neck transplant

[Clay Schaeffer]

I recently removed a neck from one guitar and transplanted it to another body. Originally it was on a body I had built for steel stringing, but the tuners I modified couldn't handle the tension. I mounted them similar to the originals - with the worms below the posts (which I know is poor practice). it tore up the cogs in short order. I replaced the cogs and restrung it in nylon. Mechanically this worked O.K. but the sound of the guitar suffered. It has a sassafras soundboard which gives a sound midway between spruce and mahogany.
The Donor:

[Clay Schaeffer]

The recipient :

[Clay Schaeffer]

This was the guitar I mentioned in Chuck Tweedy's post that originally sounded terrible. I guess it took a little while for the neck to wake up in a new body. It sounds quite nice now. It is kind of a crossover with a narrower nut width than a classical and a radiused fretboard.
I used a "fan X" bracing that I have used on both steel and nylon strung guitars. Overall I have been happy with the results - it seems to give a more balanced sound (bass/treble) than the Torres style bracing.

[Karl Wicklund]

I like that head stock. Are the enclosed tuners traditional or something you came up with?

Did the donor get a new neck?

[Clay Schaeffer]

Hi Karl,
The enclosed tuners are somewhat traditional with that style of headstock. The original guitar I have has a plate on the back. Some used a plate on the front and some used tuners similar to "banjo" straight through friction tuners. The original tuners were made a little differently than modern tuners and used tiny cotter pins to hold things together. I think Johann Georg Stauffer originated the design, but others have used it for the past 150+ years.

[Clay Schaeffer]

P.S. The line of holes in the cover plate that run through the "medallion" I believe were for oiling the gears.
The donor guitar will be getting a new neck with tuners that can take the strain of steel strings.

[Karl Wicklund]

Hah! That is something that will bear some reading up on. Thanks for the extra photos Clay.

[Clay Schaeffer]

Rodgers will make you a set for $850.
I modded mine from an $8 set of Chinese mandolin tuners. They aren't quite as nice. Here is a picture of them in the old original peghead I copied.