1st Acoustic Kit Build

[Diane Kauffmds]

Well, neck setting can be a bit intimidating. You aren't the first to let it sit for a spell. If you have any questions, please ask.

[joseph d]

I'm getting my head back around this finally. Attempting the ACE method. Neck still needs to drop .030 for the fret board to meet the top. With a straight edge across the fret board (no frets in) its almost kissing the top of the bridge (no saddle in). I think I'm good with the angle here but would like a 2nd opinion from someone that knows more than me...

[Diane Kauffmds]

Assuming you're using medium fret wire, the crown will give you another .040-.045" in height. You're good to go.

[tippie53]

I like to have .094 clearance to the top of the bridge with the frets on. In this case you are so close that you can take a little off the bridge.

As Diane said you have frets and you can tweak that bridge

[joseph d]

Thanks Diane and John!...now I just have to get back into groove of how I was working the tendon and make it drop. Another thing I noticed - on my top where the bridge sits. Seems I put a tiny bit of radius there as it is not completely flat. The ends of my bridge are very slightly raised above the top say around .020 using a feeler gauge. In a perfect world should I have left that area flat when I did my top bracing? As it is I'm just going to match that radius on the bridge bottom.

Regarding frets; is it best to fret the board before or after gluing the neck?

[Diane Kauffmds]

You can do it either way. I like to fret before, but you have to make sure that the board itself is level, after radiusing. I have some problems with my hands, so I may do things a bit differently. This is my sequence for the fretboard and neck that works for me.

1. I cut the slots on the evenly flat fretboard.
2. I radius it. Steps 1 and 2 are the reverse of what many people do.
3. I cut it the shape I want
4. I level the board.
5. I inlay the board, including side markers.
6. I fret the board.
7. I bevel the frets
8. I install it on the neck
9. After the neck is installed, I level the frets and dress them.

When I'm radiusing and leveling the board, I have it double taped solidly to a flattened surface.

As I said, this works very well for me. I also have a fretting cull that I've just used for the first time on my current build. Given my hand problems, it worked wonderful for me. Hammering in the frets was a bit difficult for me.

[ruby@magpage.com]

I do the same sequence as Diane - just seems logical although anything goes if you think it makes things easier. One reason I like installing the board after fretting and all is that it is easier to floss the neck joint to tip the neck up if there is no board in the way.

Diane - what does your fretting caul look like?

Ed

[joseph d]

Thank you guys!

[Diane Kauffmds]

I do the same sequence as Diane - just seems logical although anything goes if you think it makes things easier. One reason I like installing the board after fretting and all is that it is easier to floss the neck joint to tip the neck up if there is no board in the way.

Diane - what does your fretting caul look like?

Ed

Here's a photo. I picked it up from Philadelphia luthier supply. I'm probably going to get an arbor, so I can sit down to use it. Right now, it's in the drill press. It did a nice job of pressing the fret in along the entire fret, including the edges.

I used John's technique of using a small amount of cold hide glue, along with a drop of water on my finger. I rub both along the fret slot (actually 5 at a time). I wipe off the excess, then place a cut piece of fret along the slot. The glue acts as a lubricant. The cold hide glue is easy to release with heat, to remove a fret, should the need arise. In this case, I had to remove 3 frets to add additional inlay at the bottom.

[joseph d]

I finally got around to gluing the neck in last night and I'm getting ready to set the bridge. This is a Martin D-28 kit so the scale length is 25.40". Watching the BCG's videos my understanding is that you measure 25-1/2" from nut to center of saddle at center of bridge. Then you measure 25-5/8" to center of saddle at low E string. When I lay-out my bridge using these dimensions my bridge ends up out of square with the sound board center line by say an 1/8" each side of the center line. My neck is aligned pretty darn perfect, the nut slot is parallel with the frets....what am I not seeing? I'm going to go over it again and double, double check.....again.