I am approaching the finishing of a StewMac OM 18 kit prior to beginning the final stages I did an assembly to check geometry. After leveling and dressing the frets I notice my straight edge is about 3/32 above the bridge. In the instructions I calculated the formula and it needs to be reduced by less than 1/32. They advise using a chisel but that sounds like a recipe for disaster at this point. If I take a straight edge from last fret and go to the bridge I am just about level but if I use the whole fret board I am above the bridge by 3/32. Also can I sand it down to the correct dimensions or is that just not the most effective solution?
Thank you as always.
Pat
Neck Angles
-
IRISHPICKER
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:55 am
-
MaineGeezer
- Posts: 1797
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm
Re: Neck Angles
I'm no authority, but that sounds about right to me. You can adjust the final string height by the height of the saddle, and a hair too much is far better than a hair too little. You may find that when it's finally assembled and strung up that extra 32nd has disappeared.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
-
Kevin Sjostrand
- Posts: 3936
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
- Location: Visalia, CA
Re: Neck Angles
Sounds about right to me also.
You have to keep in mind that when you string the guitar up to pitch tour top may likely rise 32nd or possibly more.
If you have a saddle about 1/8" out of the slot and you may end up pretty close. Adjust the saddle height up or down as needed. It won't be too much.
You have to keep in mind that when you string the guitar up to pitch tour top may likely rise 32nd or possibly more.
If you have a saddle about 1/8" out of the slot and you may end up pretty close. Adjust the saddle height up or down as needed. It won't be too much.
-
Stray Feathers
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
- Location: Ladysmith, BC
Re: Neck Angles
I still find this confusing. Recently I was "helping" two friends who were at just this stage. Long story short, I have always thought the unfretted fretboard should line up with the top of the bridge. But I have ended up with saddles too high. Then we discovered some sources that recommend having the FRETTED fretboard just line up with the top of the bridge. That makes sense to me, because if you set up the strings to be say .090" off the top of the 12th fret, that will put them at .180" above the bridge, or almost 3/16" saddle height. That seems right to me. So I am still confused why some recommend the other way. I also suggest checking what height off the soundboard the strings will be at the bridge - 1/2" seems to be the norm. I use a wooden shim about .090" thick and rest it on the 12th fret, then lay a long straightedge from the first fret across the shim and measure the height at the saddle location. I would love to hear more thoughts about this! Bruce W.