Ash Stratocaster: Shaping the Headstock

Today I got stuck into the headstock for the Ash Stratocaster build. For a template I used my standard 50s Stratocaster shape that can be sourced from here: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/fender-headstocks (this pdf file contains headstock templates at a 1:1 scale). In my considered opinion Fender never managed to improve on their original headstock design.

The Fender 50s Stratocaster headstock template.

With the template printed out at 1:1 scale, I could get to work cutting the bugger out. This involved tracing around the template in pencil and then roughing the shape out with the jigsaw.

Once I had the rough shape cut out, it was a simple matter of taking the curves down to the line using a combination of sanding wheel (for the convex curves) and a flap wheel mounted in my drill press (for the concave curves). It's a very straightforward process with the correct tools. I changed the inside diameter of the tight concave curve a little so that it fit my smallest flap wheel and negated any fiddly work with the half-round file.

A good template, a jig saw and some sanding tools does the trick

After about 20 minutes the job was done. I now have a spanking new headstock ready for sanding. I'll start with 120 grit (to smooth the curves even further) and work my way down to 800 grit for a silky smooth action. That's gonna take a few hours so I better get started!

Surf Monster Telecaster: Shaping the Headstock

Time to shape the headstock on the Surf Monster Telecaster. Thankfully, this task is made easy by our old friend the inter-web! Many of the Fender headstock shapes can be found here: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/fender-headstocks. This pdf file contains headstock templates at a 1:1 scale. All you need to do is print out the page you need (make sure you use 1:1 scale) and off you go.

Alternately, if you are having trouble accessing pdfcast, templates can be found in a number of other places. Here are a couple of other pdf documents for Fender headstocks, both hosted by Google:

Google GuitarPlansCollection link 1
Google GuitarPlansCollection link 2

With the PDF in virtual hand, I decided to use the 'modern' Telecaster design shown below as the basis for my headstock, as it's the one from the pdf that most closely aligns with my headstock blank.

Anyway, a quick trip to the laser printer, printed at 1:1 and everything was ready to get the shape traced on to the blank. You can see that the blank doesn't quite match the traditional shape towards the bottom where it meets the neck. The best I could do was to line up the tuner holes and take it from there.

Using a clutch pencil, I carefully traced around the cutout giving a guide for the jigsaw. The corner near the lowest tuner hole (where the neck meets the headstock) will have to be rounded off some to approximate the original shape, but otherwise it looked pretty good.

And then came the east bit! Using the jigsaw I cut around the design - staying reasonably close to the line, especially in the concave sections. Why especially the concave sections? Well because I don't have a bobbin sander! Once the cut was completed, the convex portions of the headstock were easily finished off down to the line on the belt sander. Unfortunately the concave portions could suffer no such luxury and had to be finished off using a bastard file and 180 grit sandpaper.

In the end it all came out nicely and the whole neck is now ready for some sanding and some Wudtone neck finish.Still deciding whether to go with the Vintage Yellow Wudtone neck kit, or the colourless finish over Vintage Amber Colortone dye. Hmmm decisions, decisions...

Siena's Stratocaster - Shaping the Headstock

Time to shape the headstock on Siena's stratocaster. Thankfully, this task is made easy by our old friend the inter-web! Many of the Fender headstock shapes can be found here: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/fender-headstocks. This pdf file contains headstock templates at a 1:1 scale.

Alternately, if you are having trouble accessing pdfcast, templates can be found in a number of other places. Here are a couple of other pdf documents for Fender headstocks, both hosted by Google:

Google GuitarPlansCollection link 1
Google GuitarPlansCollection link 2
All you need to do is print out the page you need (make sure you use 1:1 scale) and off you go. I have decided to use the 50s stratocaster design as the basis for my headstock on this build.

The pdf template printed out without issue on my trusty laser printer, and I was away.

I traced the headstock template with pencil and then cut close to the line with my jigsaw. A bench sander then allowed me to remove the rest of the material and get as close to the line as I needed to. In the absence of a bobbin sander, for the very tight curve I resorted to 120 grit paper applied by hand. I'm pretty happy wth how it turned out. I may return to the tight curve with a bit more 180 grit paper to round it out some more if/when I get some spare time.

Incidentally, If you are building your own kit and need a headstock for a gibson style guitar, headstock designs are not as easy to come by. If you are willing to put in a little effort, however, there are resources at hand! If it's a Les Paul headstock design you are after, then the following pdf template may suffice: http://www.australianlespaulforums.com/download/Headstock.pdf.

If not, there are a large number of vector graphics guitar templates for all kinds of guitars available on ultimateGuitar.com: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-1190193.html. These can be used to generate your own 1:1 pdf templates. To do this you need to use a vector graphics package (such as Inkscape). The instructions are given on the same page. Have fun!