asm Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 what is the rule on why some are 13 degrees and some are straight? does it have to do with body shape or bridge usage? thanks! t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 The peghead angle sorta keeps the string in the nut. Not only is the string tension pulling along the neck, its pulling the strings back against the nut. The acutal reason why i do not know, but it can be used with all bridges etc - its just a preference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 To make a neck angle you have two choices. 1) Cut the neck out of one FAT bit of wood (look at the neck from the side profile) 2) Chop it up and scarf joint it If you use a fender style straight haedstock, you can make it out of 1 bit of thinner wood and you don't need to cut and glue it. Well that's my take on it anyway, I'm sure it's more involved, but that's one reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asm Posted March 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 gotcha. but why does fender not use an angled headstock? what resistance is keeping it in the slots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 gotcha. but why does fender not use an angled headstock? what resistance is keeping it in the slots? Fender uses String Trees and/or Graduated post height on some of their tuners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asm Posted March 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 ahhhh. next question. for visual purposes, id rather cut the neck out of a single block. how thick of wood are we looking at for a neckthru 7 string with a 4x3 tuner setup on a prs style headstock. can anyone give me a rough estimate on whats a safe size? also, ill be using a prs style body too, but ill cut it a little thinner. thanks for all the help! t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dangerouso Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Fender was pretty much the first company to mass produce guitars. Straight headstock = less material to make the neck, lower costs. If you notice on Fender's headstock, at least the high E and B have a "keeper". This increases the angle of the string passing over the nut, and increases the tension. The lower strings have more tension naturally because they are thicker and don't need the keeper. (Although I have seen a keeper on the G and D) Also, Fender uses a 25.5" scale length. This longer scale length (compared to PRS = 25" and most Gibsons = 24.75") causes a string to have more tension because a longer string must have increased tension to produce the same pitch (ie the normal tuning standard of A400). Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 If you notice on Fender's headstock, at least the high E and B have a "keeper". This increases the angle of the string passing over the nut, and increases the tension. The lower strings have more tension naturally because they are thicker and don't need the keeper. By "keeper" you must mean the string tree. I have also noticed that on a Fender style guitar the tuners for the lower gauge strings are closer to the nut causing a steeper angle thus, more tension over the nut. The tuners further from the nut have less angle causing less string tension over the nut. I don't seem to have any problems with my 6 in-line tuners on my straight headstock. I just put my strings on so that the strings wrap around the tuner from top to bottom. This way I don't need the string tree covering up my birdseye maple. When I put this neck on the body I'm making I'll angle the whole neck pocket. Then I shouldn't ever have any problem with string tension over the nut. Any of the experienced guys here please correct me if I'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 When I put this neck on the body I'm making I'll angle the whole neck pocket. Then I shouldn't ever have any problem with string tension over the nut. Any of the experienced guys here please correct me if I'm wrong. The neck angle doesn't matter. The downward angle from the nut to the tuners is the same no matter what you do anywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dangerouso Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Thanks Van Kirk.......string tree is exactly right. I couldn't remember it when I was typing. You're absolutly right...the bass strings tuners are closer to the nut, increasing the angle. Winding the strings from top to bottom on the tuners will also help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asm Posted March 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 so can i run a 4-3 tuner setup with just regular gotoh tuners and no head angle and have no problems???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 ahhhh. next question. for visual purposes, id rather cut the neck out of a single block. how thick of wood are we looking at for a neckthru 7 string with a 4x3 tuner setup on a prs style headstock. can anyone give me a rough estimate on whats a safe size? also, ill be using a prs style body too, but ill cut it a little thinner. thanks for all the help! t If the neck stock is 3" thick pre fretboard, you'll be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asm Posted March 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 If the neck stock is 3" thick pre fretboard, you'll be cool. thx! btw, were you refering to 13* headstock or flat? thx! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 As an alternative to a wack of string trees, you could get one of those gizmos that lies across all 6 strings just after the nut. I don't know if those tend to bind up at all for trem guitars, but they'll do the trick for set bridges. Also, another opportunity to add metallic shiny stuff in the finish of your choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 The neck angle doesn't matter. The downward angle from the nut to the tuners is the same no matter what you do anywhere else. Yeah, after i put a little more thought into it this made more sense. Thanks for the input frank falbo. Although, I would guess action setting may play a small part in string tension over the nut but probably very slight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 you could get one of those gizmos that lies across all 6 strings just after the nut. also called a string tree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 so can i run a 4-3 tuner setup with just regular gotoh tuners and no head angle and have no problems???? I've played several guitars and done action set-ups but I am only building my first from scratch now. My guess is that if you go with a straight angle headstock you would less likely have problems if you used graduating tuners or use a string tree or two. I just don't like having string trees on my neck. I think they cover up my nice birdseye maple and they also add more resistance to the strings. I think more string resistance could lead to tuning instability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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