Quote from Gavin1393 on April 21, 2013, 18:51
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.