Author |
Topic: replace a round neck with a square neck? |
Ron Stroud
From: Ft. Worth, TX
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 9:18 am
|
|
I stumbled upon a new Chinese import steel body 14 fret round neck biscuit bridge guitar with a small split in the neck. The dealer was asking $200 for the guitar and HSC. I've been looking for a squareneck steel body biscuit bridge preferably 12 fret. I didn't think to measure the scale length but was wondering if it might be practical or cost-effective to buy this guitar and replace the round neck with a square neck. Any opinions? Is there a luthier in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area who might do the job? Obviously the reason I want to try this is to get the guitar I want and maybe save a few bucks. |
|
|
|
Brad Bechtel
From: San Francisco, CA
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 11:43 am
|
|
Depending on who made it, you might be able to buy a replacement neck with the same scale length. How about Loni Spector's Redneck?
------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
|
|
|
|
Mike D
From: Phx, Az
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 11:59 am
|
|
Probably run you a min. of $400 re-using the old fretboard. Lots of work in a metal body neck, plus finishing etc. A cheaper solution would probably be to fix the neck and put on a new nut.
------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
|
|
|
|
Russ Young
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 1:57 pm
|
|
If you really want a cheap 12-fret squareneck with a biscuit bridge, you might want to consider this Austin. I'm not sure what it retails for, but it will likely end up costing less than trying to put a new neck on a $200 guitar. |
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From: Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 4:47 pm
|
|
I don't understand why the shape of the neck is important. If you wanted to play it as a regular guitar I can understand, but if you're playing with a bar it makes no difference what shape the neck is. It certainly doesn't affect the tone. |
|
|
|
Jim Bates
From: Alvin, Texas, USA
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 5:17 pm
|
|
Take the simple, less costly approach. Put a nut extender, or whatever they are called, that most music catalogs have for around $5. This way you can play the round neck guitar just like a sqaure neck. I have a Dobro model 36 round neck with a metal nut extension on it for years - works great. I would not waste my time putting a new neck, that may be very difficult and expensive to fit, on a cheapie guitar.
Thanx,
Jim
|
|
|
|
Jim Bates
From: Alvin, Texas, USA
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 5:21 pm
|
|
Sorry, I misread your phrase about the exsiting neck having a split in it. If it can be repaired cheaply, then try the extension nut.
Also, a few months ago I bought a great new Chinese import metal body, biscuit bridge guitar for $300. Some of them you can buy with a square neck. Musician's Friend and others carry these imports.
Thanx,
Jim
|
|
|
|
Loni Specter
From: West Hills, CA, USA
|
Posted 23 Oct 2006 6:11 pm
|
|
Thanks for the plug brad, but to make a custom RedNeck to fit that guitar would be too expensive, over $400.
Alan, all things being equal, a square neck will have more sustain, and stable tuning do to it's ridgidity. It also sits better on the lap and has a wider nut for wider string spacing than a raised adapter
. Of course many players do play round necks, lap style with a raised nut and they sound fine. Kelly Joe Phelps and Harry Manx come to mind. (Harry does have a RedNeck Strat also)
I say buy the split neck guitar and super Glue it up and beat the hell out of it! |
|
|
|