Hi all. After along delay due to work commitments, I'm getting back into my first (and certainly not last) CBG build. However I'ma bit stuck at the point of adding the fingerboard and neck, in terms of string height.
As the attached pics show, I have the neck itself level with the top of the box. So if I add the fingerboard, and then the nut, this will have the strings sitting a good 3/4 inch or so above the top of the box. FOr pick-up I have a pizeo glued to the uinderside of the lid.
Is this too high? I have a brass threaded rod for the bridge, so if I leave the fingerboard this high, I'll need to add a 1/2 piece of wood under the bridge to level the strings. My concern is the pizeo/box won't pick up the sound well enough if too high (and less comfortable for playing).
Or should I lower the whole neck assembly so the fingerboard is now level with the top of the box, and add the nut/bridge which will give me a bout 1/4 or so 5/16 maybe?) string height?
Second question - If I'm lowerng the fingerboard, I'd likely cut off the bottom of the neck support to lower the whole assembly. This means the neck won't be in contact with the box top. I've read conflicting instructions about whether the neck extension should be attached to the box top (with a gap only for the pizeo) versus having it 1/4 inch or so below, to allow the top to vibrate. Any harm/thoughts on both methods??
Thanks in advance - will post pics when I'm done. And have already picked up a biscuit tin for build #2...
Replies
From the pictures it looks like its about 1/4 to 3/16 proud of the box which is perfect. You will cut the slots in the nut so the strings are only about 0.025" above the first fret and adjust the height of the saddle/bridge so the strings are about 0.100" above the 12th fret.
And you WANT something to keep your brass threaded rod from rolling when you tighten the strings or else your intonation will go wonky every time you try to tune (seen dozens with this problem). A wooden foot with a groove as a bridge to hold your threaded-rod saddle works great.
Having the fret board 1/4 inch above the top of the box is just right, leave it as it is,. At the nut, the strings only need to be a fraction of an inch above the fingerboard..and I mean a very small fraction...1mm max, or a 20th of an inch. If your neck is straight and the neck is set parallel to the top of the box, you should have between 1/2 -3/4 inch height at the bridge which is just dandy. Here's my tutorial on setting the action at the nut the nut ....
Thanks John - looks like I mainly need to lower the nut to get the strings closer to the fretboard and I should be right to go. Appreciate the great video too! Very informative...will be checking out your other videos too.
No problem being that high, better than being too low, but i'd prefer a thinner fretboard myself so it's only a 1/4" above the box, for your bridge, just add a nut each end of the threaded rod, that will lift it 1/8th, aim to have your nut level with, or just above the frets, and the bridge just high enough for the strings to be about 1/8" above the strings at the 12th fret, as you get used to it, you can lower the bridge more to help with intonation. The piezo disc doesn't "read" the strings like a mag pick up, but picks up the vibrations from the wood top [and every thing else], so distance from the strings isn't an issue, i prefer a gap between the box top and the through neck, but lot's of guys swear it doesn't matter, and some say they sound better touching, so it's your choice there, good luck!
Thanks for the reply and advice! I'll raise the bridge up as you suggest, and I need to lower the nut too so the strings are closer to the fretboard. I think I'll go with removing some wood form the neck under the lid and see how it sounds...I can always do it different next time!
And just thought I'd check...you're no relation to Lee Kernaghan (Aussie musician) are you?
His dad was my fathers cousin, I've never met him, but met his dad as a young kid.
small world Darryl... i met Lee and his brother way back in the early 2000's. I worked for Compaq on the Gold coast and their server broke down. half way back to brisbane and i had to race back to change the motherboard in this server. It was their stage lighting control as well as a few other things... nice guys. i got a free CD and DVD ...
that's cool Timothy, but i would be less than honest if i claimed any relationship of import, bar the fact that Lee is uncannily similar in appearance to my deceased next older brother
Cool! I don't know him personally at all, but believe his dad was pretty talented too. Looks like music is in the Kernaghan genes :-) Thanks again for the advice.