Has anyone had their fat Gibson neck shaved down?

[Anje]

One of my all time favorite guitars, an old '76 LE Explorer, had its neck shaved down to a '64 style profile with raw/oiled wood finish. Made it perfect to me.
I'd say do it if you really like that particular guitar and find it special to you.
A good luthier will make it feel and look great, to your particular specs with the type of finish you want.

 

[skoora]

I do think if you can find a buyer for a fair / reasonable price for the LP Special, you will be money ahead on this deal. And shopping for a new guitar is always a good time! I totally agree with your concern about truss rod placement. I honestly do not know if there is a device that would allow a measurement to be taken through the meat of the back of the neck to the hollow-out for the truss rod channel. (I am thinking of some variation of 'paint meters' that measure the depth of auto paint before wet-sanding or paint correction.) If it is possible, I would let a luthier do it - which is additional cost - and then the guitar would never have the same resale value. I kind of like the idea of looking for a buyer on this one and shopping for a replacement.

In this instance shopping for another guitar wouldn’t be that much fun. This model and color is pretty much what I wanted and I don’t care for the necks on most other P-90 Gibson’s I’ve played. I’ve had an SG special before and it lacked body in the sound compared to in a LP body.
I thought I could get used to the fatter neck but it’s been pretty fatiguing to play. This neck makes my hand tired but the 60’s neck Gibson does makes my hand actually get cramps and feel discomfort after a while.
I wish there was a Plek machine for the neck profiles and I could input my V as a source shape and it just knock out the carve and smoothing on the Special.

 

[PDC]

In this instance shopping for another guitar wouldn’t be that much fun. This model and color is pretty much what I wanted and I don’t care for the necks on most other P-90 Gibson’s I’ve played.

Then there's that. If you know you love everything about this guitar and if the neck is not too far from a more comfortable profile, I'd take it to a trusted luthier or repairman and see what they say about taking a bit of meat out of the back of the neck.

Here is a 'thought' - and I am typing and thinking at the same time so I accept that it may be a really bad idea... I am visualizing the absolute thinnest drill bit in my bit box and turning it in the slowest possible setting into the dead center of the back of the neck until you feel it reach the truss rod channel - then measure the depth. A really small hole can be filled with epoxy, smoothed and stained and likely look like part of the grain. But that might be a way to see how much wood you have to work with on the back of the neck before reaching the truss rod channel.

And I just ran into this thread on a FB Luthier's page - I guess my idea of a super thin drill bit wasn't to crazy??

 

[Geo]

Sandpaper is your friend.

 

[creep66]

I have sanded the neck down significantly on my les paul. I was young and didn't realize the rod could pop through. It worked fine though, much smaller and I just rubbed tung oil on it. A real luthier will drill a miniscule hole in the neck so they can depth check it. Then they know how much they can shave off. Its not cheap though.

 

[CrystalSky]

I have sanded the neck down significantly on my les paul. I was young and didn't realize the rod could pop through. It worked fine though, much smaller and I just rubbed tung oil on it. A real luthier will drill a miniscule hole in the neck so they can depth check it. Then they know how much they can shave off. Its not cheap though.

Or just x-ray it

 

[Anje]

I think an experienced luthier will know enough his Gibson details to be able to reshape the neck while making sure not to run into trusrod issue; especially if we're talking about slightly bringing it down to another kind of standard slimmer Gibson neck shape.
I would not worry too much about that..

 

[chris lykins]

How did they leave the neck in terms of finish or paint?

They put on an oil finish and left the top of the finish near the headstock and shaped it like a stinger

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Then there's that. If you know you love everything about this guitar and if the neck is not too far from a more comfortable profile, I'd take it to a trusted luthier or repairman and see what they say about taking a bit of meat out of the back of the neck.

Here is a 'thought' - and I am typing and thinking at the same time so I accept that it may be a really bad idea... I am visualizing the absolute thinnest drill bit in my bit box and turning it in the slowest possible setting into the dead center of the back of the neck until you feel it reach the truss rod channel - then measure the depth. A really small hole can be filled with epoxy, smoothed and stained and likely look like part of the grain. But that might be a way to see how much wood you have to work with on the back of the neck before reaching the truss rod channel.

And I just ran into this thread on a FB Luthier's page - I guess my idea of a super thin drill bit wasn't to crazy??

Having a luthier perform this, and attempting it yourself are two totally different things. If the luthier goes a little too hard and separates your truss rod from the neck, then they can steam the fret board off, repair the damage, and replace the fret board. If you do it, then you're stuck paying them to do the repair. It won't be cheap.

Also, shouldn't the truss rod depth from the bottom of the fretboard be pretty much the same on all Gibsons? If you know the depth their channel is standardly routed to, then you should be able to figure out how much room you have to play with.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Just a thought, but maybe going to the luthier/repair section of the Les Paul forum might give you the answer.

 

[skoora]

Just a thought, but maybe going to the luthier/repair section of the Les Paul forum might give you the answer.

I’ve seen enough online of people doing it successfully and liking it I’m going to do it if it doesn’t cost too much. I’m shooting for an R9 profile that they’ve used for the last several years. Every time I pick up one in a Platinum room I dig the feel. Not as fat as a 50’s standard neck but definitely more than the slim taper 60’s.

 

[vultures]

I've done it on lots of guitars.

• Measure the neck thickness with a micrometer with the strings off at the 1st fret. Example: 20.7mm
• Remove the nut, use shims/feeler gauges to shim up to the same height as the top of the fretboard.
• Use the plunger of the micrometer to measure the top of the shims/feelers/top of fretboard to the bottom of the truss rod cavity. Example: 15mm
• You now have 5.7mm you can play with. I add a buffer of at LEAST 1/8th" or 3.5mm of wood so the neck won't crack. Do the math: 20.7mm - 15mm - 3.5mm. You now have 2.2mm I would safely remove from the neck.
• The biggest difference with reprofiling is less about thickness and more about removing shoulders. Fat necks have big wide shoulders. Taking a fat neck down to a slim comfy soft C profile makes a huge difference.
• Don't use files or rasps. Use sandpaper, it will take several hours your first time. It can take me 1-2 hours now. Start with 120 to get the bulk out, measuring constantly. Once you're close move up to 220, 300, 400, 600, 800. Even 800 is too far, you won't get any benefit past that, most finishes won't penetrate if you sand too high.

I have previously used danish oil, let it cure and wax it down. Necks come out pretty nice. I've recently started using Odie's Oil Universal Oil. You will NOT find a finish smoother and easier to apply than this. It feels so god damn good. Clean wood with mineral spirits. Wait for Dry. Slather Odie's Oil on for 2 hours. Wipe it down. Let it cure for 24 hours. Apply 2nd coat if desired. Burnish it with a polishing cloth.

 

[Findthetone1]

The current Les Paul Juniors and Special DCs are both slim 60s necks. I think the Special is a GC only for now, but you might want to look into those before shaving the neck.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I've done it on lots of guitars.

• Measure the neck thickness with a micrometer with the strings off at the 1st fret.
• Remove the nut, use shims/feeler gauges to shim up to the same height as the top of the fretboard. Example: 20.7mm
• Use the plunger of the micrometer to measure the top of the shims/feelers/top of fretboard to the bottom of the truss rod cavity. Example: 15mm
• You now have 5.7mm you can play with. I add a buffer of at LEAST 1/8th" or 3.5mm of wood so the neck won't crack. Do the math: 20.7mm - 15mm - 3.5mm. You now have 2.2mm I would safely remove from the neck.
• The biggest difference with reprofiling is less about thickness and more about removing shoulders. Fat necks have big wide shoulders. Taking a fat neck down to a slim comfy soft C profile makes a huge difference.
• Don't use files or rasps. Use sandpaper, it will take several hours your first time. It can take me 1-2 hours now. Start with 120 to get the bulk out, measuring constantly. Once you're close move up to 220, 300, 400, 600, 800. Even 800 is too far, you won't get any benefit past that, most finishes won't penetrate if you sand too high.

I have previously used danish oil, let it cure and wax it down. Necks come out pretty nice. I've recently started using Odie's Oil Universal Oil. You will NOT find a finish smoother and easier to apply than this. It feels so god damn good. Clean wood with mineral spirits. Wait for Dry. Slather Odie's Oil on for 2 hours. Wipe it down. Let it cure for 24 hours. Apply 2nd coat if desired. Burnish it with a polishing cloth.

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I did this to my lp neck and love it. Mine was an old beater and I stripped everything off of the neck and sanded it and waxed it up. Love it!

For rhe thread, hire a luthier. It is your best bet to get what you want. If you want to hand shape it, use a rasp/files and paper.

 

[inyarak74]

no, i smashed my pinky into a nub when i was a kid, and that messed up the ligaments from my finger to my elbow as my hand was still growing, now my hand wants to be in a clenched fist position all the time, so trying to stretch my fretting hand much just dosent work. Most guitars i get by ok, but my LP puts my wrist and hand in the total worst position to where i just cramp up and get these weird pops in my wrist that scare me.

Damn dude, you’re like iommi, or Django. Like them it sure doesn’t affect your ability to play!

 

[inyarak74]

Sorry to hear that man. I hope you find a way to make it work. A side effect of my problem causes me to basically get tendonitis everywhere. I get those loud pops in my strum elbow. They are so loud, the cats jump off the couch and run for cover.

Damn. I’ve have surgery on both shoulder (rotator cuff) thankfully had a good surgeon, full range of motion, but I get those times on the fretting hand where a certain position I’ll get the electric zap feeling

 

[skoora]

The current Les Paul Juniors and Special DCs are both slim 60s necks. I think the Special is a GC only for now, but you might want to look into those before shaving the neck.

I don’t like the 60’s slim taper neck. It makes my hand cramp.

 

[Findthetone1]

I don’t like the 60’s slim taper neck. It makes my hand cramp.

Ah, you did say that. Sorry. So something more in between. Shaving is probably going to be the best option. Hopefully you find a good luthier that will do it.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I've done it on lots of guitars.

• Measure the neck thickness with a micrometer with the strings off at the 1st fret.
• Remove the nut, use shims/feeler gauges to shim up to the same height as the top of the fretboard. Example: 20.7mm
• Use the plunger of the micrometer to measure the top of the shims/feelers/top of fretboard to the bottom of the truss rod cavity. Example: 15mm
• You now have 5.7mm you can play with. I add a buffer of at LEAST 1/8th" or 3.5mm of wood so the neck won't crack. Do the math: 20.7mm - 15mm - 3.5mm. You now have 2.2mm I would safely remove from the neck.
• The biggest difference with reprofiling is less about thickness and more about removing shoulders. Fat necks have big wide shoulders. Taking a fat neck down to a slim comfy soft C profile makes a huge difference.
• Don't use files or rasps. Use sandpaper, it will take several hours your first time. It can take me 1-2 hours now. Start with 120 to get the bulk out, measuring constantly. Once you're close move up to 220, 300, 400, 600, 800. Even 800 is too far, you won't get any benefit past that, most finishes won't penetrate if you sand too high.

I have previously used danish oil, let it cure and wax it down. Necks come out pretty nice. I've recently started using Odie's Oil Universal Oil. You will NOT find a finish smoother and easier to apply than this. It feels so god damn good. Clean wood with mineral spirits. Wait for Dry. Slather Odie's Oil on for 2 hours. Wipe it down. Let it cure for 24 hours. Apply 2nd coat if desired. Burnish it with a polishing cloth.

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This is such a better idea then drilling into a perfectly good neck. Great info.

 

[Detroit1973]

no but i am Circumcised does that count?