I am finishing up an acoustic archtop and have come to the point of attaching the finger rest. I was planning on using a small ebony block screwed into the fingerboard extension, as taught by the Benedetto book. However, I realized I have so little experience with these guitars that I don't know whether the finger rest should be flush to the top of the fingerboard or mounted some distance lower. If lower, where? even with the bottom of the fingerboard/top of the neck extension?
The local guitar center has no classic jazz boxes, and from pictures I get little guidance. The Benedetto books is, as usual, silent on any important details an measurements. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Wood finger rest, level with fingerboard?
- Randolph Rhett
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Re: Wood finger rest, level with fingerboard?
Hi, Randolph,
I'll stick my neck out here and tell you what I'd do. I'd attach your finger rest as you propose to the fingerboard extension. I'd put it's closest edge in a plane that is parallel to the fingerboard, but just a tad lower--maybe 1/8th lower than the fingerboard edge. I'd slant it just bit so that the edge closest to the guitar's waist and bouts is a bit lower than the edge nearest the finger board. I would personally use a "pick guard bracket" --available from StewMac or AllParts--to support the finger rest, but this is not absolutely necessary. However, it WILL give you a bit of adjustability in the slope of your finger rest towards the lower edge of the guitar. If you do this, you'll find that your clearance from the strings increases as you move back toward the bridge, because the sting path of the high E string is not parallel to the fingerboard nor the finger rest. I'm not saying that you can't put the edge level with the finger board, but I would personally find that arrangement to be too high for my preference. I don't think you would like it, either.
Patrick
I'll stick my neck out here and tell you what I'd do. I'd attach your finger rest as you propose to the fingerboard extension. I'd put it's closest edge in a plane that is parallel to the fingerboard, but just a tad lower--maybe 1/8th lower than the fingerboard edge. I'd slant it just bit so that the edge closest to the guitar's waist and bouts is a bit lower than the edge nearest the finger board. I would personally use a "pick guard bracket" --available from StewMac or AllParts--to support the finger rest, but this is not absolutely necessary. However, it WILL give you a bit of adjustability in the slope of your finger rest towards the lower edge of the guitar. If you do this, you'll find that your clearance from the strings increases as you move back toward the bridge, because the sting path of the high E string is not parallel to the fingerboard nor the finger rest. I'm not saying that you can't put the edge level with the finger board, but I would personally find that arrangement to be too high for my preference. I don't think you would like it, either.
Patrick
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Re: Wood finger rest, level with fingerboard?
I agree with Patrick....below the fretboard surface and sloped away. Having it at fret level just feels in the way to me. The extension has to be thick enough to allow lowering of the attach block & still work. And height/angles are all more exacting with a floating pickup attached to the rest underside. These info sheets may help
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Pickguards/i-4173.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Pickguards/i-5869.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Pickguards/i-4173.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Pickguards/i-5869.html
Dave
Milton, ON
Milton, ON
- Randolph Rhett
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Re: Wood finger rest, level with fingerboard?
Thank you for those links. I went to a fancy guitar store yesterday and saw an acoustic archtop with a finger rest. It was attached not flush with the fingerboard, nor 1/4" below level with the bottom of the fingerboard. Instead it was right about the middle. That matches the mandolin finger rest in the Stew Mac links.
So that is the winner for this guitar. I intend to attach the finger rest about 1/8" below the level of the fingerboard with a slight slant downward to match the rough angle of the top arch.
Thanks.
So that is the winner for this guitar. I intend to attach the finger rest about 1/8" below the level of the fingerboard with a slight slant downward to match the rough angle of the top arch.
Thanks.
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Re: Wood finger rest, level with fingerboard?
A bit late, but I've attached a mandolin finger rest about where you're about to, and found it too high. I now place them about 1/8" lower than flush to the bottom of the fretboard, if I can. This way, it feels "normal" to anyone used to playing flat top guitars, where the strings are typically 3/8" to 1/2" above the guitar top.
And yes, try to match the slope to that of the top's arch; it'll look odd otherwise.
And yes, try to match the slope to that of the top's arch; it'll look odd otherwise.