Another newb. Another Victorian resident

[keloooe]

Hey Glenn, are you measuring from the nut to the crown of the fret wire, not the wood???

[Gavin1393]

Hey Glenn

This might not be an issue and in fact is probably one of the most frequently asked questions . it's great that you have done a mock build before getting going as this will always point to where problems are or where issues will be covered by a pickguard so aren't that important. Often we will pick up a comment on the forum where someone is about to hack away at the neck, body, pickup routings, pickguard etc. because they assume the distance from the 12th fret to the nut and to the bridge should be exactly the same. This isn't the case as one might expect because you need to compensate for the strings. For this reason you will see an angled saddle on an acoustic guitar. The thicker the strings, the greater the distance from the 12th fret the saddle will be if intonation is set correctly. Being an acoustic builder you get one chance at getting the bridge in the right spot. Get it wring then you have to go through the process of removing strings, breaking the glue's grip on the bridge and soundboards and starting again. This is probably why i am so meticulous with this when building an acoustic. Probably also why i dont stress much with building electrics since the bridge only needs to be there-abouts and you can still get great intonation. So before you rush out and start thiñking about modifications you actually dont need to make can you please take some measurements and post the results of those measurements on this thread? I need these measurements in order to help you.

The first measurement I need is for you to measure from the FRET-WIRE of the 12th FRET,to the point where, if you ran your finger along the strings, you would touch the nut. Hence you are measuring the nut from the 'bridge side of the nut rather than from the 'Headstock' side of the nut.

The second measurement I need is from the same point on the 12th FRET,that is, measure from the FRET-WIRE of the 12th FRET. I first want you to use a screw drive and wind the saddles on the bridge as far forward (towards the pickups) as they will go. When you have done this please measure the distance from the saddles to the 12th Fret.

Secondly, I would like you to wind the saddles away from the pickups as far back as they will go. Please re-measure the distance from the saddles to the 12th Fret.

Please provide me with those measurements exactly as they are and I will then try and assist you.
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[dingobass]

More gold from the Gavmeister!

Gavin, can you post this in the FAQ section please?

[Gavin1393]

Posted there!

[dingobass]

Thanks Gavin

[glenno3228]

Thanks Gavin. This is gold and I already have some of this info available.

The body is drying at present so can't get all the data til later. I have taken the below measurements per your instructions as I read the how to elsewhere in the forums.

What I do have.

Top E string (bass) N-12 is 314 and 12-B 318.
Bottom E string N-12 is 314 and 12-B 315

This is with the bridge set closest to the nut in both cases and as such no further shortening is avaiable by bridge setting.
This is also taken with the neck squared to a position that had both E strings equidistant from and parallel to the edge of the fret board.
The bridge adjustment is 5-6mm in each position. I had the adjustment screws for the bridge facing the nut.

With the neck in the position that gives these figures, the front pickup will not fit due to the face plate overlapping the neck by about 6mm.

I have photos and will post tomorrow.

Thanks again
Glenn

[glenno3228]

This image shows the neck fitted in the recess, butted to the guitar per factory finish. With the neck in all the way like this, I get the above measurements but as you can see, the humbucker doesn't fit the recess because of the overlap. I'm a total novice but based on measurements it appears to me that we might be at a point where something needs mods.

[glenno3228]

Unrelated but I'm very happy with the early results of the staining so here's a sneak peak.

[Gavin1393]

Glenn, there is good news and there is even better news

The good news is you bridge is perfect! The even better news is that stain is looking wicked!

Just swing the bridge around as the adjustment screws need to face the bottom of the guitar....otherwise you wouldnt be able to get in there and adjust the intonation once the strings are on!

[glenno3228]

Thanks. And Thanks. AND PHEW.

I guess I'll have to check out more info on the intonation to get my head around it. As you said, there will be something in the physics associated with the thicker string but I would have thought that would be true for the nut to fret section also.

The one outstanding item is therefore the front pickup. Should I cut a recess in the face plate for the neck or do I need to move the whole shebang back?

Cheers
Glenn