Fretboard fret spacing and saddle issue with kit guitar

Hi to All,

I just received a kit guitar today, a 000 all Mahogony small body kit ($550 AUD worth).

i was checking overt the parts and found the following 2 issues which I am thinking are maybe unacceptable...

1- I looked over he fretboard, fret slots are already cnc'd in place.
The spacings between frets 14-15 and 15-16 are the same, because fret 15 is out by about 0.5mm.
Its quite obvious and would be more obvious once the frets are in place.

2- The saddle is 2.7mm thick, and the bridge slot for the saddle is 3.1mm wide. So the saddle is quite loose.
The manufacturer says thats acceptable, I don't think it is.

Any feedback would be appreciated, as this is my first attempt at a guitar and its not a cheap kit, so I want these things to be correct.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Cheers,
Chris

Definitely not acceptable. Even if you doubled from the 12th fret to set your scale length correctly, the frets won't be accurate. Not fit for purpose under Australian consumer law!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Thanks for your reply,

Thats what I thought, I hate the fact that I have to be asking this as a newbie.
I'm not stupid, the fretboard scale formula means each fret must be closer together as you go along, and online calculators prove the damn board is wrong.

I won't name the company yet but am tempted...


heres the response i got via email...

Quote...
"The fret grooves are fine, if you’re worried about 10ths of a mm with a 2.2 mm crown at 18-20, then, you’re setting yourself up for drama - i can show you a guitar with the same fretboard and a digital tuner shows correct intonation. The whole subject of intonation is complex and imperfect, its not about measurements its about the notes - the other factors are fret crown, saddle shape, neck straightness, string height, string guage, finger pressure… To name a few…..


I’ve been building guitars for 18 years having studied under some of the finest makers in the world, we have also sold 94 of these luthier kits (and 3000 electric kits) in Australia (many of them to respected luthiers) plus i’ve conducted dozens of workshops with folks building these exact kits, you need to trust that they work. I assure you, it will be fine."
Unquote...


cheers,
Chris

If the seller has been selling sub-standard product for 18 years, it's a wonder he's still in business. Music theory is mathematics. And his maths don't add up.
Can he demonstrate intonation is accurate at each fret position? I don't think so. Mathematically impossible if frets are out by 0.5mm. A huge amount in tonal terms.

WA supplier?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superoo

Hi to All,

I just received a kit guitar today, a 000 all Mahogony small body kit ($550 AUD worth).

i was checking overt the parts and found the following 2 issues which I am thinking are maybe unacceptable...

1- I looked over he fretboard, fret slots are already cnc'd in place.
The spacings between frets 14-15 and 15-16 are the same, because fret 15 is out by about 0.5mm.
Its quite obvious and would be more obvious once the frets are in place.

2- The saddle is 2.7mm thick, and the bridge slot for the saddle is 3.1mm wide. So the saddle is quite loose.
The manufacturer says thats acceptable, I don't think it is.

Any feedback would be appreciated, as this is my first attempt at a guitar and its not a cheap kit, so I want these things to be correct.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Cheers,
Chris

---

Hi Chris,

1. What's the scale length of the instrument? 24.9"/632.5mm? if this is the case then you're talking about a 0.6-0.8mm reduction in spacing for each higher fret above fret 14. I'd expect a CNC cut fretboard to be spot on but I hand cut my fretboards and I doubt the accuracy of my slots would be less than 0.5mm. I think you're warranted in asking for a new fretboard. If the seller plays hard ball then it wont be too hard to make up a replacement fretboard. If you need any help then let me or others here know and we can give you some guidance.
2. A 2.7mm saddle in a 3.1mm slot is going to give you far too much slop. The saddle blank should start off slightly wider than the slot and you then sand the side of the saddle until its a comfortable fit........ie tight enough that you can pull it out with your fingers but not so loose that it falls out when you invert the guitar. Again if the seller plays hard ball then making up a new saddle isn't too hard a job and it'll be useful practise for you.

Sorry for the long delay on replying to your feedback, your answers are very much appreciated.
I've been busy / sidetracked by work...

I just bought another saddle so thats easy sorted.

The fretboard length to the 12th fret is 321.5mm, making it 643mm, 25-5/16" scale length.

I understand that if the frets around 18 - 20 are out slightly it won't bother me as I won't use them the way i play, but its the simple fact of how it looks at the end.

Cheesed off...
Chris