Real Neck or "Stick"?

Jerryc41 · Dec 25, 2020

I'm mentally planning a uke based on a license plate, and I'm wondering if I should use a ready-made neck or a stick that runs right through the box.

I'm leaning toward the regular neck because of the looks, but so many builders of primitive instruments just have the piece of wood running from the headstock through the bottom of the body. I have fretboards I would use on either type.

I'm not looking for you to decide for me - just thinking out loud.

Croaky Keith · Dec 25, 2020

Likely a quicker build if you use a through stick.

Jerryc41 · Dec 25, 2020

Croaky Keith said:
Likely a quicker build if you use a through stick.

Funny. I thought it would be just the opposite. I'm still at the thinking stage.

Arcy · Dec 26, 2020

I was wondering the same thing while banging on a license plate instrument to is fall. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each. Is there an audible or structural difference? Does the stick through provide support that’s needed for a cigar box? Is the difference primarily different traditions? Are we in neck-through vs set neck vs bolt-on territory? The uncarved traditional cigar-box stick through would be easier than carving a neck, but that advantage gets lost once you get fancy and start carving.

Paul Bouchard · Dec 26, 2020

I think a through neck is going to give you more latitude in how you construct your body. A bolt-on would require that the soundboard be glued to the sides to create the sort of secure, rigid box that won't fold up under tension. When the resonating surface is a non-wood material that can’t be glued down, you've got a sort of open sided box and you'll want a through neck to carry the string tension. Old National ukes (even with a metal body) have a through neck, like banjos. I would suppose that cigar boxes, especially with longer scale strings, aren’t all that structurally reliable.

Jerryc41 · Dec 26, 2020

Paul Bouchard said:
I think a through neck is going to give you more latitude in how you construct your body. A bolt-on would require that the soundboard be glued to the sides to create the sort of secure, rigid box that won't fold up under tension. When the resonating surface is a non-wood material that can’t be glued down, you've got a sort of open sided box and you'll want a through neck to carry the string tension. Old National ukes (even with a metal body) have a through neck, like banjos. I would suppose that cigar boxes, especially with longer scale strings, aren’t all that structurally reliable.

One or two internal supports, like they use on banjo ukes, should give it enough support. Even with the straight stick, there would still have to be a bend at the headstock - 15

Uke-alot · Dec 26, 2020

Paul Bouchard said:
I think a through neck is going to give you more latitude in how you construct your body. A bolt-on would require that the soundboard be glued to the sides to create the sort of secure, rigid box that won't fold up under tension. When the resonating surface is a non-wood material that can’t be glued down, you've got a sort of open sided box and you'll want a through neck to carry the string tension. Old National ukes (even with a metal body) have a through neck, like banjos. I would suppose that cigar boxes, especially with longer scale strings, aren’t all that structurally reliable.

A metal license plate can be glued to the sides, with epoxy probably being the best choice. Although license plates may have beveled edges that could complicate the gluing a bit. Or the plate could be captured in a thin dado within the box (maybe also glued in with epoxy).

Banjo ukuleles don't necessarily need a dowel or rod spanning the pot. The relatively light pull of nylon strings isn't too much even for light hand drum-based pots. So I don't think a through neck is absolutely needed as long as the box is reasonably solid.

Jerryc41 · Dec 27, 2020

Uke-alot said:
A metal license plate can be glued to the sides, with epoxy probably being the best choice. Although license plates may have beveled edges that could complicate the gluing a bit. Or the plate could be captured in a thin dado within the box (maybe also glued in with epoxy).

Banjo ukuleles don't necessarily need a dowel or rod spanning the pot. The relatively light pull of nylon strings isn't too much even for light hand drum-based pots. So I don't think a through neck is absolutely needed as long as the box is reasonably solid.

Thanks. I'm planning to glue four posts inside the box and screw the plate to that. If I go with the "stick neck," I'll have to think about the height f the neck in relation to the body. In a traditional uke, the fretboard lies on top of the body. I'll see what the online builders have done.

Doc_J · Dec 27, 2020

Well, the fastest build would be to buy the neck and license plate box from MBG. Might as well get the bridge and tailpiece there too. You could have the whole thing together very quickly.

But if you are trying to make your own design/build and starting with a Poplar stick from Home Depot might be the way to go. Could be more expensive if you need fretting tools/equipment.

Jerryc41 · Dec 27, 2020

Doc_J said:
Well, the fastest build would be to buy the neck and license plate box from MBG. Might as well get the bridge and tailpiece there too. You could have the whole thing together very quickly.

But if you are trying to make your own design/build and starting with a polar stick from Home Depot might be the way to go. Could be more expensive if you need fretting tools/equipment.

I'll make the box, maybe the bridge, maybe the tailpiece if I use the stick method. I have a bunch of ready-made neck/fretboard combinations I could also use. If I make my own neck, I could use a ready-made fretboard, or I could cut my own slots and frets. That would require a lot more time and work. I have a fretting say, hammer, and lots of fret wire. Up above you said "polar stick." Was that a typo?

Doc_J · Dec 27, 2020

Jerryc41 said:
I'll make the box, maybe the bridge, maybe the tailpiece if I use the stick method. I have a bunch of ready-made neck/fretboard combinations I could also use. If I make my own neck, I could use a ready-made fretboard, or I could cut my own slots and frets. That would require a lot more time and work. I have a fretting say, hammer, and lots of fret wire. Up above you said "polar stick." Was that a typo?

My spell checker is annoyingly aggressive. Sorry, That should have been Poplar not polar.

Won’t you also need a fretting jaw jig, fret nippers, leveling file, beveling file, recrown file, fret end file(s)?

Jerryc41 · Dec 27, 2020

Doc_J said:
My spell checker is annoyingly aggressive. Sorry, That should have been Poplar not polar.

Won’t you also need a fretting jaw jig, fret nippers, leveling file, beveling file, recrown file, fret end file(s)?

Yes, and Stewart-MacDonald loves me. I think I got some things from CBGitty, too.

Real Neck or "Stick"?

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Arcy

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