Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gus K on November 6, 2017 at 5:28am

Your post is confusing.  Are you talking about the distance from the strings to the fretboard?

Permalink Reply by Michael Graves on November 6, 2017 at 6:41am

well I'm going to have it fretless. So I'm wondering about the height from the strings down to the board. i hope that makes sense I'm new to trying to build these, sorry about the confusion.

Permalink Reply by Gus K on November 7, 2017 at 12:01am

Got it.  All I build are fretless, I keep the strings high.  0.030" seems a bit low. Mine are around 4mm (0.16") at the nut and 5mm (0.20") at the end of the fretboard. 

Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on November 12, 2017 at 2:39am

Fretless for slide or just fretless? There would be a difference. 

Permalink Reply by Michael Graves on November 12, 2017 at 9:43am

fretless for slide

Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on November 12, 2017 at 1:43pm

"fretless for slide"

Well, if your not pushing the string down to the fingerboard, the distance isn't really critical. 

If it is REALLY high, leverage and string tension on your structure may become a concern. But in general, for strictly slide playing, you want to have it higher than a fretted build, enough so that you aren't "clacking" the thing with the slide, ad still- develop a pretty gentle low pressure slide technique that doesn't have a negative effect on intonation from pressing down on the strings. 

So I would suggest that too low = difficulty playing, while higher is good, but build a robust neck allright?

(Confession, I like "lap slide" style builds. Solid as a cinderblock and sustain for a week.)