can you change the size of a neck on a guitar?

Question

the width? if you created your own?

Answer 1

You can do it, or you can get a luthier to do it, but it is usually easier to find a guitar with the size neck you need. The only way to find out if it is worth your time (or should I say your money) is to take that guitar to a competent luthier and tell him or her what you need. You will get a price and that will help determine your answer. Before you go in, find out:

1. What a guitar with the size neck you need will cost you

2. What the quality and value of the guitar you want to modify is

3. How modifying it will affect that quality and value (if it is a vintage guitar, or an antique, you may not want to alter it due to it's historic value)

weigh that information against what the luthier tells you. It is unlikely that the sound will be affected much by this type of a modification, but you may not like the result so one thing that you have to do during the process is to go back and try that neck before the guitar is modified if possible. If it isn't possible, then ask to play a guitar with a similar neck . Best of luck no matter what you final decision is. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure you can't. It requires a lot of woodworking skill to build a guitar neck (including installing a truss rod), figure out the fret spacing so that the intonation is accurate, and so on. Not a project for an amateur I would think.

On acoustic guitars, the neck fits into a dovetail joint in the heel -- again, carving the dovetail and fitting it into the heel wouldn't be something an amateur would be likely to do properly - and the dovetail joint would be cut to accomodate a neck of a specific width, so a narrower or wider neck wouldn't fit properly.

On a lot of electric guitars, the neck is bolted on, so its easier to take off and put back on, but still, unless you're an experienced craftsperson, its still not easy to carve your own guitar neck.

If you're dissatisfied with the width of your guitar's neck, I'd suggest you buy a new guitar and sell this one. It would be a lot easier than trying to make a new neck and maybe messing up the guitar trying to install it.

Answer 3

I doubt it would be worth the trouble but it is technically possible. Better to get another guitar. You would have to also change the nut and the bridge too.

Answer 4

Sounds costly and something you would need a luthier to do- get a diff guitar.

Answer 5

Yeah, Good luck.

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/i-5200.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/i-4737.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/i-4005.html