page 14
To get accurate intonation, the distance from the 12th fret to
the saddle should be approximately 1/8" longer than the dis-
tance from the 12th fret to the nut. Since your guitar’s scale
length is 25", the distance from the 12th fret to the nut is 12-
1/2". Add 1/8" to get the desired distance from the 12th fret
to the saddle: 12-5/8".
This extra 1/8" compensation makes up for the slightly
longer string length caused by the strings as they rise up to
the saddle, and for the fact that strings tend to go sharp
when they are pressed down to the fret. If you located the
saddle at the uncompensated distance from the 12th fret,
the intonation would be sharp.
Center the cone in the soundwell. Locate the 12th fret by
loosening the spring clamps, and slide the fingerboard for-
ward or backward until the 12th fret measures the compen-
sated 12-5/8" distance from the center of the saddle. This will
probably produce perfect intonation when the string height
is set. It is possible that you will need to move the saddle
backward, and you can do that by sliding the cone backward.
When the 12th fret is where you want it, and with the spring
clamps holding the fingerboard on, place a piece of masking
tape on the neck surface at the nut end of the fingerboard —
use this tape as an index for fingerboard placement when
you glue it on.
When all the neck fitting and fingerboard-locating tasks are
complete, unbolt the neck from the body and glue on the
fingerboard.
Clamp the peghead to your workbench with the neck hang-
ing out over the floor. Butt the nut end of the fingerboard up
to the indexing tape that you placed on the neck’s gluing
surface earlier.
There should be a flat area approximately 3/16" to 7/32" wide
left between the end of the fingerboard and the break angle
of the peghead. This is where the bone nut will rest
(25)
.
Install the fingerboard with Titebond glue. To get just the
right glue coverage, spread it with a flux brush. Inexpensive
acid-flux brushes are available at hardware stores, and they
make great glue spreaders. Spread glue up to the edge of the
truss rod channel, and then draw it away from the edge with
the flux brush to keep glue squeeze-out from getting into
the channel.
Installing the fingerboard
25.
The bone nut will rest on the flat area approximately 3/16" to
7/32" wide, left between the end of the fingerboard and the break
angle of the peghead.
26.
Hold the fingerboard in place with a spring clamp as you start
to wrap with the rubber bands.
