BYO: Neck Angle, Bridge Height, FC Plan

Bones · February 2018

Ok yes that makes sense, thanks again,

BTW, planning on my next build to make brace "1" a bit higher arch so that I will hopefully compensate a bit with the shape of the top (i.e. not such a straight line between the neck block and pliage) and hopefully not need a shim at all. Maybe that's what Selmer did on the guitars that don't have a shim??? They must have done something if they didn't have a taper shim because geometry is geometry. My current top is pretty much a straight line from the neck block to pliage because that is how I calculated my brace arch radii.

Bones · March 2018

Yay, the taper shim worked out great. Neck installed. I apologize in advance for the lack of rosette or decoration. Kinda Plain Jane but I have limited time and just gotta get 'er did. I'm estimating a 17.5-18mm bridge height with the pliage, etc by the time it's all said and done.

cwwtul · September 2018

Hello Everyone. I've recently started down the deep, dark path of building a Selmer (quasi) copy. I've built archtops and other guitars, but no gypsy guitars. I've really enjoyed reading all of the BYO forum, and have learned a lot. I met Craig B. at DjangoInJune this year and saw several of his wonderful guitars.

This thread on neck angle, etc peaked my curiosity enough to draw the geometry in a CAD app so that I could play around with neck angles a bit.
For other guitars, I just did the neck angle to match my requirements at the bridge similar to what others in this thread have done.

In any case, if there is any interest in me posting a PDF of the the CAD drawing, I will figure out how to do that.

-Cliff

Bones · September 2018

Hi Cliff, yeah love to see the pdf. If you can't post it I'll pm you my email address.

The neck angle/etc. depends on whether you are doing a pliage or a domed top as that significantly changes the geometry. You may need a taper shim between the bottom of the fretboard and the top depending on how you brace the top (if you do a pliage).

cwwtul · September 2018

I was working off of the Charle/Alexandre plan and some of the info in Michael Collin's book. I did use the pliage. The workup I did to get to 3.04 mm at the 12th fret shows a wedge between the bottom of the fretboard and the top would be required unless the #1 brace closed that up some.

I'll get the drawing to the forum or you when I return. It's nothing fancy. I was just using it to play around with the basic geometry.

cwwtul · September 2018

I have attached a quick CAD drawing where the neck angle yields an approx. 3mm action at the 12th fret. It's not exact in that I didn't model any relief in the neck, etc etc.

Bones · September 2018

Nice thanks. I just did my calcs in Excel without a drawing but I'll plug your numbers into my spreadsheet just for a apples to apples comparison. BTW I think the 670mm scale length is measured parallel to the fretboard (not that it makes that much difference but just a technicality).

billyshakes · September 2018

@Bones For what its worth (and as you said, not much difference) but I think the measurement on his drawing is from the center of the bridge to the nut for the 670mm scale length. Though it looks parallel to the ground or the back of the guitar from the label, the actual 2 points where it is indicated to be measured from are the two above which would be parallel to the fretboard as you indicate. In other words, it looks like it is the wrong side of a triangle but I just think that is a nature of the labeling on the CAD and not of a mis-measurement.

Thanks to all you guys for posting these BYO tips. Always neat to see what you creative artists come up with.