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I'm following Cupiano's book, although not his dimensions, and I need some help. I'm building a D********** based loosely on an Gibson AJ. Based on some research I've decided on a scale length of 25.5". So, here's my question. What should the length be from nut to neck/body joint? Should it be exactly the scale length from nut to 12th?     

Side note:
I started this guitar about 10 months ago, so it was before the AJ OLF plans were out

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nay

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Nathan,

Here's a link to StewMac's fret scale calculator. Plug in some numbers and it will give you all the info you need. http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator/

I'm lazy and have LMI cut my fret slots. I then use the fretboard as a ruler for laying out my neck. That's one less opportunity for me to mis-measure something...


Bob K

Thanks Bob, but it's not the fret slots I'm worried about. The fret slot position I can figure out from the scale. I'm trying to figure out where the actual joint for the neck to the body should be in relation to the nut.

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It should be the distance from the front of the nut to whichever fret joins
the body.

Exactly like James said. I should have been more clear, I use slotted fretboards as a story stick for laying out my nut and neck joint placement.

EDIT.

Oops. And whether it's a 12, 13 or 14 fret neck joint depends on how you laid out the body, soundhole and braces. My main concern would be that the bridge lines up with the bridge plate.

It depends on your scale length and what fret you want at the body joint.  Once you know that, you use the measurement from the nut to that fret as your distance.  For example, a 25.5" scale length which is what you said you are using, 14 fret to the body guitar would have a length of 14.141" from the nut to the body.  If you go with a 12 fret to the body, then the length would be 12.750".  Hope that helps.

Great, thanks guys. I did want the neck to join the body at the twelfth fret. I had assumed it would be the same distance as the scale of the 12th I just wanted to make sure. Thanks again!

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Someone needs a spell checker.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......