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Comment by Guitarslinger Chic Ciccone on March 7, 2011 at 7:57am

Thank you all for the tips and suggestions.. I will play with again when i get home tonight...you guys are great...thanks

Comment by Kevin Lawton on March 7, 2011 at 7:52am

Yeah, it is just simply a case of getting the bridge position ton exactly match your fretboard and strings. Witht he strings tuned to a moderate tension - enough to sound a good note but still allow the bridge to be moved a little, compare the pitch of the note that sounds on each string at the twelfth fret with the harmonic you can produce at the twelfth. Move th4 bridge fractionally till they match across all the strings. If you have the luxury of a digital tuner you want the frequency of each note at the twelfth fret to be exactly double that of the open string. Assuming that the fretboard has been fretted accurately then if the octaves are in tune (12th fret) the other notes will all fall into place too.

Comment by Wichita Sam on March 7, 2011 at 7:47am

I donno about 25.5 being "traditional" or "regular".  It certainly is popular with Fender's Strat and Tele family.  But I would guess many are shorter.... Martin's, Gibsons, Kay's, Stella's (at least most) measure anywhere from 24 up thru 24 7.8

 

Then again, I could be wrong.  Point is scale length = 2 times octave measured at 12th fret for a chromatic instrument.

 

For CBGs do your thing...

 

the best,

 

Wichita Sam

Comment by Outhouse Instruments on March 7, 2011 at 7:41am

25.5 is a regular guitar scale. Actually one of the most traditional.

A whole lot of things could be going on.

Yes , check the scale.

But the nut could be too high causing the string height to be to high which would cause the strings to go sharp when fretted.

The bridge could be too high, doing the same thing.

 

AFKAM

 

btw- when it's all said and done, rarely is the scale exactly what you were aiming for.

Comment by Mark Bliss on March 7, 2011 at 7:22am

What is scale length?

A guitar's scale length is calculated by measuring the distance from the front edge of the nut, where it butts against the end of the fingerboard, to the center of the 12th (octave) fret, then doubling that measurement.

If your 1930's Gibson L-OO, for example, measures 12-3/8" at the 12th fret, then your guitar's scale length is twice that—a 24-3/4" scale. For good intonation, the guitar's saddle will be placed so a little extra string length is added. This extra length is called "compensation," and it means the actual string length is longer than its 24-3/4" scale measurement. At the center of the saddle it will be closer to 24-7/8". Compensation varies for different strings, and that's why your saddle is placed at an angle.

Comment by Alan Roberts on March 7, 2011 at 6:52am

Guitarslinger,

I would agree with Wiley, but use a more generalized suggestion: Be sure that the nut to bridge is exactly TWICE the distance to the 12th fret. You might have been sent the wrong fretboard.

When you say "traditional guitar neck spacing," isn't that what you already have? When you say "the notes don't seem to play correctly" what do you mean? Are they sharp/flat? Or are they buzzing (that wouldn't be caused by fret spacing). Are you using any intonation?

Comment by Wiley Rutledge on March 7, 2011 at 4:59am

First I'd check if you have EXACTLY 25.5 inches from nut to bridge. A fraction off will make a difference. Next I'd try compensating the bridge for differerentialstring stretch.

Comment by Guitarslinger Chic Ciccone on March 7, 2011 at 4:47am

Bought a pre fretted fret board...25.5 scale...put my strings on and notes dont seem to play correctly....any thoughts anyone...plus i'm going to start my next build...would it be better to set my own frets to a traditional guitar neck spacing????HELP....

Comment by Wiley Rutledge on March 6, 2011 at 2:28pm

It do, but when we've got all that invested it's harder to find the problem sometimes. Fresh "eyes" often pick up on things. ;}

Comment by Wichita Sam on March 6, 2011 at 11:26am

Wiley,

 

Oh... but we have had hours and nicks and scrapes and frustrations... that's why builders ask questions of other builders.  shared experience helps.....

 

the best,

 

Wichita Sam 

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