Thread: One piece neck - no fingerboard

Gday Steve,

I'll have a go at answering this, i'll have to word it correctly or i'll have the whole Forum jump on me haha.

You have it right, it is easier & some may say cheaper to produce the single timber necks on a production line & by hand crafting. This is not to say that it will sound worse.
Tone wise or sound wise it will sound different than say a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard on "nearly" all guitars.
This depends a lot on the species of the timber body & how it is configured.

If you prefer or like the sound of your guitar with the single piece neck then there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, except maybe that over time they tend to look a bit dirty with wear.
Keep it clean & wipe it down all the time as you would do with any neck.

I have attached a picture of one of mine that has seen a lot of playing & the wear is evident.

WayneW
Linguist Guitars

this method of neck construction was pioneered by leo fender in the fullerton factory in the late 40's for his prototype electric spanish guitar - this instrument developed into the fender esquire and broadcaster [later renamed telecaster] electric spanish guitars - the rest is history

why?? it was cheaper to build a neck that way - leo fender never wasted a thing especially production time - he found the neck worked mecahnically and musically very well and was accepted by the palyers who bought his early guitars

The prototypes, the esquires and some broadcasters were built without a trussrod. The distribution manager, don randall battled with leo fender over the inclusion of a truss rod as it was being used by their competitors giving them an edge in the fledgeling electric guitar market - also apparently some had been returned to fender under warranty with warped necks -

finally leo agreed although he really felt it was a waste - he was convinced that the no trussrod neck would work - in the deal that was done he did however get his cherished dual pickup broadcaster listed in the marketing blurb as the flagship guitar instead of the single pickup esquire

interestingly, replicas of the first esquires have been built by highly respected luthiers as well as amatuers -including the no trussrod neck and it has been said that these guitars have a tone that surpasses guitars using the trussrod neck

there is a poster in this forum that builds necks sans the trussrod

Thanks Wayne and Ray,

I guess that answers my question. I suppose the best way of determining the difference between a one piece without a fingerboard and one with, would be to build one of each and have a listen.

Thanks for the info.

Steve

Originally Posted by bunchan

Thanks Wayne and Ray,

I guess that answers my question. I suppose the best way of determining the difference between a one piece without a fingerboard and one with, would be to build one of each and have a listen.

Thanks for the info.

Steve

it is a widely held belief that the 1 piece maple is a little brighter than the 2 piece rosewood - the difference isnt too much in my experience - an ebony fingerboard is said to be brighter than the rosewood boards as well

if you dont like the tone of your guitar and swap the 1 piece maple for a 2 piece rosewood maple it might sound better or worse -

its more about how the neck and the body resonate together than the construction method and materials in the neck - some necks and bodies just dont work well together - a neck change may help to get a better tone