Now it is time to work on the neck. I have decided to use a strip of ebony to strengthen the neck. I cut a 3/8" by 3/8" strip of ebony and routed a slot in the neck blank.

Here I am clamping a cherry veneer to the peghead.

Here I have glued the ebony rod into the neck slot with some epoxy and scraped it flush.

Here's the neck blank after I have glued the heel blocks on.