Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: fivestringdan on August 08, 2025, 10:41:30 AM
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I have a set of Tele Activators that Greg sold me a couple of years ago. Finally thinking about putting a tele together.
I have a roasted pine body that is cut to shape that I'm going to use. I also wanted to ask if anyone in the club has tried a Klos guitar neck. I think a graphite neck would be sweet with the Activators. Plus, I don't have to make a neck...lol
Hopefully they will start offering baritone necks as well.
https://klosguitars.com/products/carbon-neck-upgrade
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Hi Dan. I'm curious to hear your review of the Klos neck. While I've never tried one, my #1 gigging guitar sports Alembic guts and an old Modulus Blackknife graphite neck. I LOVE it! I also have an Alembicized American Standard Tele. Again, LOVE the Alembic PUs/electronics in the Tele. Good luck with your build.
Bill, tgo
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Having played both of the guitars Bill mentions, I can confirm that they are amazing! Do, indeed, keep us posted.
I have never heard of Klos; I will now repair to Google......
Peter
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I have a custom KLOS 5 string bass. I highly recommend them. I have many graphite necked instruments including Status, Moses, Modulus and now KLOS. There are also Flaxwood necks that are composite including wood fibers that behave like graphite.
https://www.flaxwood.com
https://www.flaxwood.com/product/aija-blak29-dt-signature/. My custom Flaxwood signature guitar.
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The Klos website say about 4 week build time for the neck. So that will give me time to machine the body. Next time I'm at the shop I'll snap a picture of the body.
I have owned several Modulus basses so this will be interesting for sure. The Flaxwood necks look cool. Maybe worth a try in the future. I was happy to find a company that make OEM graphite necks that are priced reasonably.
I have a couple of necks I'm finishing and not looking forward to it. If anyone could recommend other OEM neck manufactures that would help.
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There's a company called Aluminati that makes aluminum necks. Never seen one in the flesh. About $1K each. For something more modest, I’ve purchased several necks from Freestone Guitars on eBay. A lot of bang for the buck. And they are always coming out with interesting woods.
Bill, tgo
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I heard many good things about USA Custom Guitars necks & bodies - but a few years back, they sold to MJT Guitar Finishes, and the USACG part of the MJT site has remained the same since (while I have what I want all figured out*, I don't have the filthy lucre for it, so haven't called or written to get the straight poop).
A guy on another forum built a Tele from USACG's roasted quarter-sawn maple neck, clear satin nitro with gloss headstock, and roasted swap ash body, clear gloss nitro. Made a mouthwatering piece, and he said it played & sounded just as good.
Anybody wanting to build something like that, check them out (and report back......)
*They were the only place I found that would build you a type F neck with a 7.25" radius and an accessible TRN.
Peter (who will add that it wasn't just Teles; Strats, S & T Thinlines, Jag/J-master; P, J, etc.)
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Bill, I have ordered a bunch of necks from Freestone. They do good work for the money. Several hundred dollars less than Warmoth in some cases. I do my own finish work so I'm okay with the raw necks.
There's a company called Aluminati that makes aluminum necks. Never seen one in the flesh. About $1K each. For something more modest, I’ve purchased several necks from Freestone Guitars on eBay. A lot of bang for the buck. And they are always coming out with interesting woods.
Bill, tgo
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I looked into USACG a few years ago. They were a bit higher than I wanted to spend. A friend recommended them and said they do really good work. Bit more hands off type of manufacture I guess. Now the graphite neck is completely hands off as well but the novelty justifies the expense.
I heard many good things about USA Custom Guitars necks & bodies - but a few years back, they sold to MJT Guitar Finishes, and the USACG part of the MJT site has remained the same since (while I have what I want all figured out*, I don't have the filthy lucre for it, so haven't called or written to get the straight poop).
A guy on another forum built a Tele from USACG's roasted quarter-sawn maple neck, clear satin nitro with gloss headstock, and roasted swap ash body, clear gloss nitro. Made a mouthwatering piece, and he said it played & sounded just as good.
Anybody wanting to build something like that, check them out (and report back......)
*They were the only place I found that would build you a type F neck with a 7.25" radius and an accessible TRN.
Peter (who will add that it wasn't just Teles; Strats, S & T Thinlines, Jag/J-master; P, J, etc.)
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I looked into USACG a few years ago. They were a bit higher than I wanted to spend.
Interesting. Part of what caught my attention was that they would build exactly the neck I wanted - for almost 50% less than what Warmouth, Musikraft, et al, wanted for something close (OK on 7.25" 'board or accessible TRC - but no one else would put both on the same neck).
Peter
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Yeah that makes sense about warmoth pricing. Anything out of their norm they tag a big price jump and wait time in my experience. At the time was getting plain maple of rosewood board necks for a little over $100 from freestone so at the time I just bought from them
I looked into USACG a few years ago. They were a bit higher than I wanted to spend.
Interesting. Part of what caught my attention was that they would build exactly the neck I wanted - for almost 50% less than what Warmouth, Musikraft, et al, wanted for something close (OK on 7.25" 'board or accessible TRC - but no one else would put both on the same neck).
Peter