Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on June 30, 2014 at 9:51pm

I've haven't tried fretting a neck yet but this is what I would do. First I'd compare side by side the measurements and where the frets ended up. Then were the nut is and how the strings sit on it. Analyze what went wrong first.

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Permalink Reply by Mr.C on June 30, 2014 at 9:56pm

Did you level the fretts goog ten in flat board with 250 grit on it

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on June 30, 2014 at 11:03pm

No ...I should

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Permalink Reply by The Capo Kid on June 30, 2014 at 10:15pm

 You say it's off ? do you mean all the fretted notes ? or just the low ones , first check your scale length , nut to 12th and 12th to saddle , that did you use to mark out the fret slots double check that again , and how high is your action at the first fret if it's too high it will make the first few frets sharp , I'd do a re-check before you rip any frets out .

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on June 30, 2014 at 11:03pm

All the fretted notes ..like a half step off...wierd...and yes the action is a bit high ...although several builds were high in the beginning never had this problem. I'll lower the action as you say and double check my frets from nut to fret...it's a bit hard to know as the width of the fret wire obscures the actual fret cut but I should be able to notice anything obvious. Thank you

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on July 4, 2014 at 2:56am

With the fret in place, the measure is from the leading edge of the nut to the crown of the fret(wire).

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Permalink Reply by The Capo Kid on June 30, 2014 at 11:10pm

 What sort of tuner do you have I'd make a note of the note before you lower the action and after you've lowered if it plays better might just be your action was too high

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on July 1, 2014 at 12:20am

I'll do that ...I have a clip on tuner

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on July 1, 2014 at 7:18am

Will do. I've never checked fret tops being level...just never had to...i just look at the frets down the neck but all this is a good idea...I'm going to take the neck off and make my measurements because it's too hard to see the body in the way.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on July 1, 2014 at 8:07am

Lowered the action and re-measured. Moved the bridge really high. It worked. Can't believe that's what it was.....wew...thank thank you to all that helped. I now placed the bridge much higher than I normally do (my original measuring was off with the bridge distance) so when I was constantly adjusting it I couldn't figure it out. I had to remove the wooden piece that I put the bridge screw on to protect the tin (this automatically lowed the action. It's a bit buzzy but I can use it and fix that eventually. So the bridge sits up high and maybe a very thin piece of wood and some other methods of lowering the action will help in the long run.

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Permalink Reply by Sawbones on July 1, 2014 at 6:49pm

Last week I reattached a tailpiece on my first,and its fretted by just measuring it off a 24" lap slide I have.Never fretted right,only a slider.When I fixed it I used way smaller bolts for the bridge and nut and it frets pretty damn good now.Can pretty much play it like a regular guitar.

So pretty much same issue you had.Just had to lower the action.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on July 1, 2014 at 7:21pm

Guys the answer when this happens to you is a capo...
Pretty obvious really, put a capo on the first fret and set the intonation. (The octave will be the 13th fret not the 12th )
This eliminates the nut from the equation. If you can get it playing in tune with a capo on it then there is hope. Heh if not you really have made a 'slider'...

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