Shortscale Snakehead

[Simon Barden]

The reason that tuners go on with the tuning key away from the nut is because the string tension then pulls the gear at the end of the tuning post against the gear on the tuning key spindle and keeps everything as tight as it can be. Fitting the tuners in the reverse manner and the tension pulls the gears apart.

New tuners will feel and work fine, but as they age and wear, the tuners will become sloppier and far less precise, with more backlash. And the fact that the gears are loose will allow more vibration, which in turn will provoke more wear.

So you might want to think about turning them round if you think the guitar’s a keeper.

Nice work on the two guitars though.

[impala59]

Well I've just strung the shortscale mock up with some 10-46 Ernie Balls and it took me all of 10 minutes to set up the action and intonation, it was so easy! Maybe one of you could tell me why? Perhaps its the 24.75 scale? Maybe I just got lucky!
I wish now that I had put all the electrics together as it is really a sweet player and that's before any attention to the frets or fret board, its rough on the back, as dry as a bone with sharp edges and still feels good.
I shall do my usual regime of leaving it strung for a week or so before taking it down to finish it.
That will give me a little time to get the 25.5 scale moved along a bit
snakeheads(9).JPG (116.0 KB)

[impala59]

The reason that tuners go on with the tuning key away from the nut is because the string tension then pulls the gear at the end of the tuning post against the gear on the tuning key spindle and keeps everything as tight as it can be. Fitting the tuners in the reverse manner and the tension pulls the gears apart.

New tuners will feel and work fine, but as they age and wear, the tuners will become sloppier and far less precise, with more backlash. And the fact that the gears are loose will allow more vibration, which in turn will provoke more wear.

So you might want to think about turning them round if you think the guitar’s a keeper.

Nice work on the two guitars though.

Thanks Simon
I guess a rethink is needed based upon your reply. Still a way to go on that one so I will give it some serious thought, Always a learning experience on this site I now understand why there are left and right handed tuners, it all makes sense really!!

[Simon Barden]

I only sussed this out fully a couple of days ago after reading a book, though I knew it wasn't a good idea before then.

[impala59]

So, following Simons advice (for all the right reasons) I have now reversed to normal the tuners.
Oddly, what looked right before now looks wrong and although the distance from the nut to the two E tuners is long, the head stock itself looks proportionally OK, I think!?!
before and after snakeheads (8).JPG (81.2 KB) snakehead (2).JPG (80.2 KB)
The distance from the nut to the axle of the tuner is a half inch longer on this guitar than the shortscale. Not much in the great scheme of things but maybe seeing them together it just looks so much more. Perhaps if I had searched for a neck that splayed for the headstock earlier, I would have been happier. But needs must and I can live with it! There's always next time!

[Simon Barden]

The headstock looks better to me already. It is a bit of a distance to the nut from the first tuners. Any plans to fit string trees or even a full string bar?

[impala59]

A string bar may be the best option and also it will fill the gap cosmetically. When I get the string anchor block and the neck plate fitted I will mock up, string up and check the angles. Measuring against a standard telecaster headstock, the E strings are level with a standard A and the D and G level with a standard B, with the A and B between the standard D and G.
So I may get away without trees or bar.
Thanks again for the advice and your interest

Edit. I understand the 'scale length', but cannot quite grasp the 'musical length' which includes nut to peg and bridge to anchor (I believe) Do these extra lengths of string (which can be variable dependant on the type and size of the instrument) have any bearing on the sound, tone, playability or accuracy of tuning?

[impala59]

So, I made the rest of the brass hardware for the 25.5 scale Snakehead and have now test strung ( with Fender 9 - 42's) as has become my protocol prior to any finishing/wiring. The set-up took a little longer on this one after I found that the pre routed bridge pick up hole was about an eighth of an inch or so too far from the neck. For some inexplicable reason I ignored my own masking tape datum line (too much haste I guess) and now, although it is set up and has a nice action, I will, on final assembly, put some longer/stronger springs on the saddles to keep everything in check(the high E and B have no spring tension at all at this moment). The ongoing plan is for a brass nut but even with the plastic one it has a nice ring to it and I think it will be very playable when the neck has had a little attention ( it has the tiniest bit of spoon to it but I will let it settle before winding up the truss rod). Following on from the discussion with Simon and looking at the string angles, although there does not seem to be a problem, I believe that a string bar will probably benefit this build for practical and cosmetic reasons.
snakehead 25 (2).JPG (162.1 KB)snakehead 25 (3).JPG (137.4 KB)snakehead 25 (4).JPG (73.2 KB)

[dave.king1]

There's a lot to like about this/these builds

[McCreed]

I believe that a string bar will probably benefit this build for practical and cosmetic reasons.

That's certainly your choice, but with a strat/tele type of nut, and presuming it's cut properly, the E A D strings shouldn't require a tree or bar even with that distance to the post.

And not to be critical, but your string winding technique (particularly the low E string) could use some improvement.
If you wind the strings so they are a series of single loops going from top to bottom (if that makes sense) it will provide enough break angle right off the nut.

On the low E, I only put 3 wraps on the post. One above the post hole and 2 below. I tend to go 4-5 wraps on my unwound strings, but same over/under method.