Building a guitar, need some help

[data187]

I recently bought a lps carved top shape body off of ebay
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZluchi68
The body is decent, but not warmoth quality.

Anyway, the info said it's made for a 25.5 scale, but since no holes have been drilled for the bridge, can i use a 24.75 scale neck and position the bridge appropriately.

Also, where are the best places to get the following:
3x3 style neck (nothing expensive, no more than $200), top mount/loaded bridge, pots and misc hardware.

Thanks!!!

[rhoads56]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

[ QUOTE ]

Anyway, the info said it's made for a 25.5 scale, but since no holes have been drilled for the bridge, can i use a 24.75 scale neck and position the bridge appropriately.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, assuming the bridge pickup doesnt get in the way.

[gemini8026]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

doesnt fret spacing have something to do with the intonation on the various scale guitars?!?

[Bengal65]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

Your 12th fret has to be equidistant for the centerline of the bridge as compared to the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. You split the difference in half 24-3/4 neck, 12-3/8" from the 12th to the bridge centerline. Or 25-1/2 scale, 12-3/4" from the 12th to the centerline of the bridge. And yes, make sure it clears your bridge pickup. Good Point!

[rhoads56]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

Bengal, thats incorrect. If you used that method with a tunomatic bridge, it would never intonate.

[Budman68]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

[ QUOTE ]
Bengal, thats incorrect. If you used that method with a tunomatic bridge, it would never intonate.

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="aqua">hey there Perry, good to see you! If you don't mind, may I ask what your method is for locating a tunomatic? Since you've been doing this for awhile, I'm sure you have a "slick" way of doing it [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] </font>

[data187]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

i'm back from vacation and i still haven't been able to figure out how to locate the bridge. rhoads56, please show me the way...lol

[rhoads56]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

The INTONATED string length, is ALWAYS LONGER than the SCALE LENGTH (which is 2 x the distance from the fretboard side of the nut, to the centre of the 12th fret. EXCEPT compensated nuts, but thats an entirely new post...).

Now, the thicker the string (and the higher the action), the more COMPENSATION needs to be added to intonate correctly.

So.... if the INTONATED length is ALWAYS longer than the scale length, you can position the bridge using the following method:

1. adjust the saddle (1st small "e" string will do) to its most forward position.
2. Draw a line on the body, for the bridge positioning, so that the saddle is EXACTLY AT the scale length.
3. If using a tunomatic, allow for the bass side to be slanted back, 4mm or there abouts (personally, i guess this every time...)
4. When fixed to the body, the saddle will need to be moved rearwards to INTONATE. Because you've located the bridge at a position so that the saddles are fully forward WHEN AT THE SCALE LENGTH, you'll have no worries with running out of "room" to get perfect intonation, because you're not "wasting" saddle adjustment space (eg: saddle being able to move forward of the scale length position).

[data187]

Re: Building a guitar, need some help

great info, thanks!!!