Pondoro
Well-known member
I have a cedar 4x4 that is a cut-off, I got it free, it is construction lumber. I could rip a nice quartersawn neck out of one side. Would cedar work as a neck material? I know it is soft.
Thanks
Thanks
Cedar for a neck?
- Thread starter Pondoro
- Start date
Livetosculpt
Well-known member
I'm not an authority on the subject, but I do have a friend making necks out of Spanish cedar. He also has a number of instruments that were made for him in Mexico with Spanish cedar necks.
OP
OP
Pondoro
Well-known member
I should have clarified, I should have expected the confusion. Spanish cedar is not related to the softer cedar used in construction and also used as a tone wood. Spanish cedar is more like mahogany. What I have is the softwood type, but it is still pretty strong. I'm curious about its suitability as a neck material, I've not heard of it being used for that.
I acquired some Australian red cedar from an old house and was worried about using it for a neck as it was so soft. I really wanted to use the cedar as it was such a beautiful piece of timber and also to keep the timber used to Aussie grown. My solution was to laminate using Tasmanian Oak and Western Australian Jarrah , both hardwoods. Have a look at my thread Banjo Uke with a difference for the result.
Mike
Mike
David Newton
Well-known member
Western Red Cedar will work for a uke neck, it is very stable, a good varnish will keep the splinters at bay.
If it is construction material, it is likely pretty green, so cut out your blank, and let it season a bit, at least a month or two. Make the head as thick as you can.
Use a good fretboard, that will do quite a bit to bolster the neck. You know, uke necks really aren't under much stress, four little nylon strings are nothing.
If it is construction material, it is likely pretty green, so cut out your blank, and let it season a bit, at least a month or two. Make the head as thick as you can.
Use a good fretboard, that will do quite a bit to bolster the neck. You know, uke necks really aren't under much stress, four little nylon strings are nothing.
Timbuck
Well-known member
4 X 4...You can get two necks out of that. 
ukeeku
Well-known member
Not sure if it is the same. I have an aromatic cedar neck, but it has a walnut strip in the middle for added support.
OP
OP
Pondoro
Well-known member
4 X 4...You can get two necks out of that.
The grain gets weird as you go deeper into the block, so the second neck would have some wild grain. I think I might be better off making tonewood by slicing it thin, as suggested elsewhere by Prof Chris. It is not really 4x4, more like 3.75 x 3.75, so getting two side by side would be a trick.
BlackBearUkes
Well-known member
If Western Red cedar was a good neck wood, professional builders would be using it as it is plentiful and cheap. In my experience, it splits too easily, would dent easily, and if it were any good, spruce would be better. I would never use it, just my opinion.
David Newton
Well-known member
I would never use it either, but that wasn't the question.
There is a lot of difference between what a professional would do, and what CAN be done with a found piece of wood.
There is a lot of difference between what a professional would do, and what CAN be done with a found piece of wood.
BR Ukuleles
Well-known member
Personally, I wouldn't even dream of using Western Red Cedar for a neck. It's far too fragile and prone to dings and scratches for this task. Just because it was free or cheap doesn't make it a good choice.
As for Australian Red Cedar (toonis australis) it's perfectly alright to use for necks just on it's own. I've used it for steel string guitars. 2 Carbon Fibre rods plus a truss rod, just like I would for any other neck material. As well, I know a lot of Aussie luthiers that use it just on it's own for Uke necks, as well as the entire instrument short of fret boards and bridges.
As for Australian Red Cedar (toonis australis) it's perfectly alright to use for necks just on it's own. I've used it for steel string guitars. 2 Carbon Fibre rods plus a truss rod, just like I would for any other neck material. As well, I know a lot of Aussie luthiers that use it just on it's own for Uke necks, as well as the entire instrument short of fret boards and bridges.
Michael N.
Well-known member
Just about any wood is better than WRC as neck material. For the amount of work that goes into making a Ukulele you may as well use something a little more appropriate. There are literally dozens of alternatives. All the very common US woods like Maple, Cherry (especially good) and Walnut will be a much better choice. You could probably pick up an off cut from a furniture maker. It's probably not that important that it's quarter sawn either. Straightish grain, knot free and well seasoned is all that is required. The cost can't be more than a few dollars per Neck.
I did it, just to find out if it could be done.
This was WRC from the local builder's merchant, though fairly well quarter-sawn.
The neck didn't need to be this chunky, and the walnut stripe was overkill as well, so a cedar neck works structurally.
'
But, as others have said, it dents easily, splinters easily, and the curves are really hard to carve neatly - you can't see the neck/peghead transition properly in these pictures but it's not pretty.
I now know why I wouldn't use it again.
This was WRC from the local builder's merchant, though fairly well quarter-sawn.
The neck didn't need to be this chunky, and the walnut stripe was overkill as well, so a cedar neck works structurally.
'
But, as others have said, it dents easily, splinters easily, and the curves are really hard to carve neatly - you can't see the neck/peghead transition properly in these pictures but it's not pretty.
I now know why I wouldn't use it again.
David Newton
Well-known member
Well I concur, the WRC is a bad choice for a neck.
It is just that I'm averse to saying "no you can't use that wood" for most anything. I've had great success using alternative woods in my own building, and hate to be the nay-sayer.
BTW, I don't like WRC for anything except house siding, or fencing.
It is just that I'm averse to saying "no you can't use that wood" for most anything. I've had great success using alternative woods in my own building, and hate to be the nay-sayer.
BTW, I don't like WRC for anything except house siding, or fencing.