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Thread: Build #3 DHB-4 fretless

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  1. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Location
    Blue Mountains NSW
    Posts
    142
    Thank you so much Simon, very helpful advice, I appreciate it!

    I have started working on the neck yesterday.

    The PitBull fretless necks have side dots in the "fretted" position (in the middle of the fret), however for a fretless unlined neck I need the dots to be in the "fretless" position (which is dots in line with the frets, to be used for reference when playing and visually assist with intonation).

    A couple of pictures here to describe the problem:

    Above a lined fretless neck, with side dots correctly in the middle of the fret, and below the unlined fretless neck I am working on for this build
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Notice the dots are in the same spot. Unfortunately this is not helpful at all on an unlined neck, as those dots don't provide any usable reference at all, if anything they are more confusing.
    That dot on the 3rd fret should be used to give me a reference to play a G (on the E string); but if I install the strings and press down where that dot currently is, I will get a note somewhere in between a F# and G, not good.

    This is what I need instead.
    (I have added some orange dots to show where I need the dots to be to play on an unlined fretboard)
    Click image for larger version. 

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    At this point I could proceed with drilling out the existing dots, and install the new dots, proportionally moving them a little to the right using the lined neck or a template as reference.

    I tend to prefer doing my own intonation, finding the side dots position directly on the instrument after the bridge and strings are installed.
    On top of that, I want to shorten the scale a fraction on this instrument to achieve "21 frets", instead of 20 (and a half) like the lined neck I've got.
    Having 21 "frets" will give me 3 full octave to play with, from low E on the open string, all the way to highest E on the 21st fret of the G string.
    Last edited by FaustoB; 06-09-2022 at 04:50 PM.

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