Just doing my first fretted instrument. Cut the slots in a poplar fretboard, and I noticed that one of the slots is off by about a millimeter. I’m thinking it will be a few cents flat. Should I just proceed and live with it, or cut another one?

I tend to be pretty fussy about the details...wondering how fussy I should be here. Thanks.

Views: 268

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

If the scale length is, say, 25" that is 635 mm. one mm is around 1/10 of one percent of the total scale length or "not so much". The bad news is that it's only one mm so trying to cut a correctly located slot in the fret board is not very practical.

Depending on the type of frets you are using, you should be able to dress the fret and crown with a bit of bias toward the correct location to minimize the impact on note accuracy.

The obvious (and pragmatic) solution would be to complete assembly of the guitar, string it up, get the intonation dialed in and then see if the errant fret really causes a problem with playing. I suspect it will not, but if it does, you can try the fret shaping trick or tune just a cent off so that the fret in question is a cent closer to correct. Also check each string at the fret before doing anything. It may be that only one string is off key enough to worry about.

I say "Don't over react" or fret (pun intended) too much. You may not have an actual problem or a very minor one. Nothing you can't work out.

Let us know...

Hmmm...I see a couple replies to my post with no text...perhaps the web site is having technical problems?

Tom T, thanks for the response. I think you are right...I tend to be too much of a perfectionist (sometimes a good thing...sometimes a problem). Probably best to just try it and see. I often play with a slide in any case.

But it is an interesting question to me, because it brings to mind the differences between equal tempered tuning and just intervals (whole-number frequency ratios). Most equal tempered intervals are a bit out of tune in any case. When we sing or play with slides, or play violin, etc., are we actually playing equal tempered intervals? I've played the trumpet in the past, and certain notes on the trumpet tend to have tuning issues that good players pay attention to.

In my case, the fret in question is the tritone, or the C# on the G string, so it might be less of a problem compared to the C or the D.

Heck, if you mostly play slide, you will likely not notice the fret position since sliders slide to the note not the fret. Could be a good ending without a lot of work.

I once did the same thing - so I filled the slot with epoxy and cut a new one. The epoxy was covered by the fret. Another time I cut one in bed and mife wife made me sleep on the couch.

God Bless You

Hmmm...that's the second suggestion I had for filling the slot with epoxy. Something to consider.

With the current glitch on CBN you need to type your posting, then, before posting it, highlight it and right click and select copy.

When you post your item, if it shows up blank, click on "edit" then paste your original posting in place then hit Save. That will get your posting up and visible.

Hi Tom, yes I worked that out a month ago. I may have missed it but has there been a notice posted about the problem and how to get around it, as you and others have suggested, by the administrators? If so I must have missed it. It may worth having some thing posted permanently so as to guide newcomers.

Taff

Or switch to the HTML editor... and it works fine.

Hi, I tried HTML editor and.....

RSS

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Forum

Busking Songs...

Started by Nomad Jack in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods 13 hours ago. 7 Replies

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

How to Get Your Own Music on Spotify

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies

Latest Activity

A.D.EKER commented on Dar Stellabotta's video
Thumbnail

Wooden Guitar Slides from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Demo!!!!

"Great Sliding ! But to be honest i dont hear that much a differens,  beleave the Glass is a…"
1 hour ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Up the Hill A D Eker 2024

"thanks AGP;# ! much appriciated !"
1 hour ago
Crazed Fandango added a discussion to the group Introduce Yourself!
Thumbnail

Better late than never...

After joining this forum in 2014, I finally have my 1st CBG which my wife bought for me at the…See More
3 hours ago
Bernie Edwards liked J. D. Woods's photo
3 hours ago
Crazed Fandango joined Cigar Box Nation's group
Thumbnail

Introduce Yourself!

We wanna know who you are! Where ya from? What'cha buildin'? This is a place for new members to…See More
4 hours ago
Crazed Fandango liked Nomad Jack's discussion Busking Songs...
4 hours ago
Fantacone Box Works commented on Dar Stellabotta's video
6 hours ago
Fantacone Box Works commented on Ghostbuttons's photo
Thumbnail

Four projects

"Very nice"
6 hours ago
Dar Stellabotta posted a video

Wooden Guitar Slides from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Demo!!!!

In this video I compare the three different wooden slides made by David Bell and Phil Young up against my Dunlop glass slide! I gotta say these wooden slides...
6 hours ago
Fantacone Box Works posted a status
"Thanks Brian. We'll that's mighty exclusive."
6 hours ago
Ghostbuttons commented on Ghostbuttons's photo
Thumbnail

IMG_2850

"Four recent projects. All 23 inch GDG. From left (bottom): 1.  20 years ago I worked for the…"
7 hours ago
Ghostbuttons posted a photo
7 hours ago

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->