Official Luthiers Forum!

Okay here's a dumb question....

The taper on my archies is a standard 3/8" wider at the 12th fret than at the nut.

Is there a standard taper for flattop guitars? If so what is it? What is the standard taper for say a Martin OM and O style guitar?

(Apologizing in advance)

Anthony, there is no "standard" on flattops. My usual is 1 3/4" at the nut and a string spacing of 2 1/8 at the bridge. Since this measures the actual board at the nut and the strings at the bridge, I'm able to use that 2 1/8 at the 14th as well with great results. So in simple terms, 1 3/4 at the nut, 2 1/8 at the 14th works well for me.

I make them whatever is needed at the nut, usually 1 3/4, but i do a lot of 1 13/16 and 1 7/8 at times, and if the bridge spacing is 55mm (about 2 1/8+), then 2 5/16 to 2 3/8 is what is needed at the 20th - the rest of the board takes care of itself, you dont need any other measurements. I have one client who wants 60mm at the bridge, so you need to bascially add on the 5mm at the 20th to handle that. The real answer is draw it out at first, and see what kind of width you need to be comfortable playing without having the strings fall off the neck !!!

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

The "right" way to do this is to draw it out full size. You'll have to know your nut width, spacing at the bridge and, as Tony said, the rest will take care of itself.
Keep in mind that the nut measurement is indeed the measurement of the neck at the nut but the bridge measurement is the string measurement so you have to add the distance,that you set the strings in from the edge at the nut, to the bridge measurement.

Thanks guys much appreciated!    

Tony/Paul -- what you say makes sense now -- the O I am planning is going to be 1-5/8" at the nut -- so I'll lay it out full scale as suggested.

The OM which is now going to be a rush job -- thinkin of ordering a CNC's neck from John Watkins and need to make a taper election.

Residual question - Todd where is the reference point for the 2-5/16" you mention?

Well its off for a 3 day golf weekend .... woo hoo! Anthony Z38870.3724537037

Probably the 20/21st fret, fingerboard end dude ...

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"