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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:55 pm 
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First name: Joey
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I've never built on but I'm about to start a couple for my nephews for Christmas. Anyone have any good plans or at least specs for width at the nut and some other reference point. Scale length? I was hoping to go with the shorter Gibson scale but is that doable or should the scale be shortened?

Any and all input is appreciated.


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These users thanked the author fingerstyle1978 for the post: bionta (Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:23 pm)
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 1:06 am 
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I don't know about plans, but here are some specs to consider. When my daughter was 10, I got her an Alvarez MSD1 3/4 size guitar. 22 7/8" scale, 1 11/16" nut width, 2 1/16" string spacing at the saddle. Those specs fit her hands nicely. That guitar was perfect for her for years of lessons and she still plays it a lot as a 21-year-old adult. She's 5 feet tall so the smaller size is still fine for her.

The short scale and lower string tension made it easy for her to learn on. Things she could play easily on the Alvarez when she was 10 were a struggle or impossible on a Strat because of the long scale. The Gibson scale would have been easier but still not as easy as the Alvarez. Whether to go Gibson scale or shorter might depend on how big your nephews' hands are for their age, if they already know how to play guitar or not, and how motivated they would be to press on if the guitar is physically challenging to play.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:41 am 
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Joey,
I'm building a child's guitar right now. I decided to build an 12 fret L-00. My L-00 plans are for a 14 fret, so I have had to do some measuring an shift some things to accommodate the 12 fret neck. I am making the nut width 1 11/16" and string spacing at the saddle of 2 1/8". Hesh had some good suggestions in an earlier post about how to make a guitar suitable for a child. Here are his thoughts...

Quote:
I do a lot of set-ups for kids and you might want to consider a few things for her to make learning to play easier and more successful. Below is a list of some of the things that I do for newer, younger, smaller players, all reversible so that the ax can grow with her.

1) Set-ups become even more important to dial in for smaller players.

2) New nut with closer spacing (not required but helpful for smaller hands and reversible.

3) Custom light strings, lighter than lights but still enough string there to make acceptable noise...

4) Cut the nut slots very low for ease of playing.

5) action at the 12th of 4/64" or slight less for the high e an 5/64th" for the low e. This will make the thing play like butter.

6) Strap button on neck heel avoiding any associated metal hardware from a bolt-on neck. There are specs for where to locate on the heel too if you want them. I use a magnet too to interrogate the neck for metal hardware if I can't see where there neck bolts, if any... are. The strap is important because little folks have more trouble hanging on to the instrument so a comfortable, light weight strap can be helpful.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 11:10 am 
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The Gibson LG 3/4 size might be a good model to copy.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 12:23 pm 
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A Martin size 5 could be a good option. You can use LMI's 3/4 size plans. I'm doing one now but using a 22.32" scale which is just a 25.4" scale cut off at the 3rd fret.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:19 pm 
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Quote:
a 22.32" scale which is just a 25.4" scale cut off at the 3rd fret.


That seemed like a cool solution but looking at the SM calculator the full length board would have to be a 26.5" scale -- I must be missing something?

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:41 pm 
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kencierp wrote:
Quote:
a 22.32" scale which is just a 25.4" scale cut off at the 3rd fret.


That seemed like a cool solution but looking at the SM calculator the full length board would have to be a 26.5" scale -- I must be missing something?


Yeah, I come up with:

25.4-1.426 (first fret distance)-1.346 (second fret distance)- 1.27 (third fret distance)= 21.358"

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:37 pm 
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Good catch guys. I can't multiply by two. I had the 12th fret measurement in my head - 10.66". So scale should be around 21.32" or so.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:43 pm 
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Made a few guitars small guitars, 21"-22.5" scale length, making another one for a guy at work. 14 1/2" - 15 1/2" body length. 11 1/2" - 13 1/2" lower bout, all just shy of 4" depth, 3 1/4" heel. Nut, 1.70" on one 1.94" another, nylon with 1.95". Fan braced nylon otherwise X brace on the steel strings. 1/4" brace width, measured the X brace on one where they cross, 0.48". Sound hole 3" - 3 1/2". Scalloped them and braces almost completely shaved at the linings. I liked the cedar more than the spruce in these small ones.

Image

Makes for nice couch or travel guitars. The pic is for some guitars I made with wood from cedar fence boards or pine from Home Depot. I could see something like this for a kid but 6 years I might think of a ukulele.

Used to be a guy with a site Bluestem ukes I think. Had a free plan for a low tuned mandolin. Looked for it but the site seems to be no more. So far the best I found for the plan.

https://www.scribd.com/document/2143816 ... -Plan-Free

Looks like it might be suitable for six strings.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:36 am 
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FWIW, I built an Antes Parlor for my son (9) and Hesh helped me achieve 1-6 in his post during the fretting class. I'm constantly grabbing that guitar because it is the best playing thing in our house. :D

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2016 7:11 pm 
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Consider three things... Reduced scale length. Reduced body size. Reduced neck width.

If you check out the first act kid guitars - you will notice the necks are fairly narrow. They have a scale that's 20-23" long and a body that's around 13" wide. Kids this age not only have shorter arms - they have smaller hands and fingers - which can't physically reach around a 1 3/4" nut. Those things run more like 1 1/2" at the nut.

That would be my recipe (20-23" scale, 12 feet to body, 13" lower bout, 1 1/2" nut) especially for an elementary school age kid.

Maybe make it a bolt on neck so you can re-neck it when the kiddo hits 7th or 8th grade.

Thanks


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:40 pm 
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I just finished a Size-1 parlor for a child or small adult, 24" scale (awesome) 1-5/8" nut, 2-1/8 cc bridge, 12 frets to the body.
Super low action, carve away the neck profile as much as I dared.
It is a bugger for me to play, but I get used to it after a few minutes, but it isn't for me.
Kids grow too fast to build a guitar for a small child. Get them a uke or a toy. Most kids won't play until they are 10 or so.

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