Neck Shaping Templates For Electric Guitar – StewMac

Neck Shaping Templates for Electric Guitar

Build an iconic neck, just like the original.
Do your customers say “I really want this to play like my vintage Strat” or “I love the feel of this Les Paul® neck, can you make that?” Now you can! We’ve been meticulously measuring the necks of some of the most amazing and timeless electric guitars ever made to create these super-accurate shaping templates.

Everything you need to make perfect reproductions of sought after necks. These new templates have exact contours of the back of the neck, taken at the nut, middle of the neck, and more (see each template for exact locations). We also measured the thickness of the neck with the fretboard, and etched the measurements on the tool. You’ve got all the dimensions right in hand to get your neck exactly right.

Each gauge is laser cut from hard plastic for a lifetime of use in your shop.

Bolt-on templates include:
• Exact neck profile at the 1st, 7th, and 12th frets
• Nut width dimensions
• Neck thickness dimensions at the 1st, 7th, and 12th frets
• Neck to heel profile

Set-neck templates include:
• Exact neck profile key locations
• Heel shape
• Nut width dimensions
• Neck thickness dimensions at key locations
• Neck into heel transition

If you’re a custom builder, you’ll love being able to offer customers neck profile choices that they already know they love.

Check out the iconic necks you can make!

1954 Telecaster
This neck has everything you want from a ’50s Tele: slight U shape, thick but fast profile, and perfect width for chords and twangy lead playing.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1-5/8″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.705″. Thickness: 0.915″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.050″. Thickness: 1″

1962 Stratocaster
This neck is a beautiful example of an early 1960s Fender Stratocaster: the perfect “B” (1-5/8″) width, comfortable oval shape, and full but fast depth.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1-5/8″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.715″. Thickness: 0.830″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.075″. Thickness: 0.985″

1992 Stratocaster C Profile
A modern favorite! The “C” profile is a great place to start when looking for a neck that you’ll instantly feel comfortable on. The wider and thinner shape is great for modern playing.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.670″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.720″. Thickness: 0.798″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.044″. Thickness: 0.985″

EJ Fender Stratocaster
Eric Johnson designed this neck with Fender to be a sharp 1950s “V”. If you like a bigger Strat neck that still plays fast, this is the right neck for you.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.660″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.686″. Thickness: 0.860″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.028″. Thickness: 0.965″

JB Fender Stratocaster
Jeff Beck teamed with Fender to make a neck an ultra-comfortable neck. The “C” shape is a balance of vintage and modern with a wide and quick feel.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.675″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.725″. Thickness: 0.812″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.045″. Thickness: 0.915″

1954 Gibson® Les Paul® Standard
This Goldtop has the ideal 50s neck, without becoming a baseball bat. This neck lets you really play hard with plenty of room for chords and big bends.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.705″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.740″. Thickness: 0.885″
• 11th fret – Width: 2.050″. Thickness: 0.990″

1959 Gibson® Les Paul® Standard
This ‘burst has the classic “thick but not too thick” neck, wide feel, and great shape for blues bends.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.688″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.718″. Thickness: 0.895″
• 11th fret – Width: 2.062″. Thickness: 0.980″

1962 Gibson® Les Paul® Special DC
This neck has a thick and round feel, great for chunky chords and smooth playing up and down the neck. The full “C” shape stays consistent over the entire length of the neck.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.650″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.695″. Thickness: 0.795″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.050″. Thickness: 0.875″

1962 Gretsch Tennessean
One of George Harrison’s favorite guitars! This neck has a very comfortable “C” shape, with a shallower and faster feel than other semi-hollow guitars of the era.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.695″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.730″. Thickness: 0.800″
• 10th fret – Width: 2.015″. Thickness: 0.885″

1958 Danelectro U-2
A “first” guitar for many players with a fun to play neck: the narrower width and thicker depth plays equally fast and still lets you dig in on bends.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.600″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.640″. Thickness: 0.850″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.040″. Thickness: 0.890″

1960s Silvertone 1449
This is the department store guitar that started it all. The neck has a wide “C” shape with a bit more depth at the nut end.

Partial dimensions included:
• Nut width: 1.647″
• 1st fret – Width: 1.710″. Thickness: 0.860″
• 12th fret – Width: 2.095″. Thickness: 0.875″

First time building a neck? We’ve got everything you need.
From 4A Birdseye, Curly Maple, Torrified Maple, Honduran and African Mahogany 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.