You’ve chosen your Allparts neck, and now you need some accessories. Strat, Tele or Jaguar/Jazzmaster - here’s everything you need.
Nut
Every guitar needs a nut. The great thing is that the ‘Licensed by Fender’ necks all share the same nut dimensions. You just need to decide which material is best for you.
You have some options:
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Plastic – cheapest option, easy to work with.
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Bone – common choice, easy to work with.
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Synthetic – like bone but with more to offer (consistency, self-lubricating, etc), slightly more expensive.
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Brass – expensive but does provide a weightier tone, not the easiest to work with.
Machine Heads
All ‘Licensed by Necks’ are 6-in-line, so it is just a question of style.
Tuners like the Gotoh SD91 are your vintage-type, but you could consider more modern options. Why not locking, for instance?
String Guides
Flat headstocks generally need string guides. The break-angle from the nut to the B and E strings (sometimes the D & G too) is just too flat.
Vintage Wave-style guides are the classic choice, but a Fender with a tremolo would benefit from roller string trees.
Finishing
Generally, maple necks will need to be finished; a maple fretboard would be finished too; rosewood or ebony fretboards remain unfinished.
Every likelihood is you’re going to need some paint. Nitro is usually the lacquer of choice – it's the classic guitar finish.
The degree to which the neck is finish is entirely personal. A solid, glossy lacquer? A light, satin finish? Relic’d? Only you can decide.
Neck Plate, Cushion & Screws
Now the neck needs to be fitted. A neck plate and screws are the typical way for Fender-style guitars. A cushion between the neck plate and body protects the body’s finish.
