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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on February 3, 2019 at 9:57am

Looking good Taff.

Have you settled on a particular wiring scheme?

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on February 2, 2019 at 12:24pm

paul, just wondering how you cut your scarf joints? so many methods. do you taper your necks? i'm building a guitar 20'' scale length and working on a new headstock idea. might work. i have a nice mahogany scarf jointed neck still un-cut for scale length. not sure about the 20 incher. don't want it to sound like a uke.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 2, 2019 at 1:29pm

Hi Daniel, for tapering neck and/or fretboard I mark the shape from a template and the cut on the bandsaw then sand to the line on the beltsander.

I use a jig fitted to my dropsaw for cutting my scarf joints and a jig for gluing them up.

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on February 2, 2019 at 2:13pm

Daniel, a ubass is 20" or so and sounds deeper but needs fat strings to do it.  It is a combo of the strings and length, but shorter means a higher pitch for a given string.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on February 3, 2019 at 1:32pm

can you define "fat" strings?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on February 3, 2019 at 10:34am

I usually cut my scarf joints so that the joint is under the fretboard for more strength. I use 3/4" thick boards and measure the neck from heel to body side of nut and draw a line on the side of the blank, then measure back towards the heel 3" and draw another line, then I draw a diagonal line from bottom side of neck at the nut to the top side 3" line, cut on diagonal line using a jig, flip the "headstock" piece 180 degrees and glue them together.

Taffy has a pictured detail thread of how he does it. A lot of people will make the scarf joint in the headstock area because it's easier to fix if it gets broken. I go in the opposite direction to make it stronger.

When gluing the 2 pieces together, I will first do a dry fit up and clamp the 2 pieces together and drill 2 pilot holes for screws through both pieces at an angle, unclasp and glue the 2 pieces, put them back together and put 2 wood screws in the holes to hold it together with even pressure and keep it all straight while it dries. After it dries, I back out the screws, drill the holes to 1/4" and glue in some 1/4" dowels for extra strength. It works well, I haven't had any break.

I only taper 6 string guitar necks, I haven't had the need to taper any 3 or 4 string necks.

20" scale is the beginning mark for Tenor Scale Guitars. If you use regular guitar strings, you'll need a heavier gauge string set or a set for kid's guitars-3/4 scale. I've gone to stores that sell kids instruments and picked up strings for short scale gits and they work well, come in different colors too.

Here's a crude pic of a scarf joint I did.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on February 3, 2019 at 1:30pm

thank you Paul for the detailed info, will be put to good use. measuring beforehand helps

here's a photo of one of my favorite scarf joints. it does go into the headstock, didn't know any better. still can't figure it out, but i know i used a friends 12'' chop saw, nice cut, had to cut twice because i already had the fretboard wood laminated, and flipping it lost my wood? i rough up the surfaces with a drill bit, make some small holes for more gluing surface, then use electrical tape to clamp it. start slow, make sure it's in position, then stretch the tape tight, use most of a roll. i also don't want to starve the glue joint. ? i look at this photo and can't figure out what i was thinking,....

so with the 20'' scale i'll need higher action?

And my most important question...now did yo taper the 6 string fretboards/neck. Do you taper the fretboard first, then the neck? many times my neck wood includes some of the headstock, which complicates matters......sorry to ramble...thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on February 5, 2019 at 8:30am

It always helps to measure everything out first hand to get it all right. Measure twice - cut once mentality. ;)

No right way or wrong way for the scarf joint as long as it works and does the job. It's more of a matter of personal choices.

Glue; I've used Elmers Wood Glue Max with good results and I like the original Titebond for what's available in my area. Clamping pressure comes with experience, you'll find out how much pressure over time. Always glue both pieces and wipe away the excess.

Action = string height in relation to the fretboard and that is up to your preference. Too low and you'll get fret buzz, too high and it'll pull strings out of tune when fretting. I mentioned using higher gauge strings for shorter scale = thicker strings. I.E. 11 or 12 gauge. String gauge sets are labeled according to the highest string size. If the high E string is a .11 gauge, then you have a 11 gauge set. You can use a 10 gauge set of childrens guitar strings/3/4 scale and get the right string pressure for your git, but regular size guitar strings would require 11 gauge or 12 gauge strings for a 20" scale guitar. It can be confusing and I hope I didn't confuse you further. LOL

Tapering a neck: I draw a layout on the board. Find the center and draw that line from end to end. Decide how wide the heel will be and make those marks from the center to each edge(1/2 of measurement from center to outer edge for each side), do a length line for the nut and measure from center to outer edge like the heel. Then decide where the taper will start( at end of heel or a particular fret) and draw line on each side from heel to nut. Then cut your taper with a bandsaw, jigsaw, handsaw or spokeshave. Whichever you have or best works for you. Clean up with finer files and sandpaper. Hope that helps. You can probably find some instructional videos on YouTube to help further.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on February 5, 2019 at 5:29pm

wow. thank you Paul. !

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on February 2, 2019 at 2:52pm

John Lennon’s Rickenbacker 325 was a 20.75” scale length? Definitely doesn’t sound like a uke?

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 2, 2019 at 6:18pm

Hi again Daniel, I forgot to  address your other comment re the sound changing due to the difference in scale length. The main difference will be in the feel of the strings, they will feel softer - if of the same gauge and tuned to the same pitch. It will still sound like a guitar.

As an example: if I capo my CBG at the 3rd fret I have a 20 inch ish scale, it still sounds like a guitar, only higher pitch. When I detune it back down to concert pitch - with capo still at the 3rd -  it sounds the same as it did before without the capo, only now the its easier to play. The strings are softer to the feel and the frets are closer together. In full sized acoustic guitars a difference in tone and volume can also be heard.             Hope this helps.

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Walter on February 3, 2019 at 1:38pm

Taff, how can you (de) tune it with the capo in place? i have to assume it was in concert pitch before you first put the capo on?

sorry all, i'm just hungry for knowledge. knowledge is power.? i heard that somewhere.

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