Fret Access

[JOAMdude]

some gutiars have better fret access then others.

this is becuase sometimes they have different cut aways but also,

isn't cause of fretboard placement? if i slid the fretboard towards the headstock, i'd have better fret access

so the question is, if I move up the fretboard, must i also move the bridge?

[Rick500]

You can't move the whole fretboard in relation to the bridge. That would be changing the distance between the nut and the saddles, so the frets would all be in the wrong places.

If the scale length is, say, 25.5", the distance between the nut and the bridge saddles has to remain 25.5" (+/- a tiny amount to account for intonation). If you increased that distance, you'd have to use a different fretboard with fret slots placed in the right places for the new, longer scale length.

[JOAMdude]

so if i did want to increase fret access I would slide up the nut/fretboard the same distance as the bridge?

[Logical Frank]

Yeah. You need to keep the distance between the nut and the bridge consistent w/ the scale length..

[IbanezFreak666]

yup

thats why i hate V guitars, their bridges are sooo far up compared to the bodys on most guitars

Edited June 13, 2007 by IbanezFreak666

[Rick500]

Theoretically, yeah, I guess that's what you'd do if it was possible.

But removing a fretboard and sliding it up higher on the neck probably isn't practical and may not even be possible.

For one thing, the fretboard is presumably tapered, as is the neck, so even if you were to manage to get the fretboard off the neck in one piece, the taper is thinner the nearer the nut you get. So sliding it toward the headstock would leave you with a fretboard too thin from side to side, to cover the neck. And the headstock isn't going to be level with the rest of the neck. You'd also have a gap at the body end of the fretboard you'd have to do something with. And the truss rod nut access would have to be attended to. And the neck pocket (if it's a bolt-on) would have to be filled. And you may not have enough body/neck contact to get a good neck joint. You see where I'm going with this...

[Edit: I assumed you meant on an existing guitar. If you're designing a new one, then you have some options. ]

[jmrentis]

What kind of neck joint are you using or thinking about using? I'm just thinking with a bolt on you would end up having a blank end of the neck wood showing and wouldn't look very appealing, IMO. The other types would work better in that sense. I couldn't imagine you would need to move the board up much at all. Many guitars have joints right at the bottom frets on the lower horn side which gives you complete access, why not just use a different cut away concept than moving everything up and making the neck longer?

Edit: Rick, I think we posted about the same time and both assumed from different sides, I guess that covers everything, both existing and new builds, lol. Great minds think in complete opposites.

Edited June 13, 2007 by jmrentis

[JOAMdude]

hahaha

you guys pretyt much answered it for me.

i just wanted to know (theoretically), because i'm designing one, and didn't wan't the bridge too far up,

i'll just carve out some more from the cutaway

[j. pierce]

Play some guitars and see what you like. Me, I don't care about upper fret access at all, but it's just more comfortable for me to have the bridge more in line with my center - just how I play, I guess. Of course, that's standing up that it feels comfortable - sitting down, it doesn't! the last couple guitars I've built have ended up with a lot of meat behind the bridge. (Which works out great if you like bigbsys!)

[Southpa]

Here is my first "from scratch" guitar, very unique and exactly what you described. The entire guitar features Fender / Gibson traits, its a total hybrid.

Gibson scale (24 5/8" or thereabouts), Gibson controls/hardware, strat neck profile (no headstock angle) with strings passing straight through the nut. Makes for a VERY easy bending / playing guitar. Strat plugin on the centerline. Dual action "Hotrod" truss rod. I prefer to play this guitar over all my others.

Everything has been moved about 3" towards the headstock so neck to body proportion is not the same as a regular guitar. Its a neckthru with the truss rod adjustment at the butt of the neck, (little heart-shaped hole) and fully accessible frets. Pickups are squeezed together juuust a little bit but I still get a good range of sounds.

Issues? The neck to body proportion makes for a longer neck than usual, so the body is weighted to balance the guitar as well as Grover mini-tuners to lighten the headstock. The 12th fret is farther away from where the neck joins the body. That may not sound significant but when you play the guitar you definitely notice it and can easily get lost on the fingerboard. I'm considering turning the guitar into a 24 fret by adding a removeable piece of rosewood to the fretboard held down by countersunk screws. It will cover the adjustment hole and the joint will be covered by a fret. I'll work something out.

Anyway, you asked so here is what you get. The picture is a few years old and I have since made a new polished stainless pickguard with a few more curves that fit the body better. I also swapped the Golden Age overwound HB (broken windings) at the bridge for a Dimarzio Superdistortion.

I drew up full CAD drawings (back, front and side, as well as whats inside) for this guitar which can be found in the Download section.

Edited June 14, 2007 by Southpa

[biliousfrog]

the jack socket looks great there, why haven't I seen that before?