Necks and frets

[DarkMark]

Could someone explain to me why there is a difference between the spacing of frets between my ES-5V (left) and nylon string guitar(right). I notice the difference to bridge is longer for the nylon string also.
The thing is I plan to put nylon strings on a pit bull neck with a floating bridge in the future...will correct bridge position make everything hunky dory?

[FrankenWashie]

There will be a different scale length Mark. if memory serves (it often doesn't) the ES will be a G company scale 24 9/16" or 24 3/4" and you nylon is probably a 25" or 25.5" scale length.

One of the kits i have battled with was an orphan IB-1 that someone had tried to convert to 24 fret based on G company scale but the kit itself was set up for 22 fret F company scale length. That was a barrel of fun until i figured that out and made a new board with the right fret spacings.

As you say, as long as you set you floating bridge in the right spot for the scale length of the guitar, all will be well. If you don't its gong to sound like the alley cat chorus on goofballs.

[DarkMark]

There will be a different scale length Mark. if memory serves (it often doesn't) the ES will be a G company scale 24 9/16" or 24 3/4" and you nylon is probably a 25" or 25.5" scale length.

One of the kits i have battled with was an orphan IB-1 that someone had tried to convert to 24 fret based on G company scale but the kit itself was set up for 22 fret F company scale length. That was a barrel of fun until i figured that out and made a new board with the right fret spacings.

As you say, as long as you set you floating bridge in the right spot for the scale length of the guitar, all will be well. If you don't its gong to sound like the alley cat chorus on goofballs.

Yes! That’s the answer I was hoping for. I expected as much but it’s nice to have confirmation before I start. No guaranty it won’t sound like, “...the alley cat chorus on goofballs”, however.

Thanks FrankenWashie, sounds like you had a lot of fun learning that lesson.

[FrankenWashie]

Yes! That’s the answer I was hoping for. I expected as much but it’s nice to have confirmation before I start. No guaranty it won’t sound like, “...the alley cat chorus on goofballs”, however.

Thanks FrankenWashie, sounds like you had a lot of fun learning that lesson.

I'm sure it will be fine, I'm curious about this plan you have though? Are you getting something like an LP neck and making a solid/semi hollow body of your own with a Piezo?


It was a good learning exercise, it was the first fretboard I made, the first inlay i had done and the first time I had recessed a control cover. That guitar taught, and continues to teach me new things (like don't buy cheap Floyd Rose knockoffs on line cause they are pieces of junk).

[Simon Barden]

Is this an existing kit you have (are you converting the ES-5V?) or a new kit, or are you just planning on buying a neck and making a body?

Just some points to note.

1. You'll need to widen all but the bottom E nut slot (and maybe even that) in order to fit nylon strings in them. Ideally get a blank bone replacement and cut the slots yourself - but you'll need the correct nut files either way.
2. If you are just buying a neck from PBG, then it will be for a Strat or Tele style guitar, which will have a 25.5" scale length like almost all classical guitars. If it's a kit with a G 24.75" scale length, then the strings will have less tension. So if you are used to light or medium tension classical strings, then you'll probably need to go up a step to medium or high tension strings.
3. You've mentioned a floating bridge. This means that intonation won't be an issue as you can move the bridge around to get the intonation spot-on. Just remember that the bridge angle will not be slanting (like a steel-string acoustic is), but at a flat 90° to the nylon strings and at pretty much the nominal scale length. If you decide to repurpose a floating bridge with a height-adjustable tune-o-matic on the top, then this might be too rough/sharp for the nylon strings, so I'd stick to bridges with a bone or plastic saddle.
4. Is the guitar going to be amplified, or just acoustic? If amplified, then you'll need a piezo system of some sort built into the floating bridge, as magnetic pickups won't work. Or possibly under-top piezo pads, though these are hard to position well through F-holes. You may need to try several positions to find the optimal sound. If a PBG archtop, then the solid block under the saddle position will stop under-top piezos being placed where they really should be.

[DarkMark]

Aha, all will be revelled in time FrankenWashie, but if you refer back to the ‘hollow body piezo ‘ thread under ‘modifications ‘ it will give it away.

All good points Simon and thanks for taking the time to think about potential problems.
1) I’ve got an acoustic tsuq nut which I could fiddle with, or a bone nut - pre filed- but that’s a joke because there is hardly an indentation in it...perhaps it could serve as string spacing and file deeper and wider.
2) Yes, I’ll first try medium tension, go to high tension if required.
3) Floating roller bridge -a) to assist string spacing positions which I’m concerned about if I were to use a regular curved bridge. b) I guess I am more likely to bend nylon strings and we know the benefit of roller bridges under those conditions.
4) Piezo unit under strings on a tailpiece.