Neck Reshaping-- Tips needed

[Jupiter]

Hey guys!
Now that i've scalloped the neck on my Schecter { by the way, this project has been codenamed Kermit for the metallic lime green paint i hope to apply to it } , i'd like to know some more about reshaping the neck on a guitar. The neck on this guitar is somewhat thick, and too much of a " C " shape for my tastes. I'm more of a Wizard { i.e. wide and flat } type of person, myself. So, i'd like to attempt to reshape the neck, preferably without power tools. I have access to power tools, just not at my home. Instructions for reshaping with and without power tools would be REALLY helpful. Please help me!!!
Here's a basic list of some mods that i hope to do to Kermit:
{ Keep in mind that this is a Schecter C-7 Diamond series }
Pickup replacement to DiMarzio Tone Zone7 / Air Norton 7
Carve an armrest into the body like Ibanez RG's have
Possibly reshape the body { i'm thinking of rounding off all of the edges and giving it kind of a pseudo- JS look }
Refinish the body and headstock, hopefully in a nice lime green
Reshape the neck
Scallop entire fetboard { i've already done that one }
Sand the neck { done that one, too }
Install 5-way switch { can you put a 5-way in a 3-way hole? }
... and one day, maybe install a Piezo unit.
What do you think?
My Dad owns the equipment to repaint it, plus the activator and clear coat, so all i'd have to buy is the paint. My Grandpa owns all kinds of power sanders, sandpaper, and paint strippers/ heat gun that he'll let me use, so that takes care of the body work/ stripping process. All that i would have to pay for is paint, pickups, and parts. Plus, if i end up not liking the finished product, i can always put the pickups in another guitar of mine .
Tell me what you guys think!
Thanks, wish me luck,
~`~ben~`~

[Vaibanez]

Originally Posted by Jupiter

Hey guys!
Now that i've scalloped the neck on my Schecter { by the way, this project has been codenamed Kermit for the metallic lime green paint i hope to apply to it }

HEY!!!!!! Pick another name...would ya'?
Kirmet

[Knightmeir]

You can do anything with a swiss army knife.

[ripl3y]

First you need to speak to Schecter.
Find out how much wood they leave between the bottom of the truss rod rout and the back of the neck.
It's far too easy to start working away and carve through to the truss which would be a disaster.

To do the work I'd suggest a Spokeshave.
Make sure the blade is set to take the minimal amount of wood off (and is damn sharp) work with long straight strokes (don't hack) following the contours of the neck (practice first on some scrap, using hand tools can be somewhat of an art, try to develop a feel for what you are doing)

The spokeshave will obviously leave everything rough and uneven so you will need to sand afterwards.
If you were making a new neck from a blank I'd say hit it with the power sander a bit, but as this is a pre-shaped neck forget that idea and hand sand afterwards, you CANNOT be too careful.

You really do need to get some info from Schecter though before you progress, don't take a risk if you don't have to.

If you don't feel confident to carve it down then just sand, but again, do take care.

Steve

[GhesQi J]

Ripl3y said it. The space between the bottom of the truss rod rout and the back of the neck will be essential ...
Use a spoke shave (which must be as sharp as hell

Cheers,
Joten

[Jupiter]

Cool, thanks for the help , guys.
What is this spokeshave thing and can i get one at a herdware store? What section would they be in if they were in a store? I've never heard of them. How much will it cost?
Whilst doing some more neck sanding tonight, i believe that i shaved a little bit of the mass off, especially in the 1-5 fret area. It feels better, but not as good as i want it to!!! Does anybody know what Ernie Ball/ Music Man does to the back of the John Petrucci signature guitars to make them feel so damn good? How could i get that same feel? I played one of the 6-string EB/MM JPM guitars for the first time today, and it blew me away! It's simply one of the best guitars i've ever played. Perfect, level action. And the pickups were GREAT! Could i order a 7-string set from DiMarzio? And that Mystic Dream finish is just awesome... you have to see it in person to really appreciate it.
Anyway, thanks again for the help, keep it coming!
~ben~

[ripl3y]

This is a spokeshave:-

You can pick them up in most hardware/wood stores and they are relatively cheap, I suppose you can class them as an accurate planer that lets you work around curves/angles etc...

You can also use a drawknife:-
http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel...talog/sku.html
But they take more practice to use correctly and are best for carving a neck from a blank as opposed to re-shaping, also they are usually more expensive.

You may also find that when carving down the length of the neck you hit some resistance and the tool seems to dig in, this is usually because it's going against the grain (think of it like shaved hair, rub it one way it's smooth, rub it the other way and it resists your hand (strange analogy I know ), if this happens then turn it around and carve the opposite way (the smooth way)

Steve