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Hi all. I'm new to this forum and looking forward to engaging with this community and learning from all the expertise here. I'm also a new builder, just beginning my journey and planning on focusing on electric guitars. I've been trying to take in as much info as I can by reading and watching YT videos, etc. But I have a few questions that have come up as I've been doing so that I haven't been able to find answers to. I'm hoping some folks here might be able to help. Here goes!

1. Are there reasons to nip fret tangs when you're not binding your fretboard? I've seen it done when you do bind, and the rationale there makes sense to me. But I'm not sure if it's something I should do generally, or if I only need to worry about it if/once I get to the point of getting into binding.

2. Speaking of binding, when it comes to body binding, I always see builders install it fairly early in the body build, long before finishing. And then when they go to finish the body, they invariably get paint or other finish on the binding and have to scrape it off. So I'm wondering why you can't wait to install the binding until after you've done the portion of the finishing that you'd want to scrape off the binding? You could cut the channel well ahead of time, but what sorts of problems would be caused if you waited until almost the very end to install the binding?

3. It makes sense to me that you wouldn't glue in a truss rod, since it inherently needs to move. But I swear I've seen videos where folks have glued their truss rods in. Am I imagining it, or are these particular folks just doing it wrong? Or are there some instances where glueing a truss rod in makes sense (maybe for a specific kind of truss rod)?

4. When it comes to pickup positioning, obviously where you place the pickup vis-a-vis the neck and the bridge is going to impact the tone (the closer to the bridge, the brighter, etc), but aside from that, are there any things to watch out for when it comes to pickup placement? If you have the neck pickup too close to the bridge pickup, does it cause any problems? Or is the only thing you need to worry about the tonal characteristics of being closer or further from the bridge?

Thanks in advance for all the help!

1. It's a cleaner look to not have the tang visible at edge of fretboard. If it's your first build don't worry about it.

2. Binding needs to go on before the finishing process starts as lots of small issues need to be addressed prior to finish application such as holes, cracks, sanding glue issues and or separation. I don't know any luthier that does the bindings after finish.

3. Quite few people put a dab of caulking at each end or truss rod. Just to keep it from rattling.

4. If you're a beginner it's best to go with the tried and true layouts. Gibson and Fender style guitars have a lots of option pickup wise as far as position of pickup.

5. If your building Electrics get yourself the latest addition f the Melvin Hiskock book Making an Electric Guitar version 2

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1 - I bind most of my fret boards and nip tangs as required. On non bound boards I file the fret ends flush and wick a little thin CA in to fill the gap

2 - Binding needs to go on at a point in construction where it can be scraped and sanded level with the wood. There is usually an opportune time to do this. A little depends on whether the binding is wood or plastic, whether it has purfling lines and what they are made out of. Whether you will stain the body and whether the binging will absorb stain can affect your timing. I have waited until after staining to install some binding that has light colored purfling lines.

Plastic binding does not absorb stains and scrapes easily, I mask the tall sides and scrape the top. Wood needs to be dealt with on a case by case basis.

3 - I do not glue in the double acting truss rods that I use. Once they have been snugged into activity they are solid.

4 - Pickup location is one of those geekie things that guitar nerds like to debate, some think putting the neck at the 24th fret is ideal, however that moves as soon as you fret it. A bit depends on your bridge design, a telecaster bridge pretty much dictates where the pickup goes. I follow established designs that I know will work, trying to get maximum separation between the pups.

I second the suggestion to get Hiscock's book. And as much as I love this forum, it is relatively slow as far as electric builders. A far more active forum is the the Home Depot at TDPRI.com, its about much more than telecasters

https://www.tdpri.com/forums/tele-home-depot.46/

Its worth while reading thru some of the build threads to see how folks do things (and where they make mistakes)

Hi franktree and welcome to the forum. A first name would be nice here too some of us wish to be respectful as well as friendly. I'm Hesh and was stuck with it....

Step one that I advise new builders (even of electrics) is to figure out what you need to do where you live to secure a relative humidity solution in your shop. Most of us, there are exceptions shoot for around 42 - 48% as per a "calibrated or checked" quality hygrometer.

It's especially important for acoustic builders but for electrics too. I service guitars for a living and just yesterday had a Strat in with fret sprout, back bow and playability issues all caused by being dry here in Michigan where it's been very cold lately.

Your electric guitars will be more resistant to RH swings without playability issues if they are built in an acceptable RH range. That's why we control RH so that our instruments are more tolerant of swings without cracking or playability issues. And yes even electrics.

Here in Michigan I have to humidify in the winter and dehumidify in the summer.

Now with that said....

1). You don't have to nip the tang and can have it show and many very high quality builders especially of electrics do this. From Martin, Collings, Suhr, etc. it is what we see the most commonly. You can also nip and fill and not bind or bind.

Folks that fill the fret end if there is fret sprout (the guitar dries out) the filling can get pushed proud of the neck and even fall out leaving a cavity. My preference is to run the fret tang to be flush with the neck. If there is fret sprout I have special files that take that back while skating on the finish and not damaging it. No additional filler or refilling required.

2). One of the most common things I see as someone who has endured... here on this forum for nearly 20 years now most of that time helping others is new folks come here with their own ideas how to build a better mouse trap. No offense intended I have seen this countless times and it often gets folks into trouble... We all approach lutherie it seems wanting to be innovative and push the envelope with carbon fiber, new neck joints, you name it. Some of us who end up sticking with it and even making Lutherie a life's choice learn in time to have a very healthy respect for tradition. There are good reasons why guitars such as Martins are assembled as they are - it works. My suggestion to you if you want to innovate is to at least build a few per accepted best practices even if you have to hold your nose and gain more understanding to why we do what we do as we do it. Beware of YouTube videos, Facebook "reels" and such they are major spreaders of bad information on a daily basis. I often repost Facebook reels on my personal page asking my friends what the person is doing wrong here....

Installing binding after finishing it problematic in that it limits any glue you could use to have to not eat finish. You will also have to deal with squeeze out and that is typically scraped off. One scrape too much and you have finish touch up to do.... And bindings benefit from having finish on them too and look better.

Perhaps try it the typical way and then innovate if you want.

3). I never caulked my rods and instead went for a snug fit of the two ends AND I was religious about selecting a quality "double action" rod no matter what the price and then I tested each one in a vice paying attention to the adjustor and it's welds. I built 54 1/2 guitars and never had a problem. I don't see anything wrong with it, caulking but be aware anything with silicon in it can be a nightmare if your shop gets contaminated. Finish will fish eye if it encounters silicon so lutherie shops keep the stuff as contained as possible or don't use it at all.

4). Les Paul made a log that was a stick of sorts where he could move stuff around to learn. If it were me I would again... again let tradition inform me. You have examples that work such as triple pick-up SGs, Strats, and countless other guitars on the market today and can inform your pick-up selection and placement.

A different problem to having in mind, always is that neck angle and pick-ups have a relationship. Be absolutely sure that you get the neck angles correct it the single most important part of building any guitar. Mess that up and you have firewood unless you reset it. So if the pick-ups are too close to the strings you will have intonation problems so be sure there is a full range of height adjustment available.

Lastly who's the puppy? They look great and please pet them for me. We have two dogs in our shop now who are on me every day for treats. They are such wonderful souls we could learn from them.

Thanks

Folks have given you some good advice. One thing I will add is that you should consider putting that puppy to work. They can be quite helpful, as long as you toss them a dog biscuit now and then.

Guitarjtab is right they make great apprentices.