Well, this step has taken me some time! I've probably been over-thinking this step but here's the challenge: The headstock is an integral part of the body so I don't have the luxury of completing it an installing 'later' like I can when I build a conventional acoustic guitar. To add a bit of complexity, the headstock is installed via a glued, tapered tenon that goes inside the hollow neck section. AND, to add torsional strength, there is also a reinforcement strip that runs most of the length of the straight portion of the neck. I decided to deviate from the plans which call for a pair of spruce reinforcement strips and instead use 5-ply, Finnish Birch plywood. Very light and very stiff. Perfect. So I spend all afternoon cutting the tenon, first recessing to fit the thickness of the sides, and then adding a further "step" rabbet to laminate the birch ply to the tenon. PLUS,, the tenon is tapered both side to side and top to bottom! What fun...
I made it. The pictures show the completed tenon with the birch ply strips in-set. Lots of great gluing surface.
Now, on to add the headplate, profile the headstock, drill the tuner holes and inlay my "G" logo. Then it all gets glued to the sides...and on we go.
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