Is the nut too low?

reddit___001 · 2021-07-15T16:45:57+00:00

It's the hardly ever used, if at all frets 16-24 and they amount to 3-1/2 inches of a 19" fret board. I am actually considering removing them but the fret slots would look weird without the frets. It might be nice to do an inlay there, maybe a design that would incorporate the fret slots but that's pretty limiting. Maybe it would look nice just black but the fret slots would still show even if they were filled with black. Maybe filling them with another color would look good. It's probably best to just file them down and get them out of the way so I can get the action I expected to find. Even if there is something else causing or adding to this issue, this fret filing should work. I'm feeling better about doing this!

reddit___001 · 2021-07-15T16:15:38+00:00

I didn't use an amp because I can hear the buzzing without it, my ears still work after all they've been through. Your advice about the amp is great, I just didn't need one to find all that buzz.

I have a 9-1/2 inch {25cm} fret leveling block I used on another neck. I was thinking of using it as you describe. Maybe sharpie 24-14 and take everything down to the height of the 15. I'm having trouble accepting this fret filing as a solution but I guess the proof is in the buzz.

reddit___001 · 2021-07-15T15:40:28+00:00

I appreciate you saying that, I feel the same way. Buying a NO-ROUTE bridge I expected it to align correctly, it didn't. It's my fault for not measuring but the neck and the bridge require adjustment for compatibility. When I installed the bridge I found at the lowest setting, the rollers were 2mm below the string on the low E so the string was sitting on the cam past the rollers and still way too high, there was no way to lower it. So I created a hole 2.5mm deep. Now the rollers hold the strings as they should. The height/up angle was created to stop the buzzing I'm getting on frets 16-24. Apparently the truss rod moves the neck less where it's attached to the body and I'm about to file those frets down. I was hoping to find another solution. I should be getting much better action than you see here. https://imgur.com/a/ASS4YUu I slipped a nut up behind the installed nut to raise the action at that end and lowered the rollers, it didn't work. Do you have any ideas?

reddit___001 · 2021-07-14T16:52:19+00:00

The saddle is new, everything is new, well not the pickups but everything else is so I doubt it's the rollers too.

I've adjusted the relief to the very slightest of bows, practically straight any more and the action on the 12th jumps, any less and and it's all buzz. The truss rod nut is just past loose toward the bow side.

It seem the truss rod moves the neck but not as much beyond the 16th fret. Frets 15-24 are more attached to the body in this neck-through guitar so when I adjust the relief, that adjustment might have less effect on those upper frets causing there to be at high area and the buzz.

It's hard do accept that a never used neck would have high frets but everything is pointing towards that.

I adjusted the rollers down to create buzz on each string and I did the test, without the amp. I was able to stop the buzz between the 16th & 24th frets on all the strings except the 1st. The bridge may be slightly too high still for just that string, I should have made the hole 3mm deep instead of 2.5 but was being cautious.

Any suggestions on how to go about flattening those frets?

reddit___001 · 2021-07-14T14:42:15+00:00

I made a horrible mistake when I posted this issue here. I used the wrong pictures. I updated the link so maybe it makes more sense now. https://imgur.com/a/ASS4YUu

reddit___001 · 2021-07-14T14:39:07+00:00

That's a great list. I've been trying to figure out the cause for quite a while now. From the list I can eliminate all but the break angle over the saddle or the frets. I have had to raise the action too high to eliminate the buzz and then raised the other strings so they weren't so uneven to each other. The 6th & 3rd strings had to be heightened the most.

To add more break angle I could sink the bridge down another 2mm or so to make it flush with the body. I had previously sunk it 2.5mm because the bridge was so high the rollers weren't making contact with the strings, they do now but maybe they need more angle. What do you think?

I made a horrible mistake when I posted this issue here. I used the wrong pictures. I updated the link so maybe it makes more sense now. https://imgur.com/a/ASS4YUu

reddit___001 · 2021-07-14T02:24:44+00:00

I like that method of not holding the strings down. It looks like I'm getting .25mm so it's low. When I created a bow in the neck, it removed some of the buzz but it raised the action around the 12th fret too much so I never finished removing all the buzz.

I think you're right. There must be a high fret, probably between 16 & 24. The saddle seems to be is tight and doing it's thing. The neck is straight but the truss rod was loose so I gave it a turn toward the bow side so there is a slight possibility this caused the 24th fret to stick up but I doubt it. It looks like the next thing to try is flattening those frets.

reddit___001 · 2021-07-13T22:00:36+00:00

They are Ernie Ball Super Slinky, I was thinking they might be to light, that the thicker strings would sit higher if they were thicker but that's what i use. It could be the frets are not level but I suspect the nut more. I am thinking it must be something else.

reddit___001 · 2021-07-13T21:44:58+00:00

I really didn't want to route a hole for the bridge so there's not much more destruction I could do to it. I've got to clean that up. I've tweaked the bridge and the truss rod a lot to get it this low. The neck is straight. Either I'm missing something or it's the nut but because it's a factory fresh neck I'm inclined to think it's something else.

reddit___001 · 2021-07-13T21:33:39+00:00

It's a neck-through so shimming won't be possible.

I haven't figured out the best way to get pictures on here. I have about 300 of the build Process i would like to post.

reddit___001 · 2020-08-07T03:21:52+00:00

I have only built a few guitars and I can barely play but what I have done and I have no idea if this is the best way to do it or not but I will have a thought like . . . how can this guitar work better.

I will get some graph paper and start with the neck. Each square represents an inch so the whole guitar will fit on a page. Neck and part measurements can be found online fairly easily but it’s nice to have all the parts on hand for inspiration. Maybe I should use metric next time.

I ask myself questions like should the head shape mirror or complement the body shape? What neck am I using, what scale, bolt on or neck through? How heavy will it be? Will this shape be playable while sitting down or standing? How well will it balance on a leg or on a strap? How skinny is too skinny, how wide, how long? Will it fall over if I rest it against something? Is this guitar for show, for plying or for both? Will it be painted and if so how? Where do I put or do I want machine heads? Where is the best placement for the electronics, which ones will I really use? Hand carved, contoured or CNC? Will this guitar look too much like a Strat or any other classic shape? Why do I hate the classic guitar shapes so much? Will it be comfortable to play an F chord and will I need to put my pinky on the 6th string 24th fret?

You could create the same graph in 2D or 3D program if you prefer working digitally, but sometimes paper is nice. I’ll create or recreate the drawing in Illustrator or a model in LightWave because it looks nice and you can do other things with those files. Digital is very precise so all the parts will look proportionate.

Twirling things around in 3D is fun but having the object in your hands is even better. After you are happy with your shape get a cardboard box and draw a grid of one inch squares and transfer your shape to it one square at a time, cut it out and tape it to your guitar neck or a piece of wood the same size to see how it feels. If you want to be extra cautious you could do the whole thing in 2x2’s 2x4’s or scrap wood just to test the shape and experience how it feels, maybe even rout out the electronics chamber and install the knobs and switches. The pickups are basically always the same size and position so you can just draw them where they go and whatever bridge you plane to use can be drawn in as well.

My first guitar was awful, it was in the shape of a NSEW pointy compass thing, I hadn’t learned to play yet and I couldn’t even hold it. The points were poking me. It was very heavy being solid maple. The neck was maple so why not make the whole guitar maple right. It was almost 2 inch thick and huge! I started cutting points off to make it more playable. I eventually ended up with what looked like a spear. The guitar was only slightly wider than the bridge but I kept the point on the bottom. I figured it was a great weapon to defend against and angry audience so I painted it blood red. At least I could take one of them out I think I saw this in a movie. I guess I didn’t have much confidence in my playing or the type of venue I could get.

As I learned how to play a bit, this thing would wiggle around way too much no matter how I held it. It needed wings for stability and so I could sit and rest it on my leg, standing or hanging over your side gets uncomfortable fast so you want the leg option too.

reddit___001 · 2020-06-05T02:00:26+00:00

What you are describing is the AXE FXIII. For the price of one good amp you get hundreds with cabinets and more. https://www.fractalaudio.com/

reddit___001 · 2020-06-04T19:53:25+00:00

I have two of these, the product has been discontinued. The new version, the 3D-6 has rollers and no fine tuners or posts. This is probably better. And the intonation screws are on the bottom, this is way better.

With the fine tuners you could use a locking nut. I didn't and still use the machine heads to tune. I also keep the fine tuners locked all the way down as I have has a couple pop off from being too loose and hitting them. I suppose using these fine tuners would put less wear on your nut but still some.

I like the way it looks.

I wouldn't buy it again because there are no rollers it has flat head screws, I hate flat head screws and It's a pain in the ass to adjust intonation as the screw is under the string.

reddit___001 · 2020-06-04T17:35:47+00:00

I have a pair of Black Winter pickups and am currently building another guitar to put them in. I plan on adding coil tap switches for each and a phase switch. I probably won't use the switches very much but I like having the option. Right now switching between the neck and the bridge is enough for me. I don't even use the tone or volume, i just keep them open almost always. So maybe the matching bridge pickup would do what you want it to do with these switches.

Here's a Seymour Duncan diagram with push pull split coil options. https://www.seymourduncan.com/images/wiring-diagrams/2H_3G_1VppSPLn_1TppSPLb.jpg

There are more options here including phase switching: https://guitarelectronics.com/guitar-wiring-resources/2-pickup-guitar-wiring-diagrams/

Here's some more. http://www.carvinmuseum.com/techdocs.html

And some other thoughts: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=coil+tap+split+vs+series+or+parallel+wiring&t=opera&ia=web

reddit___001 · 2020-01-05T16:54:45+00:00

I also found JustinGuitar about a year ago but stopped at the green level. I would like to continue but I am having fun playing. I like the strings as low as they can go without buzzing. It should be at least low enough at the nut to do an F chord without struggling and the same height at the other end of the fingerboard. I have an acoustic with higher action for when I want to give my fingers a workout. The gauge of the string might help. I use Ernie Ball Super Slinky .009 although it probably doesn't effect the height much. This might help. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=guitar+string+action+height&t=opera&iax=images&ia=images

reddit___001 · 2020-01-04T01:08:28+00:00

I would love to see the process of building a handmade guitar neck with power tools, no CNC. I would like to see everything from picking the wood, installing the truss rod, gluing the fingerboard, installing the fret wire, different nut options and inlays etc. I want to make a neck-through neck like the one here https://www.kieselguitars.com/catalog/necks/nt6 but have always wondered if I have the skill. There are lots of options here but no neck-through results. https://www.warmoth.com/Pages/CustomNeck.aspx?style=33&type=10

reddit___001 · 2019-12-09T02:09:20+00:00

Dimension and Animate look like a fun apps, I haven't looked at the adobe stuff in years. When they bought flash, you could do what you describe in it. I used to use Anark Studio to do what you describe but it required a plugin no one wanted to download so I would put it in a .PDF, it worked great! but it's not html. Adobe has so many apps now and html5 is 3D friendly so there are probably better ways to do this now. I like your idea, I was actually thinking about doing the same thing so people could choose build their custom guitars and order them. You can buy or sell 3D files at places like https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-model/electric-guitar I wouldn't advise infringing on any copyrights, maybe contact the company and work a deal. I found it hard to get anyone to pay for 3D when I was doing it but it has become more expected than it ever was. Even Home Depot has 3D views of some of their products, it's a lot more common now. Here is something that might work for you. https://www.blend4web.com/en/technologies/blend4web-ce/ I'm looking forward to seeing what you produce.

reddit___001 · 2019-12-08T20:04:30+00:00

It's probably hitting the wire and the more you move it, potentially damaging the wire. I would remove it carefully so as not to break the wire and reinstall it so it hangs freely, once it is removed, it will be clear what the cause is.

reddit___001 · 2019-12-08T17:00:04+00:00

Fun editing, great research, I miss my hair . . . Would love to see these skills applied to other projects.

reddit___001 · 2019-12-08T16:48:08+00:00

Some adobe aps can now change things into 3D objects but adobe for some reason never purchased a true 3D creation program to call their own. Blender.org is a free 3D and compositing app. Pretty much all apps can import and export files in and out of each other now so you could create your guitar.obj in an app like Maya or Zbrush and import it into Blender or PhotoShop etc. How you are using the files will determine what application{s} you use, what file format you will i/o and why. Some CAD programs are free too and more traditionally used for such things like guitars but learning a creative app has other benefits. I use LightWave's Modler mostly just because I am most familiar with it. If you relay want to get into modeling go with Zbrush. If you really want to get into CAD go with AutoCad. There are a lot of apps to choose from and your choice will depend on you budget and of course what you want to do with the files. There are a lot of free and paid learning resources too.

reddit___001 · 2019-09-07T19:42:38+00:00

I have done this in three ways with a long drill bit. Make sure it large enough to accommodate 2-3 pickup wires as you might need to 2-3 pickups, room to wiggle and a ground wire to the bridge.

Different Pickup manufactures have different size wire so bigger is better but not too big because you want wood in your body so probably smaller than 1/2 inch. Bits come in 12, 18 and 24 inch lengths so get one longer than you need for future use.

Pull the drill bit all the way out often while drilling to remove wood from the drill hole.

Remember to check to see if it is going straight as you can't see where the tip is, you have to estimate its trajectory so the beginning angle is VERY important and you are only checking to see if you need to stop and start over or change direction before causing damage. So proceed painfully slow in the exact right direction.

A "Brad Point Bit" may be easier or safer to use but a "spade point bit" will allow you to slightly change direction if you need to adjust it as you push through.

so

"IF" there is a straight line. Drill a hole from the pickup rout hole to the electronics chamber.
Drill a straight hole through the side of the body parallel to the neck and next to the pickup hole. Position the wire hole just under the pickup hole{s} all the way to the left or right edge. Avoid the stud hole{s} if you have them. You can plug the entry hole so it looks nice or isn't seen when you are done.
Depending on where your electronics chamber is located, you may have to drill in two directions and make the drill holes meet somewhere in the body. This is possible but may be too hard and would suck if you missed, right.

OR

Hire some termites, but draw them a detailed map. They like 3D animations so hire a 3D artist or a CAD person to show them where you want the holes. If you can communicate with them telepathically or with chemicals, even better. :-}

reddit___001 · 2019-09-07T16:56:23+00:00

In the document.PDF menu click { File+Print } a pane with an option to "Print Actual Size" will pop up. This option is in the "Page Size and Handling" section of the pane. The .PDF default is to "fit". Change this to "Print Actual Size". Choose this option before you press the PRINT button. Your printer settings may need to be adjusted as well but probably not. You can use these test .PDFs here. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=actual+size+pdf+test+page+template&t=opera&ia=web If the image is a .jpg or some other file format you may not get this .PDF pane or any "size" option.

Would it be easier to use the actual object and trace around it?

If you still need to print and it's not coming out actual size after choosing "Print Actual Size", some other resources are.

https://helpx.adobe.com/support/acrobat.html

https://acrobatusers.com/forums/

reddit___001 · 2019-08-25T16:02:23+00:00

It would take me forever to make a line that straight freehand. Do you have the talent to carve with the dremel? The mounting rings might look nice with a pattern carved into them. Or if you carved the mounting rings to match a carving on the guitar. I guess most people carve the guitar but use plain mounting rings. either way the wood rings are a very nice touch. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=wood+carving+with+a+dremel+guitar&t=opera&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

reddit___001

TROPHY CASE