creating a V-Joint headstock

I wanted to make this joint on my double o build, and as a result, I started reading alot about this joint, which was hand made on old martins as well as on houser classical guitars.

I gained much benefit from this experience. I learned how accurate the fit must be, otherwise, glue is not enough for holding this joint. I also tried to decorate the joint with internal binding, after seeing the work of luthier Jim Olson.

there are some articles out there in the web, about how to make the v-joint. I eventually chose the method being described in OLF forum. the method described there is the houser style, demonstrated on a classical guitar. this means that in this method, the volute is being removed. I chose to keep the volute as in Martin guitars.

Here are some photos of the process.

this is the headstock after V was cut. its made of Honduran mahogany, with a Zirikote head plate for the rear of the headstock.

Here is the V -joint neck

Fitting the neck with the headstock

 

Rear view

 

Adding binding around the headstock before gluing

 

 Gluing using hide glue. hide glue is important because if headstock is detached from neck because of an accident of any kind, hide glue is easier to be removed and re-glued compared to PVA glue

 

the joint after been glued

 

 

next steps are to glue the front headplate and to bind it. and also to shape the rear binding and remove the waists near the joint.
 pictures will be taken soon.
Yair