The steel ruler should sit just above the saddles on the bridge when the bridge is sitting flat
against the body.
Cutting the Headstock
If shaping your headstock start out by sketching a few rough concepts before transferring
the design to paper at the correct size.
When designing your headstock be sure to leave a margin of at least 15mm from the last
tuning hole and edge of the headstock (the equivalent distance between the tuning peg
holes).
1. Once you have a completed design at the correct size cut the shape out and glue it
to a scrap piece of timber to be used as a template. (You can also use cardboard).
2. Using a coping saw, jigsaw, or ideally a bandsaw cut out the headstock shape and
sand the edges of your template smooth.
3. Taking a small clamp, clamp the template to the headstock and carefully trace the
outline.
From there you can either cut the new headstock shape using the template as a guide, or
remove the clamps and cut following the outlines you just made.
When cutting out your headstock shape protect the neck of the guitar when cutting, cut well
outside the lines to allow room for sanding and keep your saw as vertical as possible to
ensure sharp edges.
If unsure keep the design simple. A well executed simple design is better than a poorly
executed complex one. Once complete, sand the edges until as smooth as the rest of the
body and neck.
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