I am new to guitars and have never played one but have decided to build one and learn. I have researched and read everything I can find on the subject but can not find several things that seem to me to be important. I need to know the correct spacing of strings on both 3 string and 4 string guitars? Height from fret board or fret for a guitar to be played as a slide and finger guitar? What type of glue that I can buy from local hardware is best? Have experience in building bows that I think will help in my endevor. Thanks in advance. John
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You are right about starting with too much. Others will be along shortly hopefully to give better starting numbers.
I just played around with different bits of threaded rod and dried pork rib bone until I had something about right.
John Fitzgerald said:
Mr Robson, Thank you for your reply. I have never played a guitar nor do I have one to look at. In playing with paper and pencil it looks to me to have a string spacing of about 1/2" will work for a 4 string on my material which is aprox 1 3/4" and narrowing the material to 1 1/2" and building up some will work for 3 string with same string space. Having never looked at a guitar before I am guessing at 5/16" for starting height knowing I can remove material but can't add. does this sound right for a start point? Thanks again John.
Mr Robson, Thank you for your reply. I have never played a guitar nor do I have one to look at. In playing with paper and pencil it looks to me to have a string spacing of about 1/2" will work for a 4 string on my material which is aprox 1 3/4" and narrowing the material to 1 1/2" and building up some will work for 3 string with same string space. Having never looked at a guitar before I am guessing at 5/16" for starting height knowing I can remove material but can't add. does this sound right for a start point? Thanks again John.
John, there are no rules. Clear height from the fret is, enough to sound clean when you slide without buzzing, but not too much that you distort when you fret with your finger.
Some people don't even put frets on, they just mark the positions. I've built my last box fretless and no marks, and my first one was wooden toothpick fretted.
Correct string spacing is a little bit narrower than your neck, but wide enough you finger each string if you want.
Normalish neck width for a 3 or 4 string is about 2"/50mm ish. You can go narrower, or wider with what you have available.
My first 3 string neck was I think 41mm wide and that was plenty, my second is a planed pickaxe handle that would easily handle 4 strings.
Best I found for string spacing was a 38mm wide hinge that has 3 screw holes on each side. That has formed the string anchor on my tailstock. 3 screws to hold it down, and 3 holes the perfect size for ferrule/ball ended strings.
Best thing is have a look at some pictures in the galleries. They will give you ideas.
I'm just planning my first fretted 4 string with a Shortbread tin body, and another pickaxe handle neck.
Replies
I just played around with different bits of threaded rod and dried pork rib bone until I had something about right.
John Fitzgerald said:
Some people don't even put frets on, they just mark the positions. I've built my last box fretless and no marks, and my first one was wooden toothpick fretted.
Correct string spacing is a little bit narrower than your neck, but wide enough you finger each string if you want.
Normalish neck width for a 3 or 4 string is about 2"/50mm ish. You can go narrower, or wider with what you have available.
My first 3 string neck was I think 41mm wide and that was plenty, my second is a planed pickaxe handle that would easily handle 4 strings.
Best I found for string spacing was a 38mm wide hinge that has 3 screw holes on each side. That has formed the string anchor on my tailstock. 3 screws to hold it down, and 3 holes the perfect size for ferrule/ball ended strings.
Best thing is have a look at some pictures in the galleries. They will give you ideas.
I'm just planning my first fretted 4 string with a Shortbread tin body, and another pickaxe handle neck.