Posted: Feb 12, 2016 4:15 pm
Preparing to glue on the fingerboard
I don't fit the dovetail to the body at this point but you may find that to be a good thing to do now.
I put the neck on the guitar as far as it will go and put the fretboard on top. It's traditional for the the 14th (or 12th) fret to be at the body joint- or close. Also make sure that the space for the nut is what you want.
It's important that the center of the fingerboard lines up with the center of the neck at the nut and the center seam of the guitar top.
Mark the center of the fingerboard at the nut and line it up with the center of the neck. The truss rod if installed well is a good guide.
Check that the center of the fingerboard is aligned with the center seam of the top.
As a double check I like to make sure that both sides of the fingerboard are evenly spaced from the center seam at the bridge.
Put a rule at the bridge location.
And use a straight edge as a guide to check the fingerboard edge distance from the center seam.
Clamp in place tightly when everything is right.
I use alignment pins to locate the fingerboard during gluing.
Drill a few holes through fret slots.
And insert a pin. I use about five small pins.
Now I have alignment guides that will hold the fingerboard in the right spot as I glue it in place.
I don't fit the dovetail to the body at this point but you may find that to be a good thing to do now.
I put the neck on the guitar as far as it will go and put the fretboard on top. It's traditional for the the 14th (or 12th) fret to be at the body joint- or close. Also make sure that the space for the nut is what you want.
It's important that the center of the fingerboard lines up with the center of the neck at the nut and the center seam of the guitar top.
Mark the center of the fingerboard at the nut and line it up with the center of the neck. The truss rod if installed well is a good guide.
Check that the center of the fingerboard is aligned with the center seam of the top.
As a double check I like to make sure that both sides of the fingerboard are evenly spaced from the center seam at the bridge.
Put a rule at the bridge location.
And use a straight edge as a guide to check the fingerboard edge distance from the center seam.
Clamp in place tightly when everything is right.
I use alignment pins to locate the fingerboard during gluing.
Drill a few holes through fret slots.
And insert a pin. I use about five small pins.
Now I have alignment guides that will hold the fingerboard in the right spot as I glue it in place.