Strat with 100% Aluminum Replacement Neck

[Spirit of 76]

This looks pretty awesome, and it ends up sounding good too (he starts the rebuild at 5:23 in the video if you want to fast forward to the good part):

https://youtu.be/1xnn9MfnDFg

[Mincer]

I know it has been used in the past for necks (Kramer, Travis Bean)...and it heats up if you are playing outside in the sun. I think this neck in the video would be better with some sort of satin finish, as it picks up fingerprints pretty easily.

[Erlend_G]

Hmm... defintely interesting.

But I think I'll go with wood so far; I can't afford any new instrument for the next 5 years; .. being in debt isn't cool.

[PFDarkside]

I like his channel, he does a lot of interesting comparisons that are “real world” applicable.

[Top-L]

If more builders did research into using composites, they could come up with "wood equivalents" that sound identical or better than wood, and that would eliminate variance in pieces.

Composite bodies with wood veneers, composite neck with wood boards would still look like traditional guitars.

[Spirit of 76]

If more builders did research into using composites, they could come up with "wood equivalents" that sound identical or better than wood, and that would eliminate variance in pieces.

Composite bodies with wood veneers, composite neck with wood boards would still look like traditional guitars.

Very true. Lots of unique materials out there to try. I assume that people stick to the "tried and true" because it's just easier, but it's always great to see new innovations being tested out...eventually one will become an industry standard.

[Mincer]

If more builders did research into using composites, they could come up with "wood equivalents" that sound identical or better than wood, and that would eliminate variance in pieces.

Composite bodies with wood veneers, composite neck with wood boards would still look like traditional guitars.

I agree with this, especially in the area of recycling other material. If you are doing mass-produced instruments, it would make sure they would be super consistent. I think that day is right around the corner, although aluminum is probably more expensive (and more sensitive to heat) than wood.

[Chris Pile]

I know it has been used in the past for necks (Kramer, Travis Bean)...and it heats up if you are playing outside in the sun.

Not just the sun. Stage lights can get pretty hot.

[Mincer]

Can you imagine the set starting and you can't touch the guitar neck because it is way too hot. Wow.

[chrisplaysmusic]

trying to set the crowd on fire like ants?

[eclecticsynergy]

Can you imagine the set starting and you can't touch the guitar neck because it is way too hot. Wow.

Or too cold. I had an aluminum neck Kramer Duke back in the 80s. When it spent a Winter night in the big wheeled trunk that held guitar cases in our truck it wasn't playable for hours until it came up closer to room temperature. The road crew would unload in the afternoon and sometimes by eight o'clock soundcheck it was still uncomfortably cold.

Aside from playing comfort, thermal expansion was a nightmare too. I could only use it for a couple of songs at a time because it'd go sharp under the stage lights. For awhile our show involved the singer playing rhythm for a couple of tunes mid-set and she liked the Kramer because it was small (and pink). The stage tech would need to retune it just before handing it to her. Afterwards it'd cool down and need another retuning before it could be used again. Our stage guys hated that guitar.


As you might imagine, with a solid aluminum neck and that tiny rifle-butt body, the guitar was quite neck-heavy. A wide leather strap with a rough back had just enough friction to hold it in position. Mostly.

One other quirk with it was that the anchor for the ball end of the strings was affixed to the neck with a single big hex screw in the center. If the anchor got bumped it could shift and the strings on one side would go sharp while the ones on the other side went flat. Suddenly unplayable. That happened to me a couple of times. Later versions had two hex screws to prevent this I think.

[Mincer]

I think a material like carbon fiber is good for stability in more extreme temps. Also, if a guitar is neck heavy, it is just about unusable for me, no matter how good it sounds.

[eclecticsynergy]

Carbon fiber might be more sympathetic to vibration, too.

Aluminum is pretty much the opposite of lively - it sustains like crazy, but it doesn't sing.

[dave74]

I think a material like carbon fiber is good for stability in more extreme temps. Also, if a guitar is neck heavy, it is just about unusable for me, no matter how good it sounds.

Heavy neck guitars are just so very unpleasant. (my nice way to say they suck!!!)

[Mincer]

Carbon fiber might be more sympathetic to vibration, too.

Aluminum is pretty much the opposite of lively - it sustains like crazy, but it doesn't sing.

Yeah, I have never used any kind of metal neck, and I can't imagine that would be cheap to make on a large scale. I've been happy with the composite necks I've used, though.