawing illuminated the inherent flaw in the Gibson design (and of course the infamous splayed tuning pegs being no end to tuning instability). One neck break on an SG I had was enough for me to disregard Gibsons in favour of more dependably built guitars.
So, my question for you is when you use a scarf joint, is there any additional strength added by incorporating a volute into the neck? Or is a volute more a preference instead of a necessity for durable headstock designs?
The truss rod channel at the angled headstock joint still presents an area of compromised strength. A volute leaves some wood at that very spot, so does add strength. Plus they look wicked. Thanks for the comment!
I agree, volutes look damn cool and they's always been my 'home base' guide when playing live. I've adjusted to liking knowing where the neck ends by feel on a dark stage.
Hmm, I hadn't considered the truss rod cavity as another structural compromise. Would having the truss rod adjusted at the neck/body joint near the neck pickup be a superior alternative to the traditional headstock adjustable truss rod?
I had one guitar designed this way and as a player I thought this was a better solution from an ease-of-use standpoint. No truss rod cover to remove, no de-mounting strings from the nut to adjust the neck tension.
Yeah I think having the business end of the truss rod down at the body would eliminate the issue at the headstock. Some fenders are like this, but you have to remove the dang neck to make adjustments. Not ideal. There are some truss rods that have a rotary mechanism thingy that allows you to adjust from the face of the fretboard. I may look into these one day.
The rotary wheel is what I was thinking of. I always thought removing a neck to adjust the truss rod would be a pain in the ass. Traditional engineering design be damned.
Anyways, looking forward to the next reports as guitar building (and new Agassiz music) progresses.
I wonder if there are examples of guitars out there where the blank was steam-bent to create the ideal grain direction without the compromise of a joint?
I hadn't thought about why the structural compromise in Gibson necks existed to such a specific degree. Although I understood a volute adds structural integrity, your drawing illuminated the inherent flaw in the Gibson design (and of course the infamous splayed tuning pegs being no end to tuning instability). One neck break on an SG I had was enough for me to disregard Gibsons in favour of more dependably built guitars.
So, my question for you is when you use a scarf joint, is there any additional strength added by incorporating a volute into the neck? Or is a volute more a preference instead of a necessity for durable headstock designs?
The truss rod channel at the angled headstock joint still presents an area of compromised strength. A volute leaves some wood at that very spot, so does add strength. Plus they look wicked. Thanks for the comment!
I agree, volutes look damn cool and they's always been my 'home base' guide when playing live. I've adjusted to liking knowing where the neck ends by feel on a dark stage.
Hmm, I hadn't considered the truss rod cavity as another structural compromise. Would having the truss rod adjusted at the neck/body joint near the neck pickup be a superior alternative to the traditional headstock adjustable truss rod?
I had one guitar designed this way and as a player I thought this was a better solution from an ease-of-use standpoint. No truss rod cover to remove, no de-mounting strings from the nut to adjust the neck tension.
Yeah I think having the business end of the truss rod down at the body would eliminate the issue at the headstock. Some fenders are like this, but you have to remove the dang neck to make adjustments. Not ideal. There are some truss rods that have a rotary mechanism thingy that allows you to adjust from the face of the fretboard. I may look into these one day.
The rotary wheel is what I was thinking of. I always thought removing a neck to adjust the truss rod would be a pain in the ass. Traditional engineering design be damned.
Anyways, looking forward to the next reports as guitar building (and new Agassiz music) progresses.
Thanks for the insights.
I wonder if there are examples of guitars out there where the blank was steam-bent to create the ideal grain direction without the compromise of a joint?