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This has always been an issue for me as I almost always leave them too beefy....
Can I see some heel curve profiles?


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I Just took a picture of my heel, but I just couldn't post it. Perhaps 10 years ago, but too old and ugly now.

But seriously. The first couple I built were too beefy and I ended up recharging them after they were attached. So many good plans are available to guide you. I just keep carving until it looks and feels right.

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

Here’s my last one.

I'm thinking you're talking about the transition from the back of the neck to the heel?
Saw a tip here recently on OLF, someone using a 2" mm forstner bit to cut out the transition so looking at a 1" radius.
As I was using a 2" robo-sander to work this area anyway I stole that ideal last couple of builds.
As long as the point of the bit has a good bit of wood (say 1/2" minimum) around it works well.
I drilled a 1/8" pilot hole right through, then use that as a guide to drill with the forstner bit from each side, leaving enough wood spare to clean up/smooth the transition.
P.S. Needs a drill press.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I use a cheap little French Curve that I've had for probably 25 years now. I put a couple marks on it so I know where the start and stop is, draw it out and cut it. Every one of them ends up being a little bit different.

Very elegant.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

If you are using a tapered heel, a continuous arc from the bottom of the fretboard to the heel cap is key. An ogee shape here will leave the area quite bulky.

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

I use a 1 1/4" radius for the curve of the transition from the neck shaft to the heel. The narrow side faces of the heel below are 1/2" wide and the heel is 3/4" thick along the center ridge.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter