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I recently purchased a custom kit from LMI. I am new to guitar building but have been repairing guitars for some time. I figured I would start with a kit before trying to build from scratch.
I have not started on the kit yet as I am letting it acclimate to my shop. I have a couple more weeks before I am going to start on it so I have been going over the plans and DVD so I know exactly what to do when I start.
I custom ordered their Parlor guitar with the pre shaped Gibson style dovetail neck joint and 24.9 scale ebony fretboard. I am not sure that I ordered the correct fretboard for this neck and would like some advice.
#1
The fretboard has been slotted for a 0 fret which I do not want to have.
I have 7/32" from the 0 fret to the end of the fretboard and an 1/8" nut
If I lay the fretboard on the neck so the 14th fret lines up with the edge of the heel I have 11/32" to the angle on the headstock. (so there is a 3/32" extra length to the angle on the headstock)
I know that I will be putting the headplate and headplate veneer on the face of the headstock which is 5/32".
I am not sure that planing down the headstock which is currently 1/2" is how to compensate for removing the 0 fret.
When I ordered the fretboard I don't recall it saying anything about a 0 fret so I am not sure if this can be cut off and compensated for on the headstock or do I need to return it and order one without a 0 fret slot.
I hope I made myself clear in my explanation. If not I can post a picture of what I am talking about.
Thanks for any help you can give me on this.
#2
On the plans for this guitar (Parlor) it does not say what radius the top and back are suppose to be. I am assuming that is up to me and how I want to do it but I am not sure what radius this size of guitar should have.

you can trim the slot at zero. Be careful so you don't cut more or less than you need to.
Check out youtube
blues creek guitars kit
that section will have a vid on prepping the rim. This is all about the body geometry.

do you have a mold ?

Have you contacted them? They may replace it.

Thanks for the quick reply John,
I have your Youtube videos bookmarked and have found them to be a big help in my quest to learn how to build a guitar.
I think I have a pretty good understanding about the body geometry, I have replaced a few tops and backs on guitars and made new bracing. I have a go-bar deck but in the past I have just used 2" foam so I need to get the radius dishes which I plan on ordering from you, I just need to know what size radius dishes to get for this size guitar.
Yes I do have a mold and I put the sides in it as soon as I unpacked it so they would keep their shape as they adjusted to my shop so I am good to go there.
Now about that fretboard...
If I cut it off up to the 0 fret that will leave 1/2" gap up to the angle of the headstock. My nut is 1/4" which leaves 1/4". (I mis-typed in my previous post when I said the nut was 1/8")
By shaving down the face of the headstock for the headplate and headplate veneer will that bring it into line with the nut?
Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question but I don't want to go into this blindly.
Thanks again,
@ Ben-Had,No I have not contacted LMI at this point. I know they will replace it but since I am not sure it needs to be replaced I thought I would ask here first.

This is how LMI ships necks. I use the slot as a guide to cut the excess off with a fret saw.

RobRus wrote:By shaving down the face of the headstock for the headplate and headplate veneer will that bring it into line with the nut?

It will but you may be getting thin. Layer the head plate and you may be OK. I'd test it first on scrap or maybe if you have a marking gauge you can draw a line parallel from the location of the new nut line down the side to see how much might come off.

Thank you for the reply guys,
After measuring the headplate and headplate veneer and scribing a line on the headstock as you suggested, it does appear it will line up properly with the new nut position after shaving it down, so I think I am good with the alignment and position of the fretboard. I guess my concern is getting the headstock too thin. I am using ebony for the headplate and maple for the veneer so I guess that will stiffen it up and bring it back to the proper thickness.
If my thinking is wrong please don't hesitate to correct me.
Now the only other issue is what radius dishes I need for the top and back.
@ tippie53
If you have an idea what dishes to get I will order them from your site. The one thing I don't really know is if that is just a matter of personal preference or is there some rules that determine the radius.
Thanks,
Bob

I made 3 0 sized guitars with a 28 ' top and 15 ft back. What plans are you using?

Bob,
You may find this helpful.

-tommy

http://macjansson.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/parlor.pdf

Copy and paste the above link into your browser. Parsing seems to be broken.

johnnparchem,
I am using the LMI plans which I think are based on a late 1800 Martin but it is made for steel strings so it has the X-bracing.
But the body dimensions are:
Length 18.25
Upper Bout 9.13
Waist 7.13
Lower Bout 12.25
tommyboy,Thanks for that link,
I think my blueprints have all the info I need but I will keep that for reference. Maybe that will be my next one. I have a dislike of Jumbo guitars and much prefer the parlor size guitars.
So it sounds like 15' and 28' radius is pretty common? I recently rebuilt a Gibson LG-0 and re-braced it with X-bracing and that is what I used on that. I also think a lot of other Gibson's use that as well.
Thanks,
Bob