MIMF

I always try to preserve the slots as they are. That is why I alter the fret to fit the slot. Too much fret wedging is always a concern. Frets that are crushed into the slot are more likely to damage the board when pulled for replacement. For a good fit much of the wire is to wide for my slots LMII ...

When the fret barbs are too wide for the slot I just file off some of the barb till I have the fit I am looking for. I made a device for filing fret barbs down to size.

In my copy of the Benedetto book on page 178 Bob says "The optimum string angle from the bridge to the tailpiece is 13 or 14 degrees." I have a set of plans for a Benedetto guitar and it shows 13 or 14 degrees. So 12 degrees seems about right to me. I am not sure where Bob shows 6 degrees ...

Your formula is correct. More than likely your angle is measured correctly and the string tension is also likely to be close to correct. It is possible that the back not being attached may have had some effect on top deflection when you did your testing.

It may depend on the type wood the sides are made from. For Maple a full width side brace is a good idea to help prevent warping or cracking. I have used some Maple for sides that had to be braced. The only reason I used it for sides was because it was so nicely figured.

I got this idea from an old issue of the GAL, I'm not sure of the issue number. This one is a modified plane and blade with a more curved bottom. Not a perfect solution but it works ok.

I think I would try to put the decal on between coats of shellac or water based lacquer. The decal will work best over a very smooth surface. I have sandwiched small decals on models this way using waterborne lacquer. I don't know if shellac works on decals but it will bond to most surfaces. The pro...

Is the low E saddle maxed out to the back of the bridge? Some of these Epiphones max out short of correct intonation on the low E string. I have seen at least 2 that had this problem.

The fiber looks like plastic but wont deteriorate with the passage of time as the original did.

LMII has it. I think they call it fiber veneer. The black works great for the back side of a headstock! It is a low cost alternative to plastic. If anyone does try it, be sure to sand off the outside protective coating before gluing. Once sanded most glues should bond well with it.

For a non plastic binding white fiber might work for you. This is only good for areas that are finished. It wont work for the fingerboard surface. I use fiber almost exclusively on my mandolins and my archtop guitars. Vulcanized cellulose is very durable and makes a good binding material for body an...

I just thought I would add to what I said before. I use hot hide glue for almost every joint on my mandos and guitars. The liquid glue is good for frets as it adheres to metal better than HHG. I like using hot hide glue. For me it is the easiest glue to use for most building tasks. I don't use the b...

Liquid hide glue has always worked very well for me. Just be sure it is a fresh bottle. I have used it to attach fiber binding and purfling. I also glue in frets with it. If you mix a little liquid hide glue with hot hide glue you can extend the open time of your hot hide glue a lot. If you don't kn...

American Lutherie number 73 has Pantograph neck shaft duplicator by Mike Doolin. It looks easy to build .

Count me in. Thanks!

If you have some scrap wood for tests you could try a weak mix of light brown trans tint dye. It will probably darken more anywhere that is end grained. Dye can enhance the figure of some woods without changing the color very much if you can find a good match.

If you mount a suspended pickup to the fingerrest some adjustment is handy for getting proper placement of your pickup. One way to get some height adjustment is to drill the mounting block with two holes. One round hole and one U shaped hole or slot. Use two threaded inserts in the fingerboard exten...

You can cut wide tape down to the width you need. It's easy if you have a drill press. Just chuck a mandrel with a cutting disk in and adjust the table for the width you want. Then turn the roll on it's side and carefully cut a groove around the roll of tape. Be careful it can bind up on you if you ...

After you build a cradle for holding the instrument you can use the cradle for many other tasks. Both machines look well made. I like the vertical stationary type. I have a similar setup. I used springs to counter the router weight. I also think it is a lot safer for the operator. Thanks for showing...

When I glue up my archtops I use alignment pins on the top and back. With two pins ( small dia. wood dowels ) you can quickly locate the plate. Then use a clamping caul to speed the clamping process. The whole thing takes less than a minute. The pins are useful during construction also. I put one un...