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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:00 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:51 am
Posts: 280
Location: Where Palm trees grow
First name: Jeremy
Last Name: Wood
City: Galveston
State: Texas
Zip/Postal Code: 77554
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Ok I was told this about ordering a fret board and bridge set.

As far as the fretboard goes, don't order anything until you know what you'll be making. The scale-length, string-spacing of the bridge, and nut width are critical. You could order something for a Strat, then realize your bridge has 2.25" string-spacing and you want 1 3/4" at the nut. Oops. Then you'll be ordering a 3rd

I plan to buy a fret board at 25.51 scale 43mm at the nut and 57mm at the bottom. While most bridges tell you the string spacing, I haven't found a single nut and saddle set that tells me the string spacing so I'm confused. I know I need a 43mm nut but how do I buy a bridge and nut set that match. I did find one bridge set for a pinned bridge that came with nut and saddle which I have no problem using. But if I wanted to buy a pinless bridge how would I choose the nut and saddle.

Also what are the best adhesives I can buy at a lowes or Home Depot to use for gluing the bridge to the soundboard. And please no hot hide I'm not brave, skilled or quick enough to try that.

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:57 am 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:45 pm
Posts: 1484
First name: Trevor
Last Name: Gore
City: Sydney
Country: Australia
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
The "standard rules" go something like this:

1) Choose a string spread at the nut
2) Add 6mm (3 either side) and that's your nut width
3) Choose a string spread at the saddle
4) The full fretboard width at the 12th fret should be equal to or very close to the string spread at the saddle
5) For the saddle, the string spread at the saddle plus a minimum of 10mm (5 mm each side) is a minimum saddle width, but the overhang can be pretty much what you like.

A fairly conventional augmentation is to shift the string array off centre towards the bass side, typically ~0.5mm or so, to give a bit more room for bending etc. on the treble side. Make sure that the "freeboard" (fretboard width outside the string spread) is never less than 3mm (as at the nut).

For glue, Titebond original is fine, as is LMI instrument makers glue.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 3:02 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:51 am
Posts: 280
Location: Where Palm trees grow
First name: Jeremy
Last Name: Wood
City: Galveston
State: Texas
Zip/Postal Code: 77554
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Thank you!!!! That helped a lot.

_________________
In order to make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe.
- Carl Sagan

Check out F.O.F. Custom guitars on Facebook.

Www.fofcustomguitar.weebly.com


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