Neck Veneer?

[hamerhead]

The older I get the more I like fatter necks. It kinda sucks because my old Special and now my LP have necks that keep feeling smaller and smaller, especially when compared to my Hamer Junior and my Shishkov. So the pea that resides in my skull starts thinking, "What if....".

What if you took some sort of veneer with a mild adhesive (like painter's tape) and stuck it on the back of the neck to fatten it up? It would be removable (so no permanent modification or damage) and could be layered for the desired thickness. I would think a person could sell a bazillion of these.

Has somebody already tried that (couldn't find it with a Google search)? Would it work? Would the person who does it successfully cut me in?

Thoughts?

[murkat]

does not work.

[hamerhead]

OK Mr. SmartyPants - Why?

[Dave Scepter]

2 minutes ago, hamerhead said:

OK Mr. SmartyPants - Why?

Cuz it's stupid 🤣

 

 

Just kidding😜

[Travis]

Duct tape. Layers and layers of duct tape....

 

 

 

 

in all seriousness, this is a fantastic question IMO. I love my Mirages and the mid 90’s Hamer medium neck carve is comfortable. But, I LOVE fat necks. Like a full inch front to back all along the neck. If my Mirages had a neck carve like that I doubt I would ever buy another guitar again. 
 

 

 

ok, that’s a lie. But I tell myself that would be the case knowing full well it’s hypothetical. 
 

[hamerhead]

1 minute ago, Dave Scepter said:

Cuz it's stupid 🤣

I mean....besides that?

[Dave Scepter]

9 minutes ago, hamerhead said:

I mean....besides that?

Well for one,  It would act like a tone dampener..  Keeping the neck from resonating to the body

2)  It would be difficult to match the contours of your back but not impossible I guess

3)  It would feel really weird, what material would you use?

But hey, you should  experiment and make one...  You could have a multi million dollar idea...  I personally wouldn't buy one only because neck thicknesses really don't bother me that much "as much as nut width or fretboard radius"

[hamerhead]

I didn't consider the dampening part but it makes sense.

If it's pliable enough it would conform to the contour. And most necks have some sort of finish, so I think the feel could be worked out. Some type of plastic with a wood grain texture?

Travis is right - duct tape.

[gtrdaddy]

Lookie here: the answer is sell those needle-dick neck guitars to someone who will enjoy them more. Use newly found wampum to acquire a new ride or two. Much more fun and satisfying than duct tape.

...besides, can you even begin to imagine the colossal muckity-muck mess you're going to have once all that spooge on your hands begins to congeal with that duct tape glue? Ooofah Tim!

[Dave Scepter]

I forgot to mention that I really do love your open, creative, Innovative mind... 

[django49]

Bondo.

[stobro]

How about a fingerless glove with a padded palm? Why modify the guitar? Modify the player instead!

https://www.amazon.com/Hugger-Affordable-Padded-Fingerless-Motorcycle/dp/B07CRCLHGN

[Dave Scepter]

Or how bout strategically placed bee stings to swell the Palm of your hand?🤣

[gtrdaddy]

1 hour ago, Dave Scepter said:

Or how bout strategically placed bee stings to swell the Palm of your hand?🤣

Perhaps Botox injections would be less painful?

[topekatj]

Play more, think less

[hamerhead]

4 hours ago, topekatj said:

Play more, think less

That's what started this in the first place - I AM playing more, but I'm pretty bummed at the thought of selling off my first Hamer because the neck, while not a pencil by any means, really raises hell with my left hand after an hour or so. My Les Paul is only slightly larger, so that's 2 of my favorite guitars that would really benefit from some kind of neck embiggening.

Scoff if you must, but I remain hopeful. 

[topekatj]

No scoff intended! Believe me when I say I know those old 'keepers' have a lot of history for us -- I know it to be true! Speaking for myself, I'd be 80 Y.O. If I bought another 'keeper' to hang onto for another 20 years. I say we sell whatever isn't working for us while it's a seller's market and keep an eye out for a new big necked keeper! Life is finite and we deserve to love the sh!t outta whatever we play! 'Nuff said by me. 

[hamerhead]

8 hours ago, topekatj said:

....I'd be 80 Y.O. If I bought another 'keeper' to hang onto for another 20 years.....

Yeah, me too!

It's just so hard to turn loose the ones that have been around for 30+ years. They've been my security blanket. Plus, they're pretty good guitars to have lasted here so long.

Still hopeful....

[stobro]

If the guitar was already a candidate for a new fingerboard you could investigate having an extra-thick fingerboard installed to effectively beef up the neck profile. Or possibly add a shim that matched the neck wood under the new standard thickness fingerboard. You'd have to adjust the bridge and pickups to compensate for the extra thickness. If the current fingerboard is fine, you'd have to really be committed to that particular guitar to make such a drastic and expensive modification.

[Dave Scepter]

15 minutes ago, stobro said:

 extra-thick fingerboard installed to effectively beef up the neck profile. Or possibly add a shim that matched the neck wood under the new standard thickness fingerboard. You'd have to adjust the bridge and pickups to compensate for the extra thickness. 

  Not to mention adjusting neck relief be compromised

[murkat]

23 hours ago, hamerhead said:

Why?

the guitar neck moves, bends, contracts, expands. there's a truss rod in there too (mostly) for tension adjustment.

So, when you add a stick to the bundle, the bundle becomes more rigid.

But,... it can be done, you will have less adjust ability and more un certainy.

[hamerhead]

Dammit, Jay! Throwing reality on my dream - on a Monday - really hurts.

[Dave Scepter]

1 hour ago, hamerhead said:

Dammit, Jay! Throwing reality on my dream - on a Monday - really hurts.

 We are just trying to save you from massive embarrassment on Shark Tank 🤣

[hamerhead]

Hmmmmm........Mr. Wonderful plays guitar................

[Steve Haynie]

2 hours ago, hamerhead said:

Dammit, Jay! Throwing reality on my dream - on a Monday - really hurts.

Jay just saved you time and money. 

[hamerhead]

So you'd think.