Hi there,
It seems the only contribution I make to this wonderful forum is asking advice as a result of stupid mistakes. I suppose it comes with the fact that I'm a relatively new amateur builder. Just to introduce myself properly - I'm in Brisbane, originally from Holland where I built my first classical guitar with my teacher (who also taught me how to play). Because I migrated to Australia halfway through the build and found it difficult to find work (and fund a trip back to Europe), the guitar took another 6 years to finish! I have since completed my first solo classical, some photos of which I posted here last year. I am now working on my second when I have some spare time in between my research job at the University, young kids, and everything else that demands attention.
The problem I now have is this: I just glued down the fretboard and then checked the height at the location of the saddle. I'm following the Cupiano and Natelson dimensions, and they suggest no less than 3/16 inch clearance at the saddle location. I have 3/32 and a bit. The reason is two-fold: my fretboard is on the thin side to start off with, and I made a gruesome mistake while attaching the soundboard to the neck. I thought it was safe to leave the soundboard proud of the neck and then sand it back when gluing on the fretboard. It was proud a bit too much (well, that turned out to be an understatement), but still decided to hit it with the sanding block. What was I thinking? Was I thinking at all, I can't quite remember This means the fretboard sort of sunk into the soundboard, adding to the reduction in height at the saddle.
What can I do best? I know this guitar has suffered irreparable damage but I'm going to finish it regardless. They are all good lessons I suppose. Can I reduce the height of the bridge by about 3/32, and have the saddle just above the slot to compensate for all of this? What will the implications be? Should I remove the fretboard and add a few layers of veneer to raise it? The soundboard isn't thick enough to sand back, so I'm not sure what I can do there. Something else?
Thanks,
Kim.
Classical fretboard taper and bridge/action problem
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- Beefwood
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Re: Classical fretboard taper and bridge/action problem
Hi Kim,Kim de Rijke wrote: [...] they suggest no less than 3/16 inch clearance at the saddle location. I have 3/32 and a bit [...]
Which distance exactly do you (Cumpiano/Natelson) mean by clearance at the saddle location? The mentioned 3/16" do not make much sense to me for any clearance associated with the bridge, surely I am missing something.
Regardless of which measurement it actually is I understand that with a too thin fretboard the strings would end up too close over the soundboard at the bridge location, which seems to be your problem.
Getting off the fretboard and beefing it up with a shim of fretboard- or neck-wood, or also making a new fretboard sounds like a good solution to me.Kim de Rijke wrote: [...] Should I remove the fretboard and add a few layers of veneer to raise it? [...]
Don't reduce the bridge hight too much, the strings should not end up lower than 9-10 mm (classical) to 7 mm (flamenco) over the soundboard.
Markus
To be stupid is like to be dead. Oneself will not be aware of it.
It's only the others who suffer.
To be stupid is like to be dead. Oneself will not be aware of it.
It's only the others who suffer.
Re: Classical fretboard taper and bridge/action problem
Hi Kim
Well you have a bit over 3/32 so 2.5mm at the bridge
add 1mm for frets gives you 3.5mm
add average string height 3.5mm at 12th x2=7mm gives you 10.5mm
-0.5mm for neck relief under tension gives 10mm
you might be ok is you have a low bridge and the body is not too flexible
Well you have a bit over 3/32 so 2.5mm at the bridge
add 1mm for frets gives you 3.5mm
add average string height 3.5mm at 12th x2=7mm gives you 10.5mm
-0.5mm for neck relief under tension gives 10mm
you might be ok is you have a low bridge and the body is not too flexible
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