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14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
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Author:  ayavner [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
So, the Stewmac instructions for the 14 fret say to line up the end of the fretboard with the break line at the head, then draw a line 3/16th from that on the peghead face to line up the veneer with (giving a space for the nut).

not sure that made alot of sense, i am wondering now if it was a typo, as I see now that my 14th fret slot does not line up with the heel face (where the body joins). It looks really good besides that so not sure if I should start over (i'd have to buy a new veneer).

is it a problem, besides aesthetically, if the 14th fret is about 1/4" north of the body join, as long as I get the bridge set correctly to the scale? i have the stewmac saddlematic, so pretty sure I can get the bridge and saddle placed correctly.. just hoping i didn't make a fatal error.

What do y'all think?

adam
Author:  Fred Tellier [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
I would redo the veneer, the 1/4 inch affects a lot of things on the top. You may be able to salvage it if you do not over heat it when removing. Correcting mistakes is a skill we all learn quickly, but not making them takes longer.

Fred
Author:  ayavner [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 5:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
Yeah... .kinda what I was thinking... bummer.. oh well... another mistake I won't make in the future!
Author:  ayavner [ Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
Update -

OK, so here's how its going, I think I will be able to salvage this just fine. I decided to leave the veneer in place, as its already contoured to the headstock. Instead, i got out the Wagner heat gun and a couple of scraper blades and verrrrry slowly peeled off the fretboard. Scraped the glue off both surfaces and I think it will go back on rather nicely.

Meanwhile at the headstock end, I took a strip of ebony about the right width and glued it in place effectively creating a 1/4" extension for the veneer in the right direction. When I plane/sand it down, it should be pretty much invisible - the overall effect will be like a Strat where the nut is cut into a channel in the fretboard and you have ebony on both sides before transitioning into the headstock... in other words, its a crazy, million-to-one shot, but It Just Might Work [:Y:]

I'll make sure the 14th fret slot lines up with the face of the heel at the body join, and *hopefully* problem solved. I'll post some pics later, its going to take me another day to get this all together and overnight to glue.

Glad I decided to do this - the more I thought about it, the more I realized, even if i maintain the proper scale length, moving the bridge up that 1/4" would probably have ended up putting my bridge pin holes dangerously close to a brace, or off the backing plate altogether. NOT good!

thanks again,

adam
Author:  Tom West [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
You might have had a problem at the sound hole also. Sounds like you may have made a reasonably good save.
Author:  ayavner [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 14th fret not lined up with heel/body join - problem?
westca wrote:
You might have had a problem at the sound hole also. Sounds like you may have made a reasonably good save.


Well.... luckily I left that end of the FB full length until I get closer, to avoid just that kind of thing!

Anyway, got the fretboard back on and the 14th fret slot seems to line up OK now (whew). In the process of removing and regluing, the neck developed a bit of a dip (which I started another thread on in the main board). Got all the glue cleaned up and everything all sanded back down and will probably let it settle for a couple of days.

I was able to use the trussrod to counter the dip, so once I fret it, it should come back up even more and I might even be able to go back a bit on the trussrod.

All in all, many lessons learned on this one, not the least of which being, regardless of where the directions tell you to make lines etc, it doesn't hurt to do a reality check and make sure the darn thing is going to sit where it needs to!!
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