Neck Shaping Templates For Acoustic Guitar – StewMac

Neck Shaping Templates for Acoustic Guitar

Build an iconic neck, just like the original
We’ve been meticulously measuring the necks of some of the most amazing and timeless guitars ever made to create these super-accurate shaping templates. Each template is laser cut from hard plastic for a lifetime of use in your shop.

Everything you need to make perfect reproductions of sought after necks. These new templates have the exact contours of the neck shape from the 1st, 5th, and 10th frets, and several heel shapes. We also measured the thickness of the neck from the bottom of the fretboard, and etched the measurements on the tool.

More than just the neck profile, we also exactly copied the shape of the heel, neck to heel transition, and heel cap. You can finally recreate every detail of these amazing necks with precise detail.

Each template is a set of two, giving you 7 laser-cut contours for extreme accuracy.

Templates include:

• Exact neck profile at the 1st, 5th, and 10th frets
• Nut width dimensions
• Neck thickness dimensions at the 1st, 5th, and 10th frets (to the bottom of the fretboard
• Heel cap
• Neck to heel transition
• Heel front profile
• Heel side profile

The 1930s National Triolian has width and thickness dimensions taken at the 1st, 5th, and 8th fret locations.

If you are a custom builder, you’ll love being able to offer customers neck profile choices that have been recognized and loved by generations of players.

Check out the iconic necks you can make!

1935 Martin 000-28
A slightly different shape from Martin’s golden era. It has a more pronounced “V” shape than the 1935 Martin 000-18. Deeper at the 1st and 5th frets, and shallower at the 10th, this is the perfect neck for chording and lead lines.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1-3/4″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.810″. Thickness: 0.722″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.187″. Thickness: 0.887″

1935 Martin 000-18
A pre-war beauty! A thick neck with just a slight “V” shape. The wider 1-3/4″ nut width makes this neck great for fingerpicking and hard strumming. This is a great representation of the typical 1930s Martin neck.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1-3/4″
• 1st fret- Width: 1.810″. Thickness: 0.675″
• 10th fret- Width: 2.187″. Thickness: 0.930″

1944 Martin 000-28
One of the most comfortable Martin shapes we found. This neck was slimmer than the other Martin’s we measured, with the most pronounced “V” shape. This is the perfect neck for bluesy bending and delicate fingerpicking alike.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1-11/16″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.750″. Thickness: 0.637″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.063″. Thickness: 0.817″

1958 Martin D-28
This gold standard of Martin dreadnought. This D-28 has a more shallow neck all around, with a less pronounced “V”. Less bulky than the 1930s Martins, this neck is a versatile player up and down the fretboard.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1-11/16″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.731″. Thickness: 0.693″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.039″. Thickness: 0.852″

1947 Gibson® J-45
This is the Gibson dreadnought that all others are compared to! This neck has a very comfortable “C” shape and the classic chunky Gibson feel.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1.780″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.825″. Thickness: 0.975″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.110″. Thickness: 1.045″

1950 Gibson® J-50
Just like the “Working Man” J-45 model, the only difference being the color of the body. The full “C” shaped neck feels comfortable in the hand, and the wide heel makes for a stable neck to body connection.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1-11/16″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.704″. Thickness: 0.680″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.027″. Thickness: 0.783″

1930s National Triolian
With a wide and full depth, this neck is ideal for both slide and fingerpicking. The slight “V” feels great in the hand and lets your slide glide effortlessly up and down the neck.Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1.815″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.845″. Thickness: 0.955″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.095″. Thickness: 01.065″

Taylor Standard Profile
This is the modern player’s neck. Taken from a beautiful 810, this neck is wide and shallow, which is ultra comfortable and responsive. The slight “V” shape and consistent depth makes this neck playable over the length of the fretboard.

Partial dimensions included:

• Nut width: 1-3/4″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.750″. Thickness: 0.628″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.060″. Thickness: 0.654″

First time building a neck? We’ve got everything you need.
From Honduran and African Mahogany and Spanish Cedar neck blanks, to Ebony, Indian and Madagascar Rosewood, and numerous other exotic fretboards, we’re here to help you make any neck you can dream of. With countless sizes and materials of fretwire, inlay, and binding options—we’ve got thousands of combinations for you to choose from.

And—our tech support team is always ready (and just a phone call away) to answer any question you have when building your custom neck.