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Neck fit: Closing a gap (pic)
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Author:  Chris Cordle [ Sat May 19, 2007 1:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hi gang,

I'm encountering a slight problem with my neck fit on #3.

My neck angle seems pretty good but I'm getting a very slight gap
beneath the fretboard and neck right at the body junction.
When I place a level along the neck and fretboard landing it seems like
there's a slight rise or arc in the fretboard landing area.
It seems to start about an inch back from the binding (moving towards
the soundhole) and lets up about 5/8" before the soundhole.

I've attached a pic of the slight gap, (it's very slight) but I haven't been
able to work it out as of yet.
Before I go too far in any direction I wanted to see if any of you have had
this problem before and where I may look to get myself out of this small
dilemma.


Thanks guys and gals...I know someone here can save me from myself
once again...

Chris
Author:  John How [ Sat May 19, 2007 2:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hey Chris
If your neck is flat and the top is flat in the area of the fingerboard overlay then your neck angle is just not quite right and you may need to take just a bit off the heel near the heel cap in order to close that gap. You don't say what kind of neck joint your using and it really doesn't matter much except that your almost home if your using a dovetail and you make have to glue a shim to the neck portion in order to get where your going and stay tight. From your picture, we can't really see what going on over the top.
You might just get away with adjusting the plane of the top to match that of the fingerboard if you have enough height at the bridge.
Best of luck
Author:  Chris Cordle [ Sun May 20, 2007 12:42 am ]
Post subject: 
One quick question before running your tests....

Shouldn't the straight edge skim the top of the bridge only after fretting?
If so, then your straight edge would fall just shore of clearing the bridge
by a 1/16th?

Ok, two questions.... you say my neck looks low in the block?
The only way I could see to raise this would be to mess with the holes in
the block.

Ok, I'm going to go have a fresh look and I'll take some more pics based
on what I find.
Author:  John How [ Sun May 20, 2007 2:23 am ]
Post subject: 
I like the straaight edge sitting on the unfretted fingerboard to just skim or slightly more the bridge. I also light a tall (at least 3/16") saddle.

Chris, if your neck angle is correct after doing Hesh's test, then it's probably just a simple matter of massaging the upper bout with a sanding block to make it match the plane of the neck shaft.
Author:  Chris Cordle [ Sun May 20, 2007 3:24 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks guys,

Your suggestions helped a bunch... or at least a 32nd!

hesh, your idea of checking neck angle with the fretboard pulled back
was simple yet brilliant!
I was indeed getting a false reading. After shaving 1/32nd from the heel
and raising the neck up flush with the top my glitch pretty much all but
disappeared.

The gap has now disappeared and I also have a nice fall away beyond the
14th.

Here's a look at my newly refined neck angle.
The only thing left is to really clean up the joint between the body's side
and the heel so it is a nice clean seam without altering the neck angle
again.

Thanks again, you guys are such a big help. Sometimes it really helps to
step back and let someone else have a look.

Chris
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