1 Piece Constructed Neck
Made from one piece of wood (1-piece neck), featuring a “skunk stripe” on its rear. It also features a teardrop-shaped “plug” on its headstock.
2 Piece Constructed Neck
If you happen to be looking for a neck with a separate fingerboard, such as a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard.
These are charges that are reserved for special circumstances and incidentals that are not accounted for on our main order menus. Please do not use this page unless directed by Musikraft sales personnel to do so. Thank You!
The Blackguard Book documents numerous original necks, many featuring one-off variations created during Fender’s hand-shaping era. Offering every recorded profile resulted in too many choices, including several profiles that feel nearly identical. We have therefore narrowed our selection to the six most popular and distinctive profiles. These are the only Blackguard back profiles we offer.
- 1950 Hard V — .96″/1.00″: Thick with a strong, pronounced center ridge.
- 1950–51 Soft V — .89″/1.00″: A comfortable V with gently sloping shoulders.
- 1950–54 Slim D — .82″/1.00″: A slimmer, flatter profile with less neck mass.
- 1950–52 Large D — .85″/1.00″: A full profile with a broad back and moderate shoulders.
- 1953 Baseball Bat — .94″/1.00″: A very large, rounded profile that completely fills the hand.
- 1954 Large U — .94″/1.00″: A substantial profile with a rounded back and prominent shoulders.
Thicknesses are shown at the first and twelfth frets, respectively. These six choices preserve the most recognizable Blackguard-era shapes while simplifying the selection process.
Why does a Blackguard neck cost more than a standard Strat or Tele neck?
Our Blackguard necks require considerably more handwork to recreate the look and feel of an original 1950s neck. Each one features a vintage-style Tadeo taper, heavily rolled fingerboard edges, and softer, more natural transitions along the back profile. These details cannot be achieved through standard machining alone.
The additional shaping and hand-finishing give the neck the broken-in character and comfortable vintage feel associated with original ’50s instruments. This extra craftsmanship is what distinguishes a Blackguard neck from our more modern Strat and Tele neck offerings—and accounts for the difference in price.
We offer finger board edges in 3 varieties:
Squared Off
The finger board edge, from the side of the neck to the face of the finger board, is square-shaped. Some feel this is too sharp, others prefer it this way so they can do their own rolling of the edges.
Semi Rolled
We roll the edges of the finger board just enough to break the sharp edge – without over doing it – just enough to be comfortable. There is no extra charge for this.
Heavy Rolled
For those who prefer a more worn-in look and feel, the degree of roll on the edges is much greater. This is a labor-intensive process and subsequently includes an up-charge.
For necks, we offer a variety of finish options, each with its own advantages:
Raw:
Some of our clients prefer the neck sent to them “Raw”. This would apply to those that want to apply their own finish. Unfortunately, necks purchased without a finish are covered for only a period of 30 days from the date of delivery. If we ship a neck raw, any issues resulting from atmospheric conditions like warp and twisting are not covered. Please keep this in mind if you choose “Raw” as the finish option.
Thin Lacquer Sealer:
A very thin application of lacquer, with a semi-gloss look and feel; our preferred pre-finish treatment and sufficient to honor our warranty. The advantage of this treatment is that the neck is sealed and ready for the next process if you wish to add more coats of lacquer – whether clear or tinted. We charge $20 for the labor cost involved in the process. We do not offer this in a tinted application.
Oil:
We hand rub 2 coats of our own special blend of oils and buff to a satin finish. This makes for a smooth and fast neck. Depending on the amount of use the neck gets it will require future applications. We now offer this in a tinted application (Amber Tinted Oil).
Aged Oil:
We hand rub 1 coat of a special blend of oils that darkens the wood, giving it an aged look. We then hand rub 2 coats of clear oil over that, ensuring that the neck has an aged satin look and feel. Looks the best on Birdseye Maple, but not so much on Regular Maple.
As the shop has been getting busier and busier, we have decided to focus more on our core business of building custom necks and bodies. Although we offer thin lacquer sealer and oil finishes, many of you may already be aware that we have discontinued full lacquer finishing services on necks and bodies some time ago. We receive many requests for these services and would like to provide the contact information for a couple shops that offers excellent neck and body finishing options.
MJT Aged Finishes: They have been around a long time and offer a wide range of finish options. We have a Special arrangement with them and can offer “Free Shipping” to them if the shipping address during checkout is to their shop. All questions regarding what they can and can not do in this regard should be directed to them. We will not field finishing questions related to outside Finishers.
We will gladly drill 4 mounting holes in the neck you choose. We drill for standard Fender specs with a spread of 2″ x 1-1/2″. We offer for mounting holes is 2″x 1-1/4″, which would fit with the old style vintage narrow-hole Kramer neck plates.
We also offer fender deluxe style mounting holes.
We offer neck binding for necks in 4 colors: white, cream, black, and pearloid.
We are proud to offer an unique and exceptional wood choice for your project. Our roasted maple necks undergo a special kiln drying process which involves heating the wood to over 300 degrees in a special kiln, removing the moisture from the wood. This process vulcanizes the wood, making it stronger yet lighter in weight. The big advantage is that after this process, the wood becomes much less susceptible to moisture and climate changes, resulting in a more stable and predictable piece of wood. This is great for necks, especially, and will minimize need for adjustments between seasons and different weather conditions. An extra bonus from this process is that, while stabilizing figured maple, which is typically not so stable, it also greatly enhances the color and figuring in the wood. The finished product usually looks stunning, has improved tone and increased sustain!
Note: We no longer offer color variations in the roasting process. The color varies from one piece of wood to the next. It’s our estimation that the color will be somewhere between light and medium and is subjective. This treatment does not replace the neck finish, at a minimum we recommend at least our $20 thin lacquer sealer finish option.
Tusq:
From the Graphtech Website: TUSQ produces more harmonics in the mid and upper range of guitars. TUSQ nuts, saddles, and bridge pins have harmonically rich tones, without the inconsistency found in ivory, bone, or other natural materials. Bone and Ivory have hard and soft spots (grain) throughout each piece, hampering the consistent transfer of vibrations to the guitar top. TUSQ has been designed to transfer the right frequencies more efficiently from the strings to the guitar’s body.
Bone:
Bone remains the “king of nuts,” and is the historically correct material for vintage guitars. Nothing is as sexy as a polished bone nut on a 1-piece maple neck! The tone is very balanced and the open strings are never too loud or shrill, and you can be sure that it will last a long time. It is important to use unbleached bone, because it self-lubricates naturally, which helps you stay in tune when using a tremolo. Also, cosmetically, unbleached bone can be polished to a higher shine than bleached bone. We at Musikraft prefer unbleached camel bone. It is comparable to ivory in tone and appearance and has a very even density.
Brass Nut:
If you are looking for that classic tone, clarity, attack and sustain, then look no further! These brass nuts will really deliver on all fronts! A staple since the 70’s, brass nuts can be found on many of those vintage sought-after guitars!
Phenolic Nut:
Nothing is cooler than these old red Phenolic nuts that were used on alot of the old Charvel Pre-Pro guitars back in the 70’s and 80’s. This phenolic material is great for balanced tone and is very slick which prevents strings from getting caught up in the nut and knocking you out of tune!
Floyd Rose
Made in Germany. 1.6875″ locking nut for Floyd Rose Tremolo Systems
We offer guitars with 21, 22 and 24 frets.
21 frets are common on most vintage style necks. A 21-fret neck does not have a fingerboard extension overhanging the heel end of the neck.
22-fret necks have a standard overhang of 0.3” (7.62 mm) and you can choose between a fingerboard end that is rounded – for the Strat® style – or one that is squared off – for the Charvel, Tele and Banana 2 styles.
24-fret necks have a standard overhang of 0.3” (7.62 mm) and you can choose between a fingerboard end that is rounded – for the Strat® style – or one that is squared off – for the Charvel, Tele and Banana 2 styles.
Simply put – this is the way we prepare the nut slot to receive the nut.
Flat Style means that the bottom of the slot is flat to receive a nut that has a flat bottom to it. Most after market nuts are sold this way, and it’s the preferred style here at Musikraft.
Floyd Rose Nut Shelf: A shelf that is routed to accommodate a Floyd Rose nut. We take the fret height, nut width and preferred Floyd® number into consideration when routing the shelf. The mounting screws will be the type of wood screw installed by yourself.
Floyd Rose Nut Self with rear mounting holes: Same as above but with recessed mounting holes drilled from the rear.
Nut width is the width of the neck as measured at the nut.
For Guitars we offer the following:
1-5/8″ (41.28mm) This nut width works best for those who have smaller hands or prefer tighter string spacing. Probably our most common nut width.
1.65″ (41.91mm) This size is popular with most vintage 50’s and 60’s Fender necks. If you are looking for an accurate nut width for vintage styles, this is the correct choice.
1-11/16 (42.86mm) This is the size used on most modern necks; it allows for a bit more space between strings.
For Bass Guitars we offer the following:
1.5″ (38.10mm) Jazz Bass
1.6″ (40.64mm) Vintage Tele Bass
1.62″ (41.28mm) Custom J Bass
1.69″ (42.93mm) Standard P Bass
1.75″ (44.45mm) Custom P Bass
For the most part, right and left handed necks are self explanatory.
The only real differences between a true lefty neck and a reverse righty neck are the location of the side dots, the way the nut is slotted for strings, and some back profiles. All of these depend on whether or not the neck is being crafted for right-handed or left-handed play.
The length of a guitar’s scale is the distance from the leading edge of the nut to the saddles of the bridge, more precisely to the high E saddle. An easy way to determine the length of the scale is to measure from the leading edge of the nut to the 12th fret, and then double it.
Standard Fender scale 25 1/2” (25.5”) for guitar
This is our standard Fender-licensed guitar replacement neck and the normal scale length for traditional Fender style guitars (Strat, Tele, etc.)
Standard Fender scale 34” for bass
This is our standard Fender-licensed bass replacement neck and the normal scale length for traditional Fender style basses (P bass, Jazz Bass, etc.)
Gibson 24 3/4” (24.75”) Conversion Neck
Designed to bolt directly on to a standard 25 1/2” scale body, this neck will NOT require any modifications to bridge placement or the body overall. A conversion neck is a quick and easy way to convert your current Fender-scale guitar to more of a Gibson feel by lessening the string tension and reducing the distance between frets.
Standard Gibson 24 3/4” (24.75”) Scale Neck
On our set neck model, the LP Custom, we use a standard LP style neck with a 24 3/4” (24.75”) scale length.
Jaguar 24” Scale
Replacement neck is the appropriate scale length for your Fender Jaguar guitar.
We offer a wide variety of tonewoods. The wood choices listed below are all excellent options for your neck and in most cases the industry standards in their categories.
Rock Maple
The mainstay of the music industry. Great with just about everybody type, it has grain orientation of 0-30 degrees and is sonically very balanced with good tone.
Rift Sawn Rock Maple
For those who like the look of straight grain and increased stability. The grain orientation of 30-60 degrees makes it a good choice for both appearance and tone.
Quarter-Sawn Maple Neck Blanks
Our quarter-sawn maple neck blanks follow the industry-standard definition. This type of lumber is created by cutting the log into quarters and then sawing it so that the growth rings are oriented at a 60–90° angle to the board’s face. This method enhances stability, reducing the need for frequent adjustments while making the wood less susceptible to seasonal shifts. Tonally, quarter-sawn maple contributes to increased brightness and sustain, making it a top choice for high-performance instrument necks.
Birdseye Maple Select/Premium/Private Reserve
Figured Rock Maple characterized by small dark grain swirls or circles – “Birdseyes” – throughout the wood.
Indian Rosewood
The top contender and age-old “go-to” wood for a warm, rich tone with nice sustain and great looks. This wood is more expensive and rare, but worth it if you are looking specifically for a darker wood neck that will deliver in most – if not all – of the important categories.
Attention – ROASTED NECK WOOD: It is important that you are aware that when ordering roasted wood it is only fair to expect that the wood will likely have inherent dark streaking or spotting (minor and within reason). This is a result of naturally occurring marks that might normally be lighter in color but that are accentuated by the roasting process. In almost all cases, these marks do not show up until we have cut, sanded, or routed into the wood which usually occurs midway through the build process.
It is very rare that these marks do not occur at some level, so please expect that they can, and most likely will be in the roasted wood used for your neck. These marks are cosmetic and are smooth and will not affect the playability or stability of the neck. This “comes with the territory” as they say, and is therefore generally regarded as acceptable by industry standards.
However, if this is not acceptable to you please select a different type of wood for your neck order OR contact us and we can make arrangements to charge a significant premium to ensure that you receive a roasted neck with little to no dark marks in the wood.
Standard 2mm Side Markers: They are available in a large variety of materials, and we also offer 50/50 side dot placement for 2-piece necks. 50/50 placement means that the side dots will be placed straight down the seam of a 2-piece neck, just like in the old days – half on the fingerboard and half on the neck!
Larger 3/32″: We also offer the larger 3/32” dots in black or white, which were standard on the vintage Blackguard necks and are also great for better visibility due to their larger size.
Side Block Inlay: Made from resin and great for visibility.
Luminlay Glow-in-the-dark side dots: These dots have a special feature that allows them to glow in the dark. They come in two colors: blue and green. The glow-in-the-dark feature ensures visibility in low-light or dark environments, aiding in keeping your position on the Fingerboard. These various side dot options cater to different preferences, allowing our customers to choose the style, size, and material that best suits their needs and desired aesthetic.
We also offer Glow in the Dark with a Black Ring.
Slab style Finger boards are approximately .25″ thick in the center and glued flat on the maple portion of the neck.
Veneer style Finger boards are approximately .11″ thick and glued over the maple portion on the neck that has already been radius’d. Note: Our 59 truss rod option is not available with a veneer setup.
We offer the following sizes of stock tuner. If your project requires hole sizes that are outside of our displayed stock options, please get in touch with us.
11/32”
Fits Kluson type tuners of vintage size
Vintage 2-step 11/32” on the face and 1/4″ on the rear
Fits vintage Kluson style tuners
10mm
The most common diameter for modern Schaller, Sperzel, and Gotoh type tuners
Important note: We do not drill holes for the small set screws or pegs for tuning machines, due to the fact that there are so many different models and styles of tuners on the market, and most of them have different locations for these holes. These set screw holes should be drilled at the time of setup and assembly of your guitar in order to ensure proper placement. If you do not feel confident drilling these holes yourself, it would be a good idea to seek the help of a qualified tech or luthier to carry out this task.
For genuine Kluson brand vintage tuners, the hole size depends on whether you’re using press-in bushings or bolt-in types. Here’s what you need:
Hole Size for Press-in Bushings
- Vintage Kluson tuners typically require 11/32″ (8.73mm) holes in the headstock for a snug fit.
- If the hole is too small, the bushing won’t fit.
- If the hole is too large, the bushing won’t stay secure.
How to Press in Kluson Tuners Properly
Check the Fit First
- Dry-fit a bushing to see if it can be pressed in by hand.
- If it’s slightly tight, that’s ideal.
Use a Proper Pressing Tool
- The safest method is to use a drill press or arbor press with a smooth pressing block.
- Alternatively, you can use a C-clamp with soft protective pads.
Avoid Hammering Directly
- If you must use a hammer, use a rubber mallet or a wooden block to prevent damage.
- Place a soft cloth over the headstock to protect the finish.
Press Evenly
- Press the bushing straight into the hole without tilting.
- If the hole is slightly too tight, lightly ream it with an 11/32″ reamer.
Secure the Tuners
- Once the bushings are in, install the tuners and secure them with the provided screws.
Tip for Oversized Holes
If the hole is too big (common on modern guitars with 10mm holes), you can use conversion bushings to fit Kluson tuners into larger holes.
Let me know if you need more details!