about to start making my first guitar - electric guitar

[Pauls321]

Hi all, I am about to start making my first attempt at an electric guitar. I already have the body cut out. I bought some very nice queensland maple, about 37mm in thickness. The shape I used is close to a LP Gibson, but not totally the same. I have ordered a prebuilt neck, an LP Gibson style and all of the accessories from Guitaraust.com.au. The chap there was very helpful. They haven't arrived yet, so I am still in thinking stages.

The neck will be a bolt on type. I have some resources to help me make this. One question at his point, I know the neck enters the body at the 16th fret. I have yet to make the neck socket, or for that matter any hole in the body until my accessories arrive.

My question is, is there a set distance between the neck pickup and the bridge pickup, and then from the bridge pickup to the bridge and then the tail piece.

Regard, Paul

[walcen]

Hi Paul the bridge can only go in one place so when you get the neck and you work out what the scale length is, you'll know where the bridge needs to go. If you're not sure about anything like scale length and such, ask the questions before cutting or drilling.

if you need plans pm me your email and I'll send you some. Or look here #post 26 https://www.woodworkforums.com/f98/fr...45/index2.html

And post pics Because we love pics, lots of pics.

regards

Wal

[Pauls321]

Hi and thanks Wal

PM sent,

Regards, Paul

[Cliff Rogers]

Pictures, we want pictures.

[walcen]

Hi and thanks Wal

PM sent,

Regards, Paul

You know Paul that you can just download that blue print from the link I gave you, it would save me having to upload.

regards

Wal

[Pauls321]

Hi Wal, and thanks for your reply. I've just spent the last hour or so looking at the links on the thread you gave me. I wish I would have seen all this before I cut out my body. But hopefully at the end of the day it will turn out ok. This is the neck that I have ordered.

LP Guitar Neck (Bolt-on) 8mm tuner holes - Premade Necks - Necks - Neck

Does this give you sufficient information to expand on your comment as to what the scale length etc is. Then hopefully tell me the distances I mentioned before.

Regards, Paul

[_fly_]

Do you think the part that says "22 Frets with a 24.75" scale, and 12" radius" might be a clue.

That maybe its a 24.75 inch.

[walcen]

Hi Wal, and thanks for your reply. I've just spent the last hour or so looking at the links on the thread you gave me. I wish I would have seen all this before I cut out my body. But hopefully at the end of the day it will turn out ok. This is the neck that I have ordered.

LP Guitar Neck (Bolt-on) 8mm tuner holes - Premade Necks - Necks - Neck

Does this give you sufficient information to expand on your comment as to what the scale length etc is. Then hopefully tell me the distances I mentioned before.

Regards, Paul

Yep it's 24.75 inches, or 628.65 millimetres so that means that when you test fit the neck into the body you measure 628.65 millimetres from the fret side of the nut to the body and that's where the bridge will go. And if it is in fact a 22 fret, you'll have no trouble installing two humbuckers. And there is a fair distance between the tail piece and the back of a Les Paul so you should have plenty of room, depending on how far back you place the neck.

[Pauls321]

Hi Wal, not being familiar with the term "scale", your reply was a very informative one.

Thanks very much for explaining this,

Regards Paul

[Pauls321]

Hi Wal, me again, from what I can see, there seems to be a few mil difference from the 1st E string to the 6th E string, where it sits on the saddle on the bridge,..!

Paul

[walcen]

Hi Wal, not being familiar with the term "scale", your reply was a very informative one.

Thanks very much for explaining this,

Regards Paul

No worries mate, if you have a little time to spare you may like to trawl some of the old build threads for clues.

Here's mine https://www.woodworkforums.com/f98/body-building-91003/

regards

Wal

[walcen]

Hi Wal, me again, from what I can see, there seems to be a few mil difference from the 1st E string to the 6th E string, where it sits on the saddle on the bridge,..!

Paul

I'm thinking that you're talking about the angle of the bridge saddle, and you are correct, that is for string gauge compensation so that you can achieve proper intonation on all strings. you measure the scale length at the centre of the bridge and then rotate the bridge from the centre so that the E 1st saddle ends up 5mm forward of the E 6th saddle.

Half of the scale length is measured at the 12th fret so when you receive the neck, measure the distance between the nut and the 12th fret. If it is a 24.75 inch scale your measurement should be half of that.

Wal

[Blackstar1099]

You'll find this useful as well.
Fret position calculator at Stewart-MacDonald
Enter 22 frets and 24.75 scale length and click calculate and it will give you pretty much the exact place to mount the tune-o-matic style bridge or any other bridge for that matter.

[simso]

The scale length is a mathematical number designed around a string length being divided by two, for a guitar this means the open string will play a note and then half way along if you pinch the string the same note will be played but an octave higher, example at the 12th fret

in reality on a guitar you have string length, in you situation 628.65mm plus the height of the strings away from the body, plus add into the thickness of the strings and you end up with a compensated length. For a treble string with moderate action height this is about 3mm further away from the theoretical point

The bridge can go any where you want, the saddle cannot, when you get your neck bolt it on, and then I can explain further for you how to set your saddle and intonation.

i teach guitar building

steve

[walcen]

Nice one Steve, very well articulated, thanks

Wal