Pre-made Necks? (Selmer Modele Jazz - style [670mm scale])

bluemoves · December 2020

Is it possible to get pre-made necks for a Selmer Modele Jazz [petite bouche]-style guitar?

First time build.. too daunting to attempt truss rod etc. Would rather just go with a pre-built one if poss.

Thanks.

db5 · December 2020

I believe that there are a few to be found up on Reverb if you search "Selmer neck"...

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bluemoves · December 2020

Can't find a Selmer neck (except for a Saxophone!!)

Is there any scope for using a standard "acoustic guitar neck" and modifying to fit??

Bones · December 2020

The neck isn't that hard to make if you have the tools and some skills. You can buy pre slotted fingerboards which helps a lot.

bbwood_98 · December 2020

Blue Moves, you might reach out to a luthier to see what they would charge for this - but I think bones is right - If you don't have the Robert Benedetto book, his method (not the same dimensions) would be a good way to get at it. you might also check LMII.com (https://www.lmii.com/440-precarved-steel-string-necks) as a for instance; but man . .if money vs time is the concern, spend the time.

pdg · December 2020

Be careful of the scale length. You'd need a 670mm scale for the petite bouche, otherwise the bridge will end up in the wrong place in relation to the bracing of the guitar top. Most guitar necks (all but the long-scale GJ guitars) have the wrong scale length.

Bones · December 2020

Also you need to decide about 12 or 14 frets to body.

ChrisMartin · December 2020

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/104516#Comment_104516

That is not quite the way it works. If one was to try to marry a neck of given dimensions to a body originally designed for a different scale length then yes, the bridge will be in the wrong place, but 'bluemoves' was planning to use a pre-made neck to attach to a body of his own making so the bridge and braces are not yet fixed.

Some GJ guitars have a scale length anywhere between 640mm (my Di Mauro Modele Django 12 fret joint) and 680mm (Gitane DG320 for example). My Di Mauro St Louis has a 14 fret neck and a scale of 645mm but my 14 fret Castelluccia is 670mm so there is certainly no standard. Some folks consider the Selmer, or more specifically Django's #503 as the baseline by which all others are judged if you want to be really anal about it but that one had different bracing from the accepted standard.

No, the availability of a pre-made neck, your own abilities to make one, or even a neck that may have been salvaged from a damaged guitar will dictate one part of the dimensions. Then, if this theoretical neck does not yet have a fingerboard or frets, as Bones says, you have to decide if it will have a neck/body joint at the 12th or 14th fret (or even 13th like some Busatos). Only then can you determine where on the body the bridge will sit, and only from that dimension can you place the bracing. Whether you go with four or five braces for the top, or even just three like many Di Mauros will then have to be decided.

So for example if you can not find a pre-made neck that with 14 frets to the join gives you a scale length of 670mm but a more common size would be 645mm then you would need to measure the dimensions of the body and bracing of something like a Di Mauro St Louis to have the bridge in the right place.

If you feel up to making the neck yourself (and why not if you are ok to make the rest of it?) all I can suggest is for a first-time build either invest in one of the expert books, like the Collins 'bible' or the Barault material, but if you have some experience you may just get away with using the detailed plans available on this site at: https://www.djangobooks.com/Item/michael-collins-selmer-plans

Whatever you do keep us informed, us guitar nerds are always interested in what others are doing.

crookedpinky · December 2020

I bought some pre formed back and sides and a ready made neck from Alain Coia - apologies for not spelling the surname correctly.

The neck, which has an Altamira logo engraved into it, has a channel for a truss rod BUT it's too narrow for any of the truss rods I have so it still needs a bit of work. Also there is still a bit of shaping to be done around the heel in terms of shaping the actual heel, which is oversized and there is no dovetail so that still needs to be done.

I finished my first build in June this year and I used a Cumpiano joint for the neck, essentially a bolt on joint. I suppose it all depends on your woodworking skills and the equipment and facilities you have access to.

All I can say is plan, plan, plan but expect nothing to go according to those plans.

Bones · December 2020

I made a 14 fret D hole short scale and yes you need to be sure to accurately calculate where to put bracing, neck angle, bridge location and height, etc. Do your math, check your math, check it again, and again.... Then get out the tools and wood.