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I'm building my first guitar and about to glue on the fingerboard. I've been trying to check how it aligns with the rest of the guitar before I glue it on. I found that if I extend a straight edge down the center of my fingerboard when aligned on the neck, it does not intersect the center of the end graft. it measures to be off to the side by 2 or 3 mm.   

What are typical tolerences?

Is it the fingerboard, or the neck that's off? Is the end graft centred? Because fixing side to side alignment of 2-3 mm should be pretty simple; take off a tiny amount off one of the cheeks, assuming a bolt on.

It's a classical with a spanish style neck-heel. I think the error is spread among the end graft placement and the neck alignment. Sounds like a mess but it doesn't look bad until I put a straight edge on it. My $100 yamaha that I play is worse but that doesn't add much comfort. I checked a $1000 Martin and it was perfect within my measurements.

Oh, OK. Anyway, 2-3mm is very, very little. I'd be fine with that, especially on a spanish heel instrument (I do my necks so I can futz with 'em).

I wouldn't worry about it lining up with the end graft - the question is how does the bridge look when it is aligned corrrectly with the fingerborad. As long as the bridge isn't way off center when it is lined up corrrectly with the centerline of the fingerboard and parallel to the frets, then no one will notice.

                           Paul

Ouch, didn't think about the bridge, I almost hate to take a look. Oh well, I guess I'll make a dummy bridge tonight and check it out.

Okay, so 2-3 mm is tolerable, thanks.

No one will ever notice unless you tell them.

Al

Or one of us tell them

Cheers

Kim

Shouldn't the bridge be the last thing to be glued, so it can be aligned with the neck?

Marc, if it's any consolation my endgraft was "off center" too - easily by as much as yours. I cut mine with an exacto knife and a chisel, and I added the endgraft to make up for a 1/2 inch gap that I had between the two sides. Nobody will notice. The issue is making sure the bridge is properly aligned with the fretboard.

_________________
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[QUOTE=Mattia Valente] Oh, OK. Anyway, 2-3mm is very, very little. I'd
be fine with that, especially on a spanish heel instrument (I do my necks
so I can futz with 'em).[/QUOTE]

I agree with Mattia....not worth worrying too much about. 2-3mm isnt
going to be obvious. Larger errors can be a problem as they become
obvious where the split 19th fret intersects the soundhole.

The classical Im currently working on has centreline out by 4mm. I just
compensated by repositioning bridge slightly off centre seam....only a
luthier would pick it up. If youre a gun at gluing up tops with no visible
centre seam then probably the average luthier wouldnt pick it up either.

Cheers Martinkiwigeo38848.9370486111

I picked this laser up at home depot for six bucks. It's helped me quite a bit.

[QUOTE=RCoates] I picked this laser up at home depot for six bucks. It's helped me quite a bit.[/QUOTE]

I like that...Star Wars Revisited!
~ Lasers in Lutherie ~   

[QUOTE=RichB] [QUOTE=RCoates] I picked this laser up at home depot
for six bucks. It's helped me quite a bit.[/QUOTE]

I like that...Star Wars Revisited!
~ Lasers in Lutherie ~    [/QUOTE]

What Ronn neglected to mention was the effort that went into to gluing
the top back together after he'd lasered it in half!

Checked out how the bridge will look. Seems there is enough asymmetry in the lower bout that it came out very close to centered between the edges even though the center of the bridge will be a couple of mm off the joint line of the top. I think two wrongs made it look right, just luck.

Good idea. I have one of those for hanging shelves, I'll give it a try to see exactly how far off I am.

FWIW a picture of the mistake.

Mark, locate the bridge with things like they are based on the neck and double stick tape it down. put the guitar away for a day or two then come back to and tell me if it is noticible! Don't put a laser on it, just set it up on a stand and take a good look. You will likely not notice it in the least, because the bridge is many inches away from the graft. You or anyone else's Eye will not see the off center. The important thing is the relationship between the neck and the bridge. The end graft is just dressing on the turkey.

Marc, your fingerboard alignment is perfect compared to mine, check on this picture for the big E string on my first build, the neck is so off centered that i call my guitar 10 to 6!

Wat Woow MichaelP38849.6750578704

Serge, Thanks! I don't know what to say except that picture makes me feel okay about my first guitar.

That was the goal! Mission accomplished!