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Glued on fretboard question

I’m planning on making my first glue on fretboard. My question is on how to add the nut. One video I saw showed the builder notching the fretboard then using a bolt set in the notch. I’m using the glued on board as a way to lower the string height. Seems to me my bolt nut should rest on the neck. In that case do I need to cut a notch for the nut or will the end of the fretboard hold it in place enough. Trying to make my builds more fretting friendly for the new player.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on May 12, 2019 at 11:29am

Hi Michael, I'll give you some tips from my experiences.

Use a 1/4" fingerboard that sits at a level where the bottom of the fingerboard is on top of, or level with, the top of the box. I find that with the height of the fret and height of the strings over the frets, give me a decent bridge height.

I put the bolt off the end of the fretboard sitting in a groove in the neck portion of the peghead, and then glue it in place. If you do not do this you may find the bolt may roll back as strings are tightend.

if you put the bolt on top of the fingerboard (smaller bolt) it will allow more break angle if neaded.

Keep in mind that the scale length will start from the centre of the bolt, were the string leaves the nut, so the amount of bolt in front of that point should be removed from the fretboard at the nut end.

hope this helps Taff

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Permalink Reply by Michael shrader on May 12, 2019 at 12:19pm

Thanks Taff. That helps. Do you have a standard size of bolt you use? I know the break angle at the bridge should be around 15 deg. but I don’t know what the angle should be at the nut.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on May 12, 2019 at 1:19pm

Hi, I don't think the angle in numbers is important as much as having a good feel of string tension, and enough downward pressure at the nut to prevent buzzing and enough over the bridge for good "loading" down pressure on the top or undersaddle piezo.

Having said that the peg head angle for my guitars is 15deg for solid peghead and possibly 12deg for slotted peghead.

The size of bolt for a nut I would suggest is the one that gives you the best action height over the first fret, depending on the mounting point you choose.

i used to draw a side elevation of my early builds so as to plot ahead of time the heights, positioning and angles that may be involved in the build. They are all straight lines on a sheet of poster board.

Taff