Official Luthiers Forum!

Last week I posted pics of #3 completed.
I've got to say I'm just not happy with it and I'm having a hard time letting
it be. Figured this might be a good chance to learn some new tricks of the
trade and try and fix this thing.

What happened is this:
My usual neck is 1-3/4 at the nut and 2-1/4 at the body.
The neck I used was only a little over 2-1/8 at the body. When I was
shaving the fretboard to meet the neck profile I most likely had my
scraper tipped which caused a dip on the high E side of the fretboard
between fret 8 and 14. Besides just looking bad, the high E is much closer
to the edge than it should be.

What I'm considering is removing the fretboard and installing a new one.
Refretting and cutting a new nut.

I read in the archive about removing the fretboard and I feel pretty
comfortable with performing this procedure. The problem I think I'm
going to have is my string spacing at the bridge is setup for 2-1/4.
I'm thinking even if I redo the fretboard I'm still going to be rather close
to the edges with the strings as the neck tapers towards the body.
I thought about making a different bridge with the correct spacing but
then what about the existing 6 holes going through the top with the
previous spacing.

Any thoughts?

_________________
Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

If in the same boat; and I have been. I would replace neck and fretboard. it is somewhat less risky but more labor intensive but will give the correct taper to both the FB and neck. As I see it there is really two errors

1-wrong neck taper, 2-dip in the FB at 8-14. New neck and FB will make all errors go away.

If you fix only the FB then you need a bridge with closer string spacing which will require plugging or replacing the bridge graft plate and more finish work in the end.

Michael is right (what's new) I don't think you'd be happy with anything other than a new neck. With a new fingerboard you'd still be able to use the old neck on a new guitar, so only the FB would be wasted.

Colin

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

If I understand, you may be about 1/8" wider than you want to  be
with string spacing.  I'd probably start all over, but if you want
to cheat, it is possible to offset the strings at the saddle by putting
notches in tyhe saddle.  Sad to admit, but I did that myself, and
keep the guitar in a closet in hopes that a blind  person with no
descretion wants to give me a few $$.



Good luck, and as my advisors always say, don't be so quick to sacrifice your drive to perfection.

Thanks for the tips guys.

Rich, I really appreciate the last quote there.

I've known in my heart that the right thing to do is to address this guitar
and see it through.
It's just the kind of thing that can and should be fixed. I thought of
keeping it and just running with it as is, I considered giving it away to
someone who would appreciate it. It all comes back to the same thing, if
my name is on it, do I really want this thing floating around out there?
It's often been said you only have one chance at a first impression so I will
do what is right and learn some new skills and try to make it right.

_________________
Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

I was talking to John Watkins today and he came up with an easy, yet
brilliant suggestion:

Why not make a new bridge with 2-1/8" spacing?

This seems very logical to me and would enable me to spend an afternoon
and have this guitar ready to go. I can also eliminate my 8-14 fret dip by
cleaning up the edges of the fretboard as I know longer have to concentrate
on retaining the maximum width to keep the strings on the board.

Sound like a reasonable fix?

_________________
Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

[QUOTE=uncleshish] I was talking to John Watkins today and he came up with an easy, yet
brilliant suggestion:

Why not make a new bridge with 2-1/8" spacing?

This seems very logical to me and would enable me to spend an afternoon
and have this guitar ready to go. I can also eliminate my 8-14 fret dip by
cleaning up the edges of the fretboard as I know longer have to concentrate
on retaining the maximum width to keep the strings on the board.

Sound like a reasonable fix?[/QUOTE]

Chris,

Yes - as long as you manage to get the old bridge off and new bridge on without damaging the finish. There's always a potential can of worms waiting for every builder to open (believe me I've been there ).

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

I think you will find you will ave more finish repair issues going this way. unless you get lucky.