Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi, I am new here. Just needing some advice on my build:

I started this when I was feeling really crafty and now that I have started, there is no point in stopping..
I don't play, and it is being made in tea and lunch times at work, so it is really slow going. Also it is a flying V.
Questions:
1 - When I route the truss rod groove, do I cut in a curve? (I am using a 6mm threaded rod)
2 - Can I use two different pickups?
3 - How should I cut the fret slots? Before or after it is on the guitar? How do I get it to the 1000th mm without a fret ruler?

I have more, but I can't think of them now..

Geoff

Geoffrey,

Sorry I didn't see your post sooner, we're really not a bunch of snobs that ignore new guys. Welcome to the forum.

Firstly, if you are building with a one way compression truss rod (Fender style) then yes, the channel should curve. I make mine about 3/16" deeper in the middle than the ends.

Second, you can use absolutely any combination of pickups you desire. Just make sure that the circuits you use work with the pickups you select.

Last, it is easier to cut the slots in the fret board before it is installed on the neck. Google "wfret download" to find a zip copy of the Wfret program. It will allow you to print out a slotting template that can be adhered to your fret board.

Steve

Hey, Goeffrey,

Regarding the truss rod groove, you can cut or rout in a curve in your groove if you have the jigs or the means to do that. I just scrape my curve deeper with a scratch stock, and you can read all you will ever want to know about scratch stocks by googling up that term. I deepen my groove more or less between the fifth and twelfth frets, but my curve is gradual, so it probably extends a bit beyond those parameters.

Regarding pickups, sure you can use any combination you want, as long as you can figure out the wiring diagrams. Again, there is a lot of info available on the various web sites. Google is your friend.

Regarding fret slots, I would absolutely cut them before mounting on the neck. But I must admit this: I don't cut mine. I buy pre-slotted boards, because I am a hobbyist and I don't want to get into fret slotting territory on my own. Professionals have their jigs and tools for this. I build so few that I see no need to cut the slots for my few builds. You could save yourself a lot of trouble by buying a pre-slotted board. But if you wish to do that step, you will find lots of advice here on the forum.

Regardless of your decisions, you have my most sincere wish for an excellent outcome! Everyone here took that first plunge into making an instrument. I sure did that. It's fun. It's addictive. You learn more on each successive instrument. Just think your options over and then dive in!

Hi Geoff and welcome to olf. I'm just about finished my first build and the guys here have been a massive help when needed. I would advise anyone starting out to read some books on the subject. After reading quite a few I have found two books to be the best and most informative/easy to read. These are.. Build your own electric guitar by melvin hiscock and building electric guitars by Martin Koch.

The hiscock book is a good start to finish guide and the Koch book is excellent for jigs and work tips.

Good luck with your project man

Another thing, do I cut the shape of the fretboard before cutting the slots? It would be easier to cut the slots square with the board as a blank, but then the cutting of the board would have to be super accurate to make sure the frets are square to the board..

Hi again, Geoffrey. Yes, it'll be much easier to cut your fret slots square and perpendicular to the center line if you do it before tapering or radiusing the board. I know of one excellent builder who saws the slots freehand with a paper template spray mounted to the fret board--but he has cut a LOT of fret slots. I recommend building a little miter box out of scrap wood, long enough to support your fret board on either side of the slotting area. Clamp that to your workbench. I hope that doesn't sound patronizing. I don't mean it that way. I just think you'll minimize the chance of slips and goofs if everything is secure while you work. Sweep, vacuum or blow away your sawdust frequently so it won't accumulated under the blank or between it and the miter box fence. Saw dust could keep your blank from bearing squarely against the fence.

Two other things I'd recommend if you print a paper template: 1., Be careful not to stretch the paper as you spray mount it to your fretboard. 2., If you can set the width of the lines that are printed, make them as thin as you can--no wider than the saw kerf. When you're finished, a little acetone or naphtha wiped over the paper template will soak through and release the adhesive very easily. Take your time and you should be fine. Best of luck! Let us know how it goes.

Geoffrey, you might also consider buying a pre slotted fretboard from one of the suppliers like StewMac or LMI. That will save you building or buying some sort of miter box and a special saw blade that you'll only use once - not to mention the possibility that screwing up one slot will ruin your board. I've built about 15 instruments now, many of them odd scales, and I buy preslotted boards for each.

Either way, slot and radius the board while it is square referencing the center line. I then cut the side taper based on the width at the nut and the body joint whether I'm binding the board or not. I happen to like fretting the board before it is glued on to the neck but there are advantages of each way. I also like to shape the neck so the edge stands just slightly proud of the sides of the fretboard and then bring the neck down to the board.

Let me also suggest that if you don't have it, Melvyn Hiscock's book is a very good reference and will answer many of these questions. Good luck with your build.

Judging by your questions Geoffrey I think better than answering your questions I think making a recommendation for you to spend some time on Youtube watching some builders is much more productive.
There is one in particular that has very informative builds and with LP/Strat/Tele type guitars. Just search for "build a strat" and look for "Fletcher".
You will probably get answers to questions you don't even know you have.

I have looked into that, but I live in South Africa and with the exchange rate how it is, the the parts are a bit highly priced.

I have, however, found that the guy up the road builds guitars, I think I may take my blank to him and get him to do the cutting...

The other advantage to that would be that he probably has all of the tools and might be able to help you with some other aspects of the build. Unfortunately there is a pretty big investment in some specialized lutherie tools - fretting files and stuff like that.

And I totally second Sandywood's suggest of checking out some builds on the internet. I am nearing completion on a guitar based a bit on the Les Paul (Jr) and have posted a build thread on a different forum. You can follow as I blunder along...

http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/for ... es-paul-jr