Luke III neck measurements

[mikfrench]

Hi All!

I've been a woodworker for about 4 years now. When I started woodworking, my main goal was to become skilled enough to build a guitar. I’ve finally decided to take the plunge, and I’m modeling my build after the Luke III.

I’m trying to build everything from scratch — even the neck — but I’m missing a few key measurements to finish my drawings. I’ve managed to find some of the basics like scale length, neck width at the nut and heel, and pickup positions, but I still need help with a few important measurements that I can't find online.

If anyone with a Luke III and a pair of calipers would be willing to help, I’d really appreciate it! Here’s what I’m looking for:

1. Neck thickness at the 1st fret
2. Neck thickness at the 12th fret
3. Headstock thickness
4. Neck pocket depth
5. Body thickness at the neck pocket (how thick is the body where the neck meets it?)
6. Heel thickness (combined neck and fretboard thickness where it meets the body)

If you’ve got any other measurements you think would be useful, feel free to share! I’m trying to make this build as accurate as possible, and any help would be amazing.

Thanks so much in advance — I’ll be sure to post photos of the build as it progresses!

 

[Rbg]

Looking for advice from someone who’s been a woodworker for over 20 years and built their own guitar at 16? If you’re doing it for the process, go for it! But if your goal is to end up with a decent instrument, I’d recommend contacting Warmoth or a similar company. You can buy a neck with a blank headstock, no mounting holes, but pre-fretted and equipped with a truss rod, and start from there.

Big disclaimer: By creating a copy of an EBMM instrument, you may violate several copyrights, patents, and other protections. Also, consider the ethical implications of asking for guidance on this forum for such a project. Good luck with noir project anyway!

 

[mikfrench]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I've definitely looked at warmoth and the like. While I would certainly like a decent instrument when I'm done, my main goal is to go through the experience and understand whole process.

Re: copyright / patients, while I think I'm becoming a pretty decent woodworker, I have no illusion that I will be making an exact copy nor do I ever plan on selling. If it's deemed not ethical to ask for assistance here I will certainly delete my post.

 

[Pink]

It is my understanding the 4 over 2 headstock design is copyrighted, so a heads up there for you. A bit of a take on what Rbg recommended is browse Warmoth, Allparts or Musikraft for the dimensions of their necks...especially if you have a preference for a particular thickness. It is well known the Luke necks are shaped with a soft V profile and all 3 of those aforementioned companies list various offerings in a soft V.

 

[mikfrench]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll definitely take a look at those sites to see what I can find with the soft V profile.

I really appreciate everyone being mindful of copyright and trademarks. Just to clarify, I’m building this guitar purely for personal use. I’m not planning to sell it or make money from it in any way. I’m just a hobbyist woodworker building a guitar for myself in my garage here in Maine. I feel pretty comfortable that falls under fair use.

If anyone feels comfortable sharing measurements from their Luke, I’d be super grateful. If not, I totally understand and appreciate the thought either way.

 

[ruger9]

If I had the skills to copy the Luke (to build MYSELF a "perfect" guitar), I would... because what I would really love is an HS Luke: bridge humbucker, neck single coil (stacked humbucker, sounds like single coil). I don't like middle pickups, they get in my way. Losing the "quack" positions isn't a big deal to me, but I'd put in a superswitch to get some other combinations. Losing the preamp and volume boost is fine. I love the body and the neck and the bridge and the "feel" of the whole thing. I just wish the neck tone was more to my liking.

Buying an HSS and pulling the middle pickup is a non-starter, as is replacing the neck humbucker with a single coil adapter ring (quite ugly). I've thought about trying a Dimarzio Humbucker From Hell in the neck. The big thing is: if I could build that body & neck, I would, to my pickup preferences.

 

[Rbg]

Oh that easy! Get an HSS guitar in a solid color, ask guitar refinish people to plug the central cavity and refinish. Most of them can easily do that.

 

[ruger9]

Oh that easy! Get an HSS guitar in a solid color, ask guitar refinish people to plug the central cavity and refinish. Most of them can easily do that.

...for another $1000? No thanks LOL. But it would be a reasonable way to go, I guess.