Dovetail — Lutherie Encyclopedia

DovetailType: glossaryA strong, tapered woodworking joint traditionally used to attach the guitar neck to the body.## Definition A dovetail joint in lutherie is a precise, interlocking connection used to attach the neck of a guitar to its body. The joint consists of a trapezoidal tenon (the dovetail) cut into the neck heel that fits into a matching mortise carved into the neck block of the body. The tapered shape creates a mechanical lock that resists pulling forces, making it inherently strong even before glue is applied. The dovetail has been the traditional neck joint for steel-string acoustic guitars for well over a century. The joint is typically cut at a slight angle so that when the neck is seated, string tension actually pulls the joint tighter. This self-locking property, combined with hide glue, creates an extremely rigid connection that efficiently transfers vibration between the neck and body. ## In Practice Cutting a dovetail joint requires considerable skill and precision. The mating surfaces must fit with minimal gaps to ensure maximum glue surface area and vibration transfer. Many luthiers use specialized jigs, router templates, or careful hand work with chisels to achieve the required accuracy. The neck angle, which determines action height at the bridge, is set during dovetail fitting, making this one of the most critical steps in guitar construction. A well-fitted dovetail can be disassembled for future neck resets by steaming out the hide glue, which is a significant advantage over bolt-on or epoxied joints. Some modern builders have moved to bolt-on or mortise-and-te…