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Permalink Reply by TN Twang on December 16, 2014 at 1:57pm

If I understand the question(??), the answer is "No. First, be certain where your bridge will be and use the distance from nut to bridge when computing your fret spacing."

Each fret is located at a "precise" position computed as a fraction of the distance from nut to bridge. Once you've placed your frets, the location of your bridge is locked in.

Fret calculators will generally ask you what the "scale" or "string length" is. This is the exact distance between the two end points of the sounding portion of the string. Generally guitars will range from 22 to 25.5 inches; I'm fond of 24.9, but you gotta' do what you gotta' do.

If your bridge ends up 23.75 inches from the nut (for weird structural reasons), then that's the value you need to use to compute fret spacing.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 2:01pm

Yes I've done the calculating ..but haven't been able to assemble the beastly cbg yet..if I have to move the bridge a bit later based on the calculations shouldn't that be ok?

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 2:16pm

I guess what I'm trying to say is my ruler will not lay flat on the fretboard and down to the bridge where it's marked. I have marked the bridge , nut and done the fret calculations but there's no way the ruler will bend down to the exact bridge spot...so the bridge could be off by a bit but the frets should be ok based on the math...sorry I've been posting alot and a friend of mine is leaving on a plane in 3 days...trying to stay ahead. Thanks and sorry for the confusing post..

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on December 16, 2014 at 3:07pm

Then lay the ruler on ne

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 3:13pm

Will do for sure and I measure from nut to fret each time..not necessarily fret to fret...luckily I'm doing 12 frets only...I'll keep my fingers crossed. Huge thank you!!!

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on December 16, 2014 at 2:29pm

In a nutshell, the intended scale length determines the fret spacing. This is the most critical part of the design. If you use a fret calculator (Stwemart-MacDonald or Wfret, perhaps), the chart will give your exact measurements for the frets based on the scale. Once the fretboard is slotted/fretted/installed on neck, the real fun begins.

If using a floating bridge (one that isn't secured to top of box with screws/glue), place the bridge 25.5" from the nut. String up the guitar, then adjust for the intonation. There will likely be dozens of suggestions how to do it. I suggest watching a few videos on Youtube. Having a visual depiction of what is being explained makes a huge difference in understanding this process. It isn't hard to do.

If you're using a bridge like those one's CB Gitty is selling (the 3 or 4 string adjustable chrome bridges), Stew Mac's fret calculator will give a setup position measurement for the bridge plate screw hole locations based on your particular scale length. This is so that once you start adjusting the individual saddles, you have plenty of movement/room to adjust within the limited range of those bridges.

For 25.5" scale length, on the chrome bridges mentioned above, StewMac.com suggests setting the forward holes of the bridge (the ones closest to nut) at 25.25" (+ or - 0.030") from nut. This way you can adjust the saddles. I know it sounds weird, but it is what it is.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 2:51pm

Ok this is the deal..I use a bolt or screw for nut and bridge. I use the stewmac calculator and it usually works like a charm. I'm just a bit nervous because I'm in a rush and my friend wants the cbg for his friend. It's a present for a good friend of his. The box is a kind I've never cut before so getting the neck and fretboard looking real nice like I woulda liked to ain't happening. Instead I butt the neck/fretboard as tight up against the box ...best I could do given time constraints. The bridge is a bolt.... The exact scale I've intended is a 25.5 scale. I can't bend the ruler downward to double check exactly..for the bridge. I can place the ruler flat on the fretboard though and measure nut to frets...Plus when I've fretted before there's the middle of bolt (nut) and bridge issue which I eyeball...it's been good in the past. With this cbg the slight gap is making me concerned. So I'm thinking in theory shouldn't I be able to generalize the bridge...and fret from the nut to each fret (not fret to fret)..then if my bridge is slightly off from where it's marked I can just adjust and the frets still be correct?

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on December 16, 2014 at 3:11pm

Yes. The bridge placement doesnt make the frets correct. Only correct fret to fret measurement does.  Just take a deep breath and all will be fine.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 3:06pm

Hey thanks everyone for putting up with me on all my numerous posts lately..I made a promise to a friend and bit off more than I can chew right now....really thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 4:21pm

Well...this could be another topic but since there's a little history already here goes...
If anyone wants to help I really appreciate it. this is my CBG nightmare sort of speak. That crazy looking high fretboard had to be built up that high because I needed an extra piece of 1/4" wood to reach the lid box. The very top piece is only to hold the glue joint for the time being. I'm trying to think of a way to make a string break using a bolt as a nut. I will have to shorten the scale as the string break is too sudden and too high to reach the tuners/headstock. I don't mind going shorter scale but it wasn't my intention. The current scale is 25.5 inches... ...the string break is too high for the headstock... I was intending on filing a groove for the nut but now I don't know what to do at all ...anyone have any ideas... Some kind of gradual decline down to the headstock was my thought but I'm not sure and I don't want to make it too short of a scale. That 1/4" inch piece of wood is just hold the glue joints for now... Boy I really messed this one up and it's for my friend as the above post reads.. I didn't realize that the headstock was so close to the end of the fretboard /string break.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 4:22pm

Here's the nightmare pic

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• image.jpg, 2.3 MB

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Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on December 16, 2014 at 4:28pm

I did this before on another guitar but not with 3 pieces of wood just 2...it worked out ok in the end but it was for me. Here's the old one where I made the same mistake

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• image.jpg, 2.2 MB

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