Neck-to-Body Joint

by Garth Fleming

Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #74, 1978 and Lutherie Woods and Steel String Guitars, 1998

This method of joining the neck to the body was discovered by a violinmaker friend and is effective and reasonably easy to cut. It’s basically a straight mortise and tenon joint with an angle (a) added, which gives it a locking effect like a dovetail joint. The sides of the tenon are cut and the angle a is cut. If a tight fit is managed with the female section in the heel block, it makes a reliable joint. ◆