The Hub

The latest builds, repairs, and conversations from across Looth. Activity
Filters AND Search fretting× Type Discussions× Type Videos× Reset all
Private member Discussion3D Printing

Pickup routing template for les paul?

Does anyone have a STL for a routing template that will sit square on a les paul body? I need to cut a P90 hole into a middle position, and it would be nice to use the router, rather than chiseling the edges...

4 replies
4 replies
LikeShare
Private member
Neat. Yes, that looks like exactly what I need.
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Any helpful tips with bar frets?

Hello, One of my commissions is coming down the pike and it's going to be my first time using bar frets. I could use a once over for any helpful tips if you have any. About the guitar: Aged HD-28 but mahogany back and sides. I think Martin called this a HD-28 M? Skipping the truss-rod and using two carbon fiber strips. My process for Frets: 1: I CNC my fingerboards to a 16" radius and for T-frets I use a .023" to cut slots with a mat…

9 replies
9 replies
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
Depending on the carbon fiber strips and the gauge of string, you're compression may be moot, or at the very least, a fairly subtle factor. I would do a lot of testing before you glue the neck on to t…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

12 fret neck angle

can anyone help me determine the neck angle on a 12 fret to the body neck Robbie Obrien says the gap betwwen the plane of a 14fret neck and the top of the soundboard at the bridge should be3.5 mm. does that hold true for 12 fret necks

3 replies
3 replies
LikeShare
Private member
The 3.5 mm elevation is fine, but the point where you measure the 3.5 will be slightly further back on the top (the distance between the 12th and 14th frets). Assume you want a 14 mm string height.…
Private member DiscussionElectric Repair

Buzzing following nut replacement

Hello, I replaced a nut with a tusq nut. Nut slot height is correct, neck relief is good, action is good. But I’m still getting buzzing on low E and A strings on frets 1-3 primarily. I checked the fret height on fret 1 and it is sitting lower in that area specifically .038 inches. Vs .040 inches for the rest of the frets. I’m thinking this is what’s causing the buzz. Is my thinking correct? Is there something I can do other than a fret lev…

3 replies
3 replies
LikeShare
Private member
What is the neck relief?
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Cutting Fret Slots

I cut the fret slots for a baritone guitar build today, so I thought I'd share my method for cutting fret slots, as I think it is a bit unusual. I radius and profile my fretboard before I cut the slots. I print out a paper layout of the fretboard, double-stick tape it to the radiused and profiled fretboard, line up the saw by eye to using red hatch marks on the printout, and saw the fret slots with a 3" circular saw that rides on…

5 replies
5 replies
LikeShare
Private member
Awesome! Can you share how you print out the fingerboard layout?
Private member DiscussionNeck Reset Database

Vega Solo Lute Baritone Ukulele Neck Joint

I just pulled the neck off a Vega Arthur Godfrey Solo Lute baritone ukulele. It was pretty easy. First I heated and loosened the short fretboard extension. I already knew the neck was attached with a glued butt joint and small straight tenon. The picture show where I drilled three holes for foam cutter heaters. I only used the two on either side of the tenon, at the 16th fret (Note: neck joins body at 16th) and didn't need the hole at…

1 reply
1 reply
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
Wow! Thank you for sharing that one !
Private member DiscussionGeneral

Fret leveling questions

Hi everyone! I'm trying to wrap my head around this problem. I was doing some fret on a throwaway neck and found a couple of uneven frets in the middle of the neck. (I made sure to seat them down before levelling too!) While levelling, I came across an issue where the first few frets and the last few frets were being sanded down before the middle frets. I did make sure the neck was straight with a notched straight edge and the StewMac n…

1 reply
1 reply
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
The notched straight edges isn't the best tool for finding the starting position before a fret leveling. Primarily what you need to know is, without the truss rod being either completely loose or rea…
Private member DiscussionElectric Builds

Nut slot and action trouble

Hi everyone - I recently ran into trouble making new nut for one of my necks that needed to be trued and re-fretted. I roughed in the nut as usual and then, with the bass guitar fully assembled and strung up, I started cutting the slots to depth. I use the StewMac digital nut slot depth gauge and have had good results in the past. I marked the nut's lowest points (radiused) using the guitar nut scribe tool (first time using this!) and c…

10 replies
10 replies
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
That's actually not how that tool was intended to be used. That is essentially plotting a like to the top of the fret. With a bass, you would need much more than that. When James and I came up with th…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Low frets on Gibson J45

Just wondering how normal the following is on Gibsons. When I run a straight edge from the 7th to the 15th fret on this modern J45 the 12 fret (and neighboring frets) are 3-4 thousands low. The result is fret buzz on the 9th to the 14th fret on the wound strings. Picture attached. Guitar is around 5 years old and otherwise in very good condition.

10 replies
10 replies
LikeShare
Private member
If you have enough fret height, just level and crown the frets. Unless the frets are very short, there’s really no need to pull them.
Private member DiscussionElectric Repair

Neck relief without strings?

Working through my first refret. Trying to straighten the neck before radius sanding. What should the natural relief look like when straight? Using a straight edge there’s always slight gaps somewhere. Does natural neck relief start at a certain fret?

3 replies
3 replies
LikeShare
Natural neck relief without strings sounds...not good. Most necks aren't stiff enough for the need to add relief without string tension. Said another way, string tension is almost always enough to give…
Private member DiscussionGeneral

Stainless steel fretwire for compound radius

Hey! I have a friend who builds flat tops who wants to give stainless a try. I have done a handful of refrets and he was asking advice. He is using a compound radius from 14” to 20”. Jeskar sells the coils and they come in 10”. I have only done installs where the wire matches the board precisely. I bought pre cut pre radius bags for these re frets. Has anyone worked on a compound radius. Do you radius each fret on a bender or can you get…

2 replies
2 replies
LikeShare
Private member
Here are some pictures of my bender. Pretty simple. just a few bearings washers and bolts.
Private member Discussion3D Printing

Free 3d printed stuff up for grabs

Santa heard I had a challenging year so he got me a 3d printer for Christmas. I’ve been printing like crazy, learning the machine. This has resulted in a bunch of tools that either don’t work for me, were attempts at mixing colors, or have very minor printing blemishes. Two lots up for grabs to anyone in the US who wants either. I’ll mail to you for free. First one to claim each gets it :) First lot has parametric nut and saddle sanders…

5 replies
5 replies
LikeShare
Private member
Lot #1 still available. I'll likely be adding to the lot as I print and eff up but still make usable prints.
Private member DiscussionElectric Repair

Dealing with a zero fret...

Hey everyone, I have a Vaccaro bass guitar and I'm getting a lot of open note buzz on it. In truth, the bass could stand a refret but that may or may not be in the cards. Additionally, the truss rod nut is stripped. I'm also wondering if this nut is designed to come out? I imagine it is but it's kind of funky. A 1/4" Allen wrench is still too small to grip it. So the questions: 1. How would you deal with the zero fret and the nut? The st…

6 replies
6 replies
LikeShare
Private member
The divots in the zero fret almost look intentional, though that doesn't make sense since one of the big advantages of a zero fret is that it can be levelled together with the other frets. Are the fr…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Questions on Classical guitar action

I am working on a wall hanger that I thought would be fun to get working. It is an old Tokai. I have repaired a crack on left tuning arm. Also removed the bridge that had been badly glued on by previous owner. I am deciding if I want to put the effort into re-fretting it. I am new to Classical guitar actions, so my question is this - when you put a straight edge on the neck, where should it hit the bridge, if at all? I have learn…

3 replies
3 replies
LikeShare
Private member
Here is a link to photos of work so far : https://share.icloud.com/photos/043WoRjVTKnK8Y3-Y3bOaHQYQ As you can see, the action is not bad, neck is straight, frets at top are .028 but flat, progress to…