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 Post subject: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:14 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:00 pm
Posts: 255
Location: Tennessee
First name: Terry
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Considering buying one of these to assist in the building process (I don't do repair work at all).

Do any of you use one for new builds, and if so, is it worth it?

Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:31 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am
Posts: 5397
First name: colin
Last Name: north
Country: Scotland.
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
I don't use one, for new builds or repairs acoustic and electric, and will probably never buy one.
A friend did offer a loan of his to try once.
I do both without, and successfully according to 5 years worth of satisfied clients and word of mouth business.
I fret after attaching the finished neck/body and leveling the FB.

_________________
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.


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:37 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:00 pm
Posts: 255
Location: Tennessee
First name: Terry
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Colin North wrote:
I don't use one, for new builds or repairs acoustic and electric, and will probably never buy one.
A friend did offer a loan of his to try once.
I do both without, and successfully according to 5 years worth of satisfied clients and word of mouth business.
I fret after attaching the finished neck/body and leveling the FB.



What do you use to hold the neck while leveling frets? Or do they usually line up well enough that you just need to touch up a couple spots?

One of the things I've struggled with is getting very slightly different results once the neck bends under string load.

Heck, I even have trouble getting the fretboard satisfactorily level due to the slight flexing of the neck while sanding.


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:10 pm 
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Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:52 pm
Posts: 2953
First name: Don
Last Name: Parker
City: Charleston
State: West Virginia
Zip/Postal Code: 25314
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I bought a used one a few years ago (one of the old wooden models), and I have used it on a few guitars. I like what it does. If someone stole it, would I replace it? I'm not sure. A person can get great results without it. I think it is probably easier for me to use it than to not use it. If you want to buy one, you might look for a used one. The new ones are pretty expensive.

I can definitely say this: My most recent build is the first time I have done what Colin describes above (i.e., fretting after the whole guitar is put together and the fingerboard is leveled and arched). The guitar is still settling in, but with absolutely no fret work so far, the frets are the most level I have ever had on a new guitar. After I let it settle in a bit more, I will barely need to do anything to the frets. If you are doing a new build, I think that is the most significant change you can make in order to wind up with a great fret job in the end, rather than investing in the neck jig. I like my neck jig, but this change in process helped me a whole lot.



These users thanked the author doncaparker for the post: TerrenceMitchell (Wed Dec 30, 2020 1:31 pm)
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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:03 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am
Posts: 5397
First name: colin
Last Name: north
Country: Scotland.
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
I support the neck with a cork lined "V" section neck support firmly held in a guitar repair vise for both FB levelling and frets.
I use a section of router mat between neck and support especially when levelling the FB to stop sliding about.

_________________
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.


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:06 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7219
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Vancouver
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I radius and fret the board after it’s attached to the body as well.

I have a bag filled with birdshot that is more or less the length of the neck that sits on a riser block. This absorbs the hammer shock. Upper frets are done by holding a smaller bag of birdshot through the soundhole.


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:31 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:45 pm
Posts: 1270
Location: Calgary, Canada
Status: Amateur
Not something I would ever consider as I find it quite easyy to achieve great results without one. A little too Rube Goldberg for me but I'm no pro. Just my humble opinion of course.


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 9:59 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:21 am
Posts: 4839
Location: Central PA
First name: john
Last Name: hall
City: Hegins
State: pa
Zip/Postal Code: 17938
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
have one don't use it.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it


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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 10:23 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 7240
Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
Learned to level frets from Dave Collins, one of the best luthiers in the business. Don't need the Erlewine jig, in fact, it would be in the way.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"



These users thanked the author SteveSmith for the post: Clinchriver (Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:52 pm)
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 Post subject: Re: Erlewine Neck Jig
PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:43 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:55 pm
Posts: 3820
Location: Taiwan
First name: Tai
Last Name: Fu
City: Taipei
Country: Taiwan
Focus: Repair
Status: Semi-pro
Never used one, probably never will need them.

If you are not doing repair work then there is no reason to have one at all. Truss rod gives you the adjustment you need.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com


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