Expanding neck width?

[dtpolk]

Okay, I've done a lot of guitar work before, but this one stumps me; I've got a Walden D550 that sounds great, but the 1-5/8 wide neck is just too thin for my big hands. The neck is a bolt-on, and I'd like to replace it with something wider. But!! Nobody makes a bolt-on wider neck.

I can get a wider fingerboard, so I was thinking that maybe I could widen the neck itself somehow, and fit such a fingerboard. Of course, I've never done this type of thing before, but I really like the sound of this guitar.

Any ideas?? Thanks!

[Rodger Knox]

With enough time and money, it can be done. The chance of someone not familiar with building and repairing being able to get it right on the first try is slim at best.

You could remove the FB, splice on some wood to widen the neck, glue the FB back on, reshape and refinish the neck. It would be easier to build a new neck from scratch.

[tdq]

A friend of mine, a big fella, had this done to his guitar so I know it can be done. I have no idea how though!

[Ned Milburn]

Do you want thicker front to back, or wider fingerboard?

Each can be done, but each has idiosyncrasies/challenges to deal with.

It may be possible to find a replacement neck, but this too has challenges.

I usually recommend if people don't like the guitar (neck, tone, playability, etc), just cash it in and get another different one more to one's liking.

[Frank Ford]

Time to look for a different guitar. Your Walden isn't within the "value" range to support the kind of work needed - new neck, new fingerboard - that kind of thing. If you should succeed in converting the guitar the chances are you'll be looking for a better one soon because you'll become aware of other limitations.

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by dtpolk

I can get a wider fingerboard, so I was thinking that maybe I could widen the neck itself somehow, and fit such a fingerboard

If you are doing it for yourself then not a big deal, it’s your time your money, if you were a customer I would try to talk you out of it, only in reference to the value of the Guitar to start with, if say it was a Taylor 900 series or high end Martin, I wouldn’t talk you out of it as you know what you want and have considered the ramifications

You only have one clean option, This is as I have done it

pull fretboard remove truss rod, glue neck upside down on a flat board, pass it through a circular table saw in half down the centre, Inset a piece of opposing coloured wood like maple if the neck is mahogany, make it a feature, glue the Inset, smooth it out, fit new board,shape the heel refret paint etc job done

It sounds like a lot, but it’s actually pretty simple, the hardest bit is just reshaping the tenon for fitting into the body, that being said, IMO, it’s quicker to make a new neck, one can make a neck / fretted finished in a dedicated shop in around 3hrs total work

Steve

[s11141827]

I'm thinking about converting my 4 string Cigar Box Guitar into a 6 string so rather than make a new neck I could widen the existing neck by removing the fretboard, splicing on extra wood, & then making a new fretboard. I'll also have to make an extension for the headstock.

[printer2]

Originally Posted by mirwa

... one can make a neck / fretted finished in a dedicated shop in around 3hrs total work

Steve

One as in if your name is Steve.

[Hexcore]

For a bolt-on neck, this is totally do-able. Yet it is rarely done. The reason for that, simply, is that it's not worth it. There are many steps involved, and a high degree of skill (not to mention tools) required for many of them, making this a very high-cost undertaking if done professionally. It would be cheaper to have a custom neck made from scratch. This would exceed the value of your guitar. This operation is rarely performed on valuable guitars because it destroys resale value. I can think of some hillbilly approaches that would be cheaper but more obvious and unsightly, and even those require a fret job.

[phavriluk]

Steve, your experience and skill is showing!

'Pretty simple' if someone with experience who's done a dozen of these in a shop full of the right woodworking tools...

In 3 hours? I'd like to see a video of that, start to finish.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by dtpolk

The neck is a bolt-on, and I'd like to replace it with something wider. But!! Nobody makes a bolt-on wider neck.


Any ideas?? Thanks!

Bolt on 12 string necks are out there and wider than 1 5/8". I have one from an Epiphone 12 string guitar that collapsed. Find one, Cut the peghead down to 6 string and carve the neck down to your liking.

Heres an example

https://reverb.com/item/535198-epiph...ight-condition

[phavriluk]

Take Frank Ford's advice. Please.

[LFL Steve]

Originally Posted by dtpolk

Okay, I've done a lot of guitar work before, but this one stumps me; I've got a Walden D550 that sounds great, but the 1-5/8 wide neck is just too thin for my big hands. The neck is a bolt-on, and I'd like to replace it with something wider. But!! Nobody makes a bolt-on wider neck.

I can get a wider fingerboard, so I was thinking that maybe I could widen the neck itself somehow, and fit such a fingerboard. Of course, I've never done this type of thing before, but I really like the sound of this guitar.

Any ideas?? Thanks!

This sounds like a fun project!
I think this is viable, if you accept a few givens:
1. Relatively inexpensive guitar so not much investment to risk
2. Might be a total loss as an instrument, but definitely a fun technical challenge
3. Might feel fine, sound fine, be ugly
4. Might be weirdly successful after all.

If you're OK with all of those, it might be fun to get the wider fingerboard, and simply replace the existing one with the new one. The back of the neck won't be rounded to match the fingerboard width, but try it and see how it feels. Might be just fine. If you don't like it, fill in the crease with wood putty. Sand and paint.

And definitely, capture the adventure with photos and report back.

Wacky adventures are sometimes the best kind!

You HAVE to do this! From a fellow weirdo, Good Luck!

[leew3]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

Take Frank Ford's advice. Please.

+2 for this one.

[troutmiester]

Pretty sure the higher end Walden’s have a wider neck…