neck construction procedural question

[old_picker]

wondering whether it is more advantageous to cut the fingerboard radius before or after the back profile is cut
3 neck builds ago i had one come up with back-bow which was corrected just fine with the biflex trussrod but it didnt make me happy
first time that happened using my usual method of gluing down the fingerboard
the back is left square, the fingerboard radius cut and then fretted

i am thinking that cutting the back profile first will allow any surprises to be ironed out before the radius is cut and frets applied

this neck is vic ash and cooktown ironwood fingerboard - snake-head style design with a very low heel profile

any thoughts would be most appreciated

[jeffhigh]

Movement in the neck blank is one issue, there is also the possibility that you could induce backbow if your fret slots are too tight, or just with movement of the fretboard with increased humidity.
Personally, I fret the board first, then epoxy it to the neck blanks then shape the neck, but others get fine results in other manners.

[demonx]

I carve all my necks before any radius or fretwork.

[martintaylor]

I carve my necks to about 90% done then glue on my fretboard (which is already radiused) then refine the neck, then fret.

[Lutherie Gervais]

... how can you shape accuratly your neck if you don't have any outlines of the finguerboard ? ...

make your fb aside, with the radius, then glue it on your neck.
then you can use the side of the fret board as a guide to route the neck flush. to compensate with the radius you can stick with double side tape some binding, on the lenght of the fb, just to make sure the surface of the router is square with the side of the neck.
I recommand to use the router in your hand, but some do it on the router table, i personnally don't like that at all.

[tippie53]

I look at the guitar as 2 separate parts , the box , that makes the noise and the neck that makes it playable. The neck , while the last thing to be put on is the first thing you need to think about. The first thing I do is determine what scale length and nut width and fret board taper. I start with the fretboard. I won't make it perfect but it will be tapered radiused and slotted .
When I make the box I plan for the neck angle as early as when I bend the sides. I have a template that I use for the shape of the side when bent and rough radius. Once bent and fit to the mold I rough true the sides and set the blocks. Then I add the side supports and the kerfing. Now I reset to the mold and do the final prep to the rim. Here is my video on this subject.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz6xzVRA51E
Once the body is constructed you can then pre set the neck. I don't have the fretboard applied at this time. Here I will set the neck with the proper neck angle and center line
ACE
Angle
Center line
Elevation
Getting the proper neck angle sets you up for getting matching the fret plane to the bridge/saddle
Centerline , You still place the bridge to the fretboard centerline , but you adjust this to get it as close to the top as you can
Elevation, on a dovetail , at this point you adjust the neck tenon to the block. DON"T OVER THICK THIS OPERATION it is in the most simple terms a pinch joint.
Now that the neck is preset you want to true the fret board plate to the top. I use a machined board with a few inches of sandpaper , that will sand the neck angle dead true to the top. Then I can true my fretboard to this plane. I will actually fret on the guitar as once I have the finish and final buff I will glue on the neck then I can tweak the fretboard again so the fret board is as perfect on the neck and top as it can be. I now fret the board. This can make the set up as easy as it can be.
It is all about the prep. The more attention to detail you spend now , the less chasing and fudgeing you will have to do later. I am now on #173 and I have been doing this for the last 30 guitars. I now can get a low action that can be played aggressively without buzz. Take your time , keep a log of what you did so you can go back and see what you did right or wrong. Learn from your successes and failures.

You don't know , what you don't know till you know it.

[tippie53]

here are some pictures of the final prep of the neck