#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Suspicious scale length

I picked up a fretboard that was supposedly a 24.50 scale but after assembly discovered it to be 12.125 at 12th fret which doubled would create a 24.25 actual scale length

Any other way to measure and verify before moving bridge?

thanks

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brent Kasl on January 25, 2019 at 6:58am

Found the problem after to comparing to a correct 24.5" scale board

Board in question has a 1 1/4" length at first fret, correct board is 1 3/8"

All else match to be a 24.5" scale

Can this be salvaged? Already mounted on neck

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on January 25, 2019 at 8:07am

You’re on the right track, move the bridge forward 1/4”. you might wanna contact whoever you bought it from & tell them it was off tho? Do you have a fretting template to compare it to?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brent Kasl on January 25, 2019 at 8:08am

So position bridge as if it is a 24.5” scale?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on January 25, 2019 at 8:18am

If it’s verified as 24.25”, then position the bridge at 24.25”. I would check the fret placement against a fret template too?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brent Kasl on January 25, 2019 at 8:25am

It’s a 24.5 but first fret off nut is 1/8” short

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on January 25, 2019 at 9:13am

Wow, that’s quite a bit off? It won’t be right, even if you play with the bridge? I would still contact the seller with your dilemma? Maybe they’ll send you a correct one? Important lesson tho: measure before you glue?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 25, 2019 at 11:03am

Hi could you not put on a F/B nut that is 1/8 wider, then step it down at the front by filing a ledge that will be level with the fingerboard and fill the gap. Then the raised bit at the back would be your nut.

Taff

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on January 25, 2019 at 11:04am

Is it salvageable?

There is always a way.

If the only problem is that the distance from the end of the fret board (where the nut goes) to the first fret is 1/8" short, then you could put a 1/8" "step in your nut (on the fret board side) which effectively adds 1/8" to the distance from the nut to the first fret. I do that on many builds just to provide a surface for my round, music wire zero-fret. With a fine toothed saw and/or a file, the nut can be modified in just a few minutes.

If that isn't appealing, then you could put a 1/8" wooden spacer between the end of the fret board and the nut.

If that isn't appealing, consider returning the fret board if you haven't already glued it down.

It can be fixed and made serviceable. It's just a matter of how you want to do it.

Let us know what you do.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brent Kasl on January 25, 2019 at 12:56pm

Here is image of nut

To correct first fret, the entire nut needs to be backed up 1/8" so first fret spacing is 1 3/8" overall.

The rest of the scale is correct to the bridge.

Attachments:

IMG_0472.JPG, 80 KB

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on January 25, 2019 at 12:54pm

Here is a photo of a stepped nut. Forget about the round pin and you'll get the idea. A 1/8" deep step should be easy to create.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Korrigan on January 25, 2019 at 1:43pm

Cool idea for a zero fret Tom!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on January 25, 2019 at 2:36pm

Thanks Korgan.

It works out really well for people that like to change action height based on what kind of playing they are currently interested. If I want to focus on slide playing, I put in a larger pin to raise the action. If I want to focus on fretting notes, I put in a pin that takes the action down pretty low. Much easier than filing slots to lower action or trying to figure out how to raise the action high enough for easy slide work.