Who Makes The Best Necks?

[StevenO]

I've been looking at getting a new neck made for my Jazzmaster. So far I've had a Musikraft Strat neck that is just absolutely incredible. I would have no gripes about going with them again, but they no longer sell rosewood-fretboard necks internationally, and understandably so.

I'd have someone bring one across the border for me, but I'm not sure if it'd create problems for the person or potentially get the neck confiscated.

So what else are my options? Who else makes a good neck?

[Despot]

I think you might find the same issue with any manufacturer since the CITES changes Steven.

For what it's worth I've used Allparts and Musikraft. I've found Musikraft to be fantastic necks - particularly their chunky carves.

Are there any alternative woods that could look 'close enough' to rosewood? I recall ordering a dark rosewood fretboard and it was particularly dark and lovely. I think the next darkest wood is probably ebony though ... which is probably not what you're looking for.

[Embenny]

When I checked recently, Musikraft did offer rosewood boards. You just have to pay an extra $20 for the CITES certification and wait a few weeks because they do the paperwork in batches.

[StevenO]

I think you might find the same issue with any manufacturer since the CITES changes Steven.

For what it's worth I've used Allparts and Musikraft. I've found Musikraft to be fantastic necks - particularly their chunky carves.

Are there any alternative woods that could look 'close enough' to rosewood? I recall ordering a dark rosewood fretboard and it was particularly dark and lovely. I think the next darkest wood is probably ebony though ... which is probably not what you're looking for.

I wrote the OP after I just woke up (5:30 am, here) and oops! I meant this thread to be more of a "what are my alternatives". So you're right!

I'd love to still get a Musikraft neck because the neck I have is seriously one of the best necks I have ever played. It transforms every guitar into a great guitar! I would love to just get a duplicate, because it's truly amazing. Maybe I could get a maple neck and put that one on my strat and just live with a strat headstock on my Jazzmaster.

Allparts necks are pretty good, I'm just not sure if their quality is up to par these days. I've heard complaints, so who knows!

I've even considered having a local builder make a custom neck based on the one I have. I wonder if that's a possibility and if I'll be happy enough with it?

[StevenO]

When I checked recently, Musikraft did offer rosewood boards. You just have to pay an extra $20 for the CITES certification and wait a few weeks because they do the paperwork in batches.

I thought so too, but I "built" a neck and it wouldn't let me continue. I'll check again. I'm totally fine with paying for certification.

[Embenny]

When I checked recently, Musikraft did offer rosewood boards. You just have to pay an extra $20 for the CITES certification and wait a few weeks because they do the paperwork in batches.

I thought so too, but I "built" a neck and it wouldn't let me continue. I'll check again. I'm totally fine with paying for certification.

Oh, weird. When I checked the site for you, I clicked on the "Franky" neck and it let me choose the CITES-certified rosewood, but I just checked their "2-piece neck" option and it's missing.

This might be part of their temporary "streamlining of options" they did because of their volume overload. They still have the Brazilian Walnut, which is what I was considering for a build (before I found a killer Coronado neck on the board that I'm using instead).

I'd shoot them an e-mail to see what's up. If you're not in a rush, hopefully the CITES certification will become an option again in the near future. They make such nice necks...

[StevenO]

That's a good idea. I'll shoot them an email. I'd really ideally like rosewood, of not just for the potential for it to be darker than the Brazilian Walnut, but worst case scenario, I just put some kind of oil on the board that will darken it up a bit and go for the Walnut.

[wproffitt]

Sorry to derail this, but here goes:
I’ve decided to go Musikraft for an upcoming refurbishing (read: total rebuild) of my JM. Does anyone here actually have any experience with the Brazilian walnut fretboard as an option? It seems like it could be pretty cool (quite dense, like ebony) but with a somewhat chocolatey reddish caste from what I can tell from the pictures I’ve seen. Have you reached a decision on this, StevenO?

[StevenO]

Haven't reached a decision yet, no, but I'm curious about that wood too!

[Mechanical Birds]

I've been looking at getting a new neck made for my Jazzmaster. So far I've had a Musikraft Strat neck that is just absolutely incredible. I would have no gripes about going with them again, but they no longer sell rosewood-fretboard necks internationally, and understandably so.

I'd have someone bring one across the border for me, but I'm not sure if it'd create problems for the person or potentially get the neck confiscated.

So what else are my options? Who else makes a good neck?

Don’t know where you are but CITES doesn’t matter when crossing the border of Canada or Mexicowith the guitar in your hands. It’s only when trying to ship rosewood does it affect consumers.


Dumbest law. It should be cut off at the point of manufacture and not cost the consumers any extra time or money. Total bullshit.