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A couple of years ago I started a series of three Size 1 guitars, and I have not had an opportunity to make much progress until now. This neck was originally built for a different body, but I like it so much better on this one that I decided to make the swap.

Here's the nagging thought that has been holding up my project: With the 12th fret not lining up with the edge of the body, does it look a little funny? I have enough room on the bridge plate to make the adjustment, which could be up to 1/8" toward the south, but this is the first time I have not lined up the edge of the body to a fret. What do y'all think? Shall I just plow ahead and hope no one notices or asks questions, or shall I prepare for surgery and remove the fret board? I still have a bit of meat to take off the cheeks to make the heel fit tight, and that will move it still more from where it is in the picture.

None of the guitars in question are for sale, at this point. I am building these just for fun, but I realize that everything that ever gets to the public eye is a resume of sorts.

The fret/body position doesn't bother me, but I would redo the heel to make it more traditional looking. Chop it off at the seam, reglue a block and recarve to add a bit more meat. If you wanted to move the 12 fret position back a little, you could miter the neck shaft and glue on a piece to make an "ice cream cone" heel as older parlor guitars used.

I wouldn't be overly concerned, really. The first ones are always construction projects.

Oh yeah...

Yes, it looks funny.

Hey Lincoln, long time no see! Hope Ft. St. John is treating you and your family well!

Personally, I would take the fretboard off and move it to fall inline. Two reasons, first is due to the pushing back of the bridge and where the wings will fall over the bracing.... Second is aesthetic.

Looking good otherwise. Nice bearclaw on that top!

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Please show me an example of this ice cream cone shaped heel
Not sure on the miter method to move the 12 fret to the body joint either, please elaborate
Thanks J

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Fret location as per tradition is a function of a dovetail joint so that the first fret over the body can be gently.... lifted.... and a steam probe can be inserted into the void just aft of the dovetail. If this is not a dovetailed neck joint that fret position is moot beyond tradition and it's not necessary to have it equal with the beginning of the body. If you don't like how it looks that's a different matter.

The heel design also needs to have enough beef on it that again if this is a dovetail the heel survives wrestling and steaming the neck off some day. It's it's a bolt on no worries again other than enough beef in the right places for the threaded inserts.

Some heel designs such as Guild's are so minimalistic that they break off at times in the neck removal process. Although totally repairable who needs it....

So in a nutshell if this is a dovetail you have serviceability concerns with that fret location if not, not so much. As for heel design consider serviceability 30 years from now and go for it.

"Please show me an example of this ice cream cone shaped heel
Not sure on the miter method to move the 12 fret to the body joint either, please elaborate
Thanks J"

http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.y ... _pAVvkrLcd

The link above had some pictures of an "ice cream cone heel". The heel can be made by gluing a block on as normally done (and carving) or by mitering (and carving). If the miter is off set, the length of the neck can be extended slightly which would move the 12th fret back a little.

I had the very same problem with my first build, a dreadnought. I fretted (pardon the pun) over it quite a lot before deciding just to forget about it and move forward without modification. I literally had not thought about it again since then until reading this topic. Plenty of people have picked up that guitar and payed it and to my knowledge not one has ever noticed that the 14th fret did not align with the top edge of the body. No regrets here.

It's usually only other builde s who know it usually lines up.

Thank you all for your thoughts. Sorry for the delay in my response- I have had a really busy week at school, so this is my first chance to reply. I have built a few guitars already, so I'd rather not hide behind the "newbie" excuse- if it needs to be changed, I'd rather change it at this point.

The neck joint is a bolt-on M&T, so no issues there. I might just redo the heel so that I don't have to move the fret any closer than it already is. Thanks for that thought. I don't care for traditional heel styles much, but I'll try to come up with something that's not too ugly. haha

Rod- I'd love to catch up next time I'm down at the coast. We have a lot to be thankful for here. The move up was brutal; the cargo trailer with all our belongings tipped over into a ditch south of Williams Lake, and we lost a lot of stuff, but we've been slowly rebuilding over the last three years. There's always something to be thankful for.

Yeah it does look a little funny. Next time just change the camera angle.


Just kidding. Took a look at a couple of necks I did, they were a little outside the body rather than inside the line. Does not seem too look too bad that way. Now I'll know which way to shoot for if need be.

Yikes! Well that's a storey to hear for sure. Please let me know when you're coming down next. Do you still have my cell #? PM me if you need.

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson