Guitar neck shaving is a process that thins down the back of a guitar neck to make it more comfortable to play. It’s a good option for professional players who want to be more comfortable while performing.
Why shave a guitar neck?
- Comfort
A thicker neck can be uncomfortable to play, especially with small hands during live performances. - Sound
A thicker neck might affect the sound of the guitar, but only when it’s not plugged in to an amp. - Potential drawbacks:
- Shaving a guitar neck might not improve the resale value of the instrument. It does however, vastly improve the playability.
- Collectors often value flaws in an instrument, so shaving it might reduce its value.
How is a guitar neck shaved?
- A custom guitar shop can shave the neck to a desired thickness between the frets.
- After the guitar neck shaving process, a finish is applied to prevent moisture from absorbing into the wood.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to inquire about Guitar Neck Shaving for your acoustic and electric guitar necks!
Need a better and more comfortable playing feel on your neck?
The guitar neck shaving process in the Haywire Custom Guitars-Custom Shop for max hand comfort is for You!
Guitar neck shaving, thinning or reshaping a guitar neck, re-profiling a guitar neck or shaping and duplicating guitar necks? We do it all as a result, you feel more comfortable with your guitar.
Therefore, when you have an electric or acoustic guitar neck that you just love but it’s a bit too thick, we’ll shave it for you.
How To Communicate the Neck Outcome You’d Like?
The best way to communicate what you need is to either work with specs from your existing neck or send a neck along with the one you’d like shaved. Ideally the sample neck you send should be what you’d liked duplicated on the neck to be shaved. We can duplicate any guitar necks you have.
If you want to us to work from an existing neck, then move the strings off of the fret board and take thickness measurements with a digital caliper in between the frets on the wood. We do this every time a neck comes into the shop. Take the sample thicknesses from-1st fret 3rd 5th 7th 9th 12th frets.View Page
From those measurements we’ll be able to determine how much you need removed to make it a better playing neck for you. Similarly, we use those thickness numbers to work as a blueprint on your guitar.
What would help immensely, if you can do it, is to identify a neck that you just love and measure it.
Measuring a neck that you like:
Using a pair of digital calipers.
Take measurements from dead center of each fret section.
1)- Move the strings off the fretboard
2)- Measure between the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th frets
3)- Record and send me the measurements of your favorite neck and we’ll duplicate it for you.
Send your desired thickness in between the frets on the 1, 3, 5, 7, 9th and 12th frets and we’ll fill in the blanks. I want to assure you it will be in good hands here in the Haywire Custom Shop.
Here is a typical example of the info we share with you when we get your neck in the shop to be shaved:
The specs as it came into the shop are as follows:
1st fret 3rd 5th 7th 9th 12th
After guitar neck shaving here are the new specs as follows:
1st fret 3rd 5th 7th 9th 12th
In the same way, we can get the reduction as close as possible within a few thousandths of what you need removed.
There are other ways to communicate your desired result, such as simply: “I’d like a 20% reduction” and we can do that.
The more specific you can be with your request, then the better the outcome will be. We can duplicate anything you send us as well.
The other consideration is the back profile and if you’d like it to stay the same or if you want a change.
Guitar Neck: Back Profiles
What is a “neck profile?” It simply refers to the shape of the back of a guitar neck. It’s also referred to as the neck “back shape.”
You can find neck and back profiles here: https://haywirecustomguitars.com/guitar-neck-replacement/
Just send a check for your guitar neck shaving ($135.00) and/or setup ($45) plus $26 return shipping per guitar/neck back to you will get guitar neck shaving done to a thickness more comfortable for you.
If you’d like a setup, then send the whole guitar. Detail what you’d like done as far as shaving if you know the measurements.
We’ll also replace the finish on the back to help preserve the wood and keep it smooth and beautiful.
Best of all, no waiting. We work on the neck as soon as it gets here. The turnaround time is 2 days or less from when we receive it.
2 things to remember when shipping to us:
Firstly, forget buying “signature required” services and save your money. Our postal carriers know where to leave your neck safely and securely.
Second, if you do not want to remove your tuners that is fine. Please let us know if the tuners are designed with moving, delicate, unscrewing things that can drop off or get lost. String barrels that disappear or any other parts that you know could possibly loosen up, please remind us. We can tape up the tuners before work is performed. In that way, we won’t lose parts and you won’t be disappointed. A small heads-up goes a long way. We want to make sure you are completely happy!
These tips will save you money, save time by getting us the neck sooner and delivered safely and fully intact. Remember: “We are musicians working for musicians”. Thanks for asking us to work for you”.
Send your neck or guitar to us here:
Rick Mariner c/o Haywire Custom Guitars Inc.
Haywire Custom Shop
2007 Lees Landing Circle
Conway, SC 29526
http://haywirecustomguitars.com 843-347-5742
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