Ok Can The Strings Be Too Close To The Body?

[Nic James]

I know that there are usually issues with the bridge height but I'm routing out a place for my tune-o so that isn't a problem. For my last guitar I stepped the neck up above the body so that the strings were plenty high for the bridge. For this guitar I wasn't planning on doing that, just the fretboard and the frets would account for the height that the strings have to be, is this ok?

-Thanks everybody

[westhemann]

That is close to standard Ibanez/Jackson height with a recessed floyd...so yes,it is okay...they do have about 2mm extra above the body though under the fretboard...using large frets?

I would suggest running the board flush(bottom of board) and using a slight neck angle..

[Ripthorn]

The only thing you need to be careful of is to make sure that the pickups aren't too close to the strings. Other than that, it shouldn't be a problem.

[erikbojerik]

Make sure you have enough body thickness so that #1 the pickups don't blow out the bottom of the guitar, and #2 you have room for both the thickness of the pickups AND a cavity for the trem springs/claw if you're going with a trem.

[Mickguard]

You might find it annoying to have to pick so close to the top of the guitar. You have to have some distance there, otherwise you run the risk that the tip of the pick will be hitting the guitar (or at least the pickups).

Besides, when you say 'usually there are issues'...well, that's not true. If you build the guitar correctly according to the hardware you've chosen, then there shouldn't be any issues.

So in your case, usually with a TOM, the neck is set at an angle to accommodate for the added height of this style of bridge.

Recessing the TOM slightly allows you to attach the neck straight on, like a Fender or an Ibanez-- but there's no reason why you can't have the string height set at the proper distance from the body. So that means the top of the fretboard should end up about 10 mm above the body surface and the height of the TOM saddle notches will be around 13 mm or so (better check those measurements, I'm working from memory here).

[Nic James]

Alright thanks guys I was rather worried about this but I'll take these things into consideration. I'll post pictures of the guitar when its done, I think this ones gonna be sweet.