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I'm laying out plans for my first build. If I run a straight line from the nut to the bridge, the strings are too high over the fingerboard. Should I step down the body, keeping it parallel to the neck/fingerboard, or should I angle the neck backwards?

Or do both methods work? What is preferred and why?

Thanks!

Both methods work, Gibson angles the neck and Fender steps the body. Which do you prefer?

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Well, this is my first build ever, so I guess I don't have a preference yet.

This is a through-neck build. Stepping down the body seems like it might be a little easier.

The best way to get the right action is to watch Arnold Schwarzenneger movies.

No, really, there's a lot of ways to do it. Main one's are Fender style and Gibson style. Just google guitar setup and you will find all the measurements you need to know. Make sure you have some feeler gauges.

And don't forget to play it a bunch until it feels just right. Play, adjust, play, adjust, play more.

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Thanks Mark. By adjust I presume you mean using the truss rod?

Jim the type of bridge you use may help you decide.
A Gibson type like on the Les Paul sits higher - the neck is tilted in relation
to the body unlike a Fender Strat style which has a lower setting bridge as the
neck is parallel to the body.

I suggest you check-out the bridges for each.

I think the Fender style for a neck-through would be the easier of the two.
The neck section of the neck-through block will set about 1/8" above the top
of the body plus the 1/4" thickness of the fretboard will put it very close to
perfect for a Strat type bridge or tremelo or Tele style.

The measurements I've mentioned and the height measurements of the Fender
style bridges should make sense in your drawing.

Preference between these two is based on more than the tilt (about 3 degrees on the LP)
there is also the scale length. Fender having the straight set-up with the longer
scale length ( 25.5) tends many players to feel it's to much of a reach.
The tilt and shorter scale is less reach to some with the tilted neck and shorter scale length
of the Les Paul. ( @ 24.5 --Gibson changes that around)

Hope this helps.

Jim, when I asked which you prefered, I was refering to Fender or Gibson.
There's nothing similiar with the geometry of the two, and the hardware for each is specific to that design. That's the reason mixing the designs isn't straightforward. With a neckthrough, the Fender style will be easier, the strings are more or less parallel with the top of the body, and Fender bridges and tremelos will work pretty easily, while TOM bridges may be a little tall. They can be MADE to work, but that's why you're drawing the plans, right?

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Thanks to all for your help!

I'm using a TOM bridge that sits about 1/2" above the body. It leaves the strings about 1/8 too high.

The simplest thing for me to get my mind around is to just step down the body 1/8" from the neck. Should work, yes?

Yes, that should work, and it is probably the most simple solution. That's what I meant by it could be made to work.

edit: You may want to go a bit more, it might be nice to have a bit of downward adjustment available.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Melvyn Hiscock discusses both neck types and their geometry in his book Make Your Own Electric Guitar. He shows building a set neck LP style, bolt on Tele style and a thru neck bass. It would be a great reference for you at this point.

Truss rod, string height and intonation.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Referring to "fast" action: proper nut slot depths, bridge height, fret height, neck relief, light or super light string gauge...

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