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I am currently working on a radius jig and need to know a few things. What dimensions are your fingerboards? (thickness, width at nut, width at body, scale length)

Thanks!

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Brad
Avon, OH

For me, thickness varies but I normally start with a blank that is
~3/8" before radiusing.  Sometimes thicker if I want to recess the
truss rod into it a little.



Scale length is variable...I make both basses and guitars.



And I normally taper the board after radiusing.

How much taper?

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Brad
Avon, OH

My boards are a hair over 1/4" at the center.

I use 24.9,(triple o)25.25 (archtop)and 25.4 (Dreadnout)scales.

I usually taper them 3/8" at the 12th fret.

I use a 12"radius for archtops and a 16" radius for flattops.

On board thicknesses, old-school guys like Mario like thinner boards (almost down to 3/16"), most guys use 1/4" thickness, and Selmer-style guitars (Michael Collins) use 5/16". It makes sense, most production guitars I've seen these days have 1/4" thick boards, but a lot of old acoustics have thinner boards.

I like 24.5-25" scales on electrics, and 25.34" on acoustics, though I might be prone to try longer and shorter scales on acoustics for different instruments. Longer works better for the way I play chords, shorter works better for the way I play lead on acoustics.

Nut width usually just under 1.75" (1 5/8", 1 11/16")

Width at the 12th fret will be:

(nut width)+(string spread at saddle)+1/4"
------------------------------------------
                      2

That'll give you 1/8" of board above and below the strings.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Bob...thanks for the input!

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Brad
Avon, OH

Brad can't wait to see the rig. If it is like the bending and circle(rosette)tools, I bet will be outstanding.