- 1). Select the desired wood for your guitar's neck. Common wood choices include rosewood, mahogany, maple and ebony. Maple and mahogany make for sturdier necks requiring little extra maintenance.
- 2). Measure and mark a 1 1/2-by-2 inch wood plank at 25 inches long. Place the wood on a flat work surface. Cut the length of the wood plank with a circular saw.
- 3). Place your Ovation guitar's previous neck face down on the wood plank's surface. Trace the outline of the neck on the wood plank with permanent marker, including marking out the outline of the neck's headstock. Take your time marking the neck's design, this is a crucial step.
- 4). Cut out the neck's marked shape on the wood plank. Use a band saw or jigsaw to make the cut. Cut slowly and carefully. Don't be afraid to cut outside of the line markings. Continue to shape the cut with your saw until you achieve the desired shape.
- 5). Determine which side of the neck will be the fretboard side and which will be the rounded back. Place the neck face down with the fretboard facing downward. Use a sheet of 300 to 500-grit sandpaper to round the back side of the neck. This process can take hours, even days to complete.
- 6). Drill a channel in the neck of the guitar for the truss rod. This is the metal rod sitting inside the guitar neck. The channel for the truss rod should start from behind the neck's headstock and continue through the entire length of the neck. Mark the center of the neck on each end of the neck; one marking behind the headstock and another on the opposite end of the neck. Use a 1/2-inch drill bit 12 inches long to drill the channel. Start by drilling at the headstock-end of the neck as far as possible. Then drill from the opposite end of the neck, as previously marked.
- 7). Slide the truss rod into the drilled channel. Push the rod through the channel until it comes through at the bottom end of the neck. Place the neck face up on your work table so the flat side is facing up. Measure the length of the neck from the bottom edge to where it meets the headstock. This is the length of your fretboard. Purchase a fretboard according to this measurement.
- 8). Place the fretboard on the flat side of the neck to see how it fits. Apply a generous amount of wood glue to the bottom side of the fretboard. Place the fretboard face up on the neck. Fasten the fretboard to the neck with a series of strategically placed C clamps. Let the glue dry overnight.
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