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3)
Trim any fret excess with the end nippers flush to the fingerboard.
Step Twenty - Dressing the Frets
Be sure all frets are completely seated and flush to the
fingerboard.
1)
Using a “bastard mill file”, file the ends of the
frets flush to the side of the fingerboard.
2)
Using the same file at roughly a 30-40 degree
angle, file the ends of the frets to create a soft
relief. When filing, stop just at a point where
the file begins to hit the side of the
fingerboard all the way up and down the neck.
Step Twenty One - Shaping the Neck and Installing the Heel Cap
This aspect of the guitar is the most personal part of the guitar. Everyone has
a different feel and you may prefer to shape the back of the neck differently
than someone else. This is all a personal preference. Without doing anything
more than sanding the existing neck shape, the guitar neck will likely feel
comfortable for many different players.
As a guide, we suggest using a round wood rasp and cutting a groove in the
neck at the first fret to roughly .86” and .95” at the 11
th
fret.
Then, using the same file, connect the two grooves in a straight line and
begin rounding, shaping and feathering in the neck to a comfortable feel.
The finish thickness at the first fret should be no less than .83” and .90” at
the 11
th
fret.
There is a small plastic heel cap that needs to be glued with the neck on the
body. Once glued, remove the neck and shape the heel and any further neck
shaping for final comfort. Many builders will replace the plastic piece with a
solid wood replacement for a nice finish detail.
