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I have a question regarding a 50's silvertone archtop I have that needed a neck. I built a new neck with a 4.5 degree neck angle and about a .3" thick fingerboard extension which was similiar to the original. When I fitted the dovetail and measured the string height at the bridge area it was only about 5/8th ". Of course if the fb extension was .75" the string height would be much closer to the 1" suggested in the Benedetto book. So my question is multi parted. Is the string height 1 inch at the bridge the correct height for vintage archtops, what should the neck angle be, should I have just used a thicker fb extention?? My very limited understanding is that by reducing the string height there will be less pressure on the top and therefore less sound output, is this correct? And no I don't still have the old neck, that would have made it too easy..
Mikemikev38818.0328240741

Mike, hopefully Al Carruth turns up....if not you might want to consider PM'ing him. Evan may know as I am sure he's seen more than his share of old Archtops. Failing that give Mandolin Bros in Staten Island a call -- Jay the owner will likely know -- if he doesn't -- he'll direct you in the right direction.

Sorry not to get in earlier. I didn't respond because, basically, I don't make vintage archtops; I make _my_ archtops.

To be brief: as far as I can tell, there is no 'correct' neck angle, except that it's the angle that makes the break angle at the bridge turn out right. You need about 11-12 degrees of break at the bridge: less than that invites buzzing, and much more tends to kill the sound and over stress the top.

The neck angle that will give you this amount of break will depend on the height of the top arch and the bridge, the pivot point of the tailpiece, and the angle and overstand of the neck. That last is the height of the top of the fingerbaord above the edge.

The only way I've found to get this to come out close is to do a careful layout of everything before cutting wood for the neck. Then you do a little fine tuning when you actually set the neck.

thanks Alan, this all makes sense, so its of to the drawing board for me..
Mike