Official Luthiers Forum!

Newbie Again
I am aware that with most steel strings, the neck angle is not 90, but less
than 90. What angle do most of you use?

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Actually the neack angle is usually 1 to 3 degrees. This will make the neck tilt downward so the the line would rise off the top .
   MArtin uses 1 1/2 and I have seen some gibsons at 3

the 1 to 3 degrees john mentions is from the horizontal with reference to a line perpendicular to the side at the heel block. stated another way, 89 to 87 degrees to the side at the heel.

I'll be doing a video on neck sets in a few days and it will be out very soon
as it is a shorter video....means it is cheaper too...

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Check out Paul Woolson's tenon cutting jig. That helps get the neck angle perfect.

Search the archive. You should be able to find the thread -- complete with pictures.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks John

Let us know when the video is available

Michael Thank you, up untill now I have always cut the joints square and then adjusted in by hand, but am in the process of building a jig to cut the correct angle, I was wondering about the relationship between the two angles, so thanks for your post, as always very helpful.

The neck angle will be whatever it needs to be in order to get the string height in the right spot. I try to get the strings 9/16" to 1/2" above the top and I want about 1/8" or a little more of saddle showing above the bridge. My bridge is usually just short of 3/8". The string height is important to provide ample but not too much torque on the top for tone production.John How38544.438900463

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

John hit the nail on the head. You would be doing yourself a disservice to set a random angle (say 1.5?) without really knowing the angle of the top to the side of the guitar at the FB extension area. Sure it will work, but you'll have a great deal more heal sanding to do and might most likely start seeing gaps under the FB right at the top/side joint. If you build each neck to the body it is going on, life will be much smoother.