Because the original necks were
made of a lightweight mahogany, a new maple neck is heavier and the overall size of the
headstock gets reduced while retaining the original proportions to save weight.
Silvertone electric guitars have some inherent intonation problems caused by incorrect fret placement. The Jupiter models I have worked on used a scale close to 24", but not quite - the 7th fret matched a 24" scale exactly, but either side of the 7th fret, things went off higher or lower, resulting in tuning problems that can't be solved by adjusting the bridge position. The solution is a replacement neck with correct fretting.
Without actually measuring the fret positions, you can tell if this is your problem because you will still have tuning problems after setting the intonation correctly for the 12th fret.
The original necks are also exceptionally narrow in the higher positions.
Here is a Jupiter with a new neck being fitted. The back of the neck has not been carved, but the heel is fitted to the body pocket. The new neck overlaps the body cutout because it is wider than the original - this is a view of the bottom of the new neck fitted for the body pocket -
Because the new neck is wider in the upper frets, a new saddle is required. The Jupiters used a wooden saddle set on screw posts, the new saddle fits the same but is wider.
I have used different woods for necks, fingerboard and headstock veneers. Above is ebony, matched with ebony headstock veneer, below is flamed black walnut used as a headstock veneer.
Because the original necks were
made of a lightweight mahogany, a new maple neck is heavier and the overall size of the
headstock gets reduced while retaining the original proportions to save weight.
Adam Gardner of Guster recording Evermotion in Richard Swift studio, Luke Reynolds and Max Hart on right.
