Your presentation technique is refreshing and engaging, direct, concise, articulately packed with great information, and even a bit of dry humor from time to time 🙂(yes, always use conventional feed, never climb in this setup, and it is a bit funny to watch one's work shoot across the workshop, but not something to be repeated!)
Hi Rodney, How did the neck turn out? And thank you very much for the compliment on the videos. There are still a few episodes to go in this series and I'm already thinking about what to do next.
Q: I've seen other Luthiers leave the masking tape over the truss rod so there is no squeeze out inside the Truss Rod channel. Why don't you do this? Is it a personnel preference or is it something more? Love your content, I've dubbed you the '"Bob Ross" of the Luthier world. 😁
I have my scale length, my string spread at the bridge, the distance from the strings to the edge of my fretboard, my nut width, but how do I figure out how long the fretboard should be? I saw someone say for a 22 fret guitar you cut the fretboard to the location of the 23rd fret, but what determines that?
Hoi Daniel, Ik vroeg mijzelf af waar je de 'jig' voor de fret afstanden / zaag diepte gekocht hebt. Ik kan namelijk de 'jig' vinden via tonefactory maar zonder templates voor de afstanden. Geweldige filmpjes ik ben nu zelf een hals van een gitaar aan het fixen maar het smaakt naar meer zullen we maar zeggen. Groeten Cas
Hi Cas, Mijn fretzaag "Jig" komt by TLC Guitar Goods vandaan. Is een Nederlands bedrijf voor gitaar bouwspullen en onderdelen. Zij hebben zowel de 'verstekbak' als ook verschillende bijpassende templates. Succes met de bouw van je gitaar.
10:52. I know you said to use a small drill bit and drill in one of the fret slots, but what size bit did you use for the alignment guide pins? 1.0 mm diameter?
Hi Gurup, Short answer... sometimes and it depends. If you don't trust your neck wood to be stable enough adding carbon fibre can be beneficial. Or if you're making a very thin non-laminated neck. I made a couple of guitars with carbon fibre reinforcement but other then during setup I couldn't notice any difference.
Hey Fin, Good question. You shouldn't glue in a truss rod. In fact you should try and avoid getting glue in the truss rod channel while glueing on the fretboard as it can hinder the proper functioning of the truss rod. It should fit in the channel nice and tight. Just tight enough that it wont move or rattle, but not as tight that you have to force it in. For most dual action truss rods, like the ones I use, a 1/4" or 6mm wide channel will be perfect. That said there are some builders who use just the tiniest amount of epoxy glue or silicone sealant at the start and end of the truss rod in the channel to prevent rattle. The 'bending part' or 'the rod it self' should be able to 'move/bend' in the channel when the neck is done to do it's job. So if you use a router, route the channel in the center of the neck using the correct size router bit (1/4") to a depth that is equal to the thickness of the truss rod. Usually you have to create a wider and deeper section where the 'nut' is on the truss rod. Doing this you should be fine. Make sure to put a narrow strip of masking tape over the truss rod when glueing on the fretboard to prevent glue getting in the truss rod channel.
Hi Daniel, I was actually asking if you decided on a specific fretboard thickness and how you determined that putting the locking nut and fret height into consideration. I'm building my first guitar and I got a locking nut and stainless steel jumbo frets. I was hoping to make the fretboard right for the locking nut height and NOT require any shims but the problem is that the nut is very short. I'm having second thoughts about making my fretboard very thin so that it would fit the nut but I've decided to use the included shims on the nut... Hell I'm gonna need two thickest of the three shims so that my fretboard won't be so thin. I understand how people set non locking nut height as they measure the string distance on the first fret while you fret on the third but I'm struggling to wrap my mind around how I'm going to set the fretboard thickness without measuring the strings against the frets.
Another idea I have is to get close but make my fretboard slightly thicker than it needs to be and then level the frets down until they're the right height for the nut.
@@Jinnuksuk I wouldn’t level the frets to height. Always adjust the nut. To get a correct fretboard thickness for a locking nut. Measure the string height for the nut. Usually +/- 7mm for a locking nut. Lookup the height of your frets. For jumbo frets around 1,5mm. So your ideal fretboard thickness should be around 5,5mm. I make my fretboards around 6mm thick and use shims to adjust the nut height is necessary. I hope this helps.
@@UnquendorGuitars The locking nuts' low E string is 6mm and yes the frets are 1.5mm. Wouldn't it be ideal for the nut to be slightly higher than the frets so that the strings are not dead flat against everything when you fret? 6mm nut - 1.5mm frets = 4.5mm... So 4.48mm? I am aware that the bridge will be higher but I'm hoping to be able to have the lowest string action possible and keep intonation gap as low as possible... Oh man, I've not had to fiddle with my math skill this much since high school.
Hi Gurup, Good question... but impossible to give a straight answer. In my opinion it's all about personal preference of the player. How to do it with hand tools? It takes a lot of skill and knowing what you're doing and trying to achieve. You could start with planes to get the radii as close as possible and finish it with a leveling beam and sandpaper. Keep checking the radii at the nut and the bottom of the fretboard as often as you can.
One thing I noticed is that most luthiers cut out the fret slots by saw all the way through the fretboard. I can't help but to wonder if anybody ever think about cutting the fret slots without cutting all the way through the edges for frets that have the tangs cut shorter than the crowns.
Hi Jonah, There are plenty of luthiers and guitar manufacturers who do this. Mostly on necks with binding. I tend to believe more and more guitars these days don't show the fret tang at the side of the neck as the required fret slots to do so are easy to do with CNC machines. On handcut fretslots on a neck without binding it is very hard to do so.
Love the build so far! I’m sure you know, but wood dust is not good for you. You really need to wear a mask at least. Your fans want you to not only be an amazing luthier but a healthy, amazing luthier. Please use some mask or something, especially when sanding.
Your presentation technique is refreshing and engaging, direct, concise, articulately packed with great information, and even a bit of dry humor from time to time 🙂(yes, always use conventional feed, never climb in this setup, and it is a bit funny to watch one's work shoot across the workshop, but not something to be repeated!)
Another great video! I love this series and all of the detailed explanations of each step and what you’re doing. Thank you for making it!
Hi Ron,
Thank you very much for the compliment and it's my pleasure.
Thankful for these videos
These videos are so great and enjoyable! Thank you so very very much for these, they're going to help me a great deal in my bass building project.
Watching this series as I carve a neck. Great videos! Looking forward to a lot more.
Hi Rodney,
How did the neck turn out?
And thank you very much for the compliment on the videos.
There are still a few episodes to go in this series and I'm already thinking about what to do next.
Q: I've seen other Luthiers leave the masking tape over the truss rod so there is no squeeze out inside the Truss Rod channel. Why don't you do this? Is it a personnel preference or is it something more? Love your content, I've dubbed you the '"Bob Ross" of the Luthier world. 😁
I have my scale length, my string spread at the bridge, the distance from the strings to the edge of my fretboard, my nut width, but how do I figure out how long the fretboard should be? I saw someone say for a 22 fret guitar you cut the fretboard to the location of the 23rd fret, but what determines that?
Hoi Daniel, Ik vroeg mijzelf af waar je de 'jig' voor de fret afstanden / zaag diepte gekocht hebt. Ik kan namelijk de 'jig' vinden via tonefactory maar zonder templates voor de afstanden. Geweldige filmpjes ik ben nu zelf een hals van een gitaar aan het fixen maar het smaakt naar meer zullen we maar zeggen. Groeten Cas
Hi Cas,
Mijn fretzaag "Jig" komt by TLC Guitar Goods vandaan.
Is een Nederlands bedrijf voor gitaar bouwspullen en onderdelen. Zij hebben zowel de 'verstekbak' als ook verschillende bijpassende templates.
Succes met de bouw van je gitaar.
@@UnquendorGuitars geweldig ik ga dit vanavond nog bekijken, keep up the good work!
10:52. I know you said to use a small drill bit and drill in one of the fret slots, but what size bit did you use for the alignment guide pins? 1.0 mm diameter?
Hi MixingGBP,
The tooth picks/ cocktail sticks I use as guide pins are 2mm in diameter.
do you think carbon fibre neck reinforcement is beneficial ?
Hi Gurup,
Short answer... sometimes and it depends.
If you don't trust your neck wood to be stable enough adding carbon fibre can be beneficial. Or if you're making a very thin non-laminated neck.
I made a couple of guitars with carbon fibre reinforcement but other then during setup I couldn't notice any difference.
did you glue the truss rod in place or does it fit in it's slot so tight that no glue is needed?
Hey Fin,
Good question.
You shouldn't glue in a truss rod. In fact you should try and avoid getting glue in the truss rod channel while glueing on the fretboard as it can hinder the proper functioning of the truss rod. It should fit in the channel nice and tight. Just tight enough that it wont move or rattle, but not as tight that you have to force it in.
For most dual action truss rods, like the ones I use, a 1/4" or 6mm wide channel will be perfect.
That said there are some builders who use just the tiniest amount of epoxy glue or silicone sealant at the start and end of the truss rod in the channel to prevent rattle. The 'bending part' or 'the rod it self' should be able to 'move/bend' in the channel when the neck is done to do it's job.
So if you use a router, route the channel in the center of the neck using the correct size router bit (1/4") to a depth that is equal to the thickness of the truss rod. Usually you have to create a wider and deeper section where the 'nut' is on the truss rod. Doing this you should be fine. Make sure to put a narrow strip of masking tape over the truss rod when glueing on the fretboard to prevent glue getting in the truss rod channel.
@@UnquendorGuitars Thanks! this is really helpful
What kind of glue is that bro
How did you determine the thickness of the fretboard putting the locking nut and frets into consideration?
Hi Jonah,
Yes, to some extend.
You can always raise a locking nut by adding shims if necessary.
Hi Daniel,
I was actually asking if you decided on a specific fretboard thickness and how you determined that putting the locking nut and fret height into consideration.
I'm building my first guitar and I got a locking nut and stainless steel jumbo frets. I was hoping to make the fretboard right for the locking nut height and NOT require any shims but the problem is that the nut is very short. I'm having second thoughts about making my fretboard very thin so that it would fit the nut but I've decided to use the included shims on the nut... Hell I'm gonna need two thickest of the three shims so that my fretboard won't be so thin.
I understand how people set non locking nut height as they measure the string distance on the first fret while you fret on the third but I'm struggling to wrap my mind around how I'm going to set the fretboard thickness without measuring the strings against the frets.
Another idea I have is to get close but make my fretboard slightly thicker than it needs to be and then level the frets down until they're the right height for the nut.
@@Jinnuksuk
I wouldn’t level the frets to height. Always adjust the nut.
To get a correct fretboard thickness for a locking nut. Measure the string height for the nut. Usually +/- 7mm for a locking nut. Lookup the height of your frets. For jumbo frets around 1,5mm. So your ideal fretboard thickness should be around 5,5mm. I make my fretboards around 6mm thick and use shims to adjust the nut height is necessary.
I hope this helps.
@@UnquendorGuitars The locking nuts' low E string is 6mm and yes the frets are 1.5mm.
Wouldn't it be ideal for the nut to be slightly higher than the frets so that the strings are not dead flat against everything when you fret? 6mm nut - 1.5mm frets = 4.5mm... So 4.48mm? I am aware that the bridge will be higher but I'm hoping to be able to have the lowest string action possible and keep intonation gap as low as possible... Oh man, I've not had to fiddle with my math skill this much since high school.
is compound radius useful? how could it be done with only hand tools?
Hi Gurup,
Good question... but impossible to give a straight answer.
In my opinion it's all about personal preference of the player.
How to do it with hand tools?
It takes a lot of skill and knowing what you're doing and trying to achieve. You could start with planes to get the radii as close as possible and finish it with a leveling beam and sandpaper. Keep checking the radii at the nut and the bottom of the fretboard as often as you can.
One thing I noticed is that most luthiers cut out the fret slots by saw all the way through the fretboard. I can't help but to wonder if anybody ever think about cutting the fret slots without cutting all the way through the edges for frets that have the tangs cut shorter than the crowns.
Hi Jonah,
There are plenty of luthiers and guitar manufacturers who do this. Mostly on necks with binding.
I tend to believe more and more guitars these days don't show the fret tang at the side of the neck as the required fret slots to do so are easy to do with CNC machines. On handcut fretslots on a neck without binding it is very hard to do so.
Love the build so far!
I’m sure you know, but wood dust is not good for you. You really need to wear a mask at least. Your fans want you to not only be an amazing luthier but a healthy, amazing luthier. Please use some mask or something, especially when sanding.
better trick is using a special beveled 10" sanding disc for your table saw.... trust me....
Hi Troy,
Thank you for the tip.
Unfortunately I don't have a table saw.