Back bow

[Cagey]

You're right. I just measured it and it's 16". I was thinking of my straightedge length.

 

[Seamas]

I'm just guessing, but I'd say it wouldn't be helpful. Makers go to a great deal of time/effort to dry the wood out to about 4% or so, so adding moisture probably isn't a great idea. Also, anyone's who's left a guitar in a damp basement or otherwise humid area can usually tell you what a mistake that was.

Makes sense.

 

[ScottZ]

Now I'm confused.  The last time the neck was off, it had a definite backbow with the truss rod loose so I strung it up with 11s.  I took the neck off tonight and was planning to clamp and bake it this weekend.  Tonight, with the truss rod just snugged up from loose, under a straight edge I have maybe 0.002 clearance at the 7th fret.  I still think I need more clearance, but I'm surprised at that much change from just a few weeks of 11s on it.  I'm debating now whether to go ahead and bake it with a shim or wait.  I really need to get it playable with 9s.

 

[Cagey]

Not for want of trying, but I've never had a neck change its curve by cold bending methods, no matter how drastic. But, stranger things have happened.

 

[ScottZ]

I think I'm still gonna bake it with 1 neck plate as a spacer.  I picked up a 16" piece of 1x2 11g rectangular tubing yesterday.

 

[Cagey]

You can always pull out too much relief with the truss rod, so there's little to lose.

 

[ScottZ]

Trying it out...

Turned out exactly how I wanted it. Thanks Cagey.

 

[Cagey]

Excellent! Glad that worked out for you!

 

[ScottZ]

It worked great, but I still have a buzzing problem. Tine for a fret levelling.

 

[Cagey]

Well, you already have a nice piece of tubing. Take it to a machine shop and have them mill one of the narrow sides flat, and you have the perfect leveling beam.

Stick some 320 grit sandpaper on it, adjust your truss rod to get the neck as level as possible, mark the tops of the frets with a "Marks-A-Lot" permanent marker, tape off the fretboard (optional, but I always do - better safe than sorry), and ride the beam back and forth a few times without pressing on it. Let the weight of the beam do the work. When you lift the beam off, you'll be able to see lines in the fret tops that'll indicate where it's having an effect. When you're hitting all the frets, it's level. Check it with a fret rocker to be sure.

Recrown as needed, polish out the scratches, and call it a love story.

 

[bagman67]

Sharpie provides way better tone worms than Marks-A-Lot.

 

[Cagey]

I like Sharpies and use them, but the Marks-A-Lot has a fat, square and slightly softer tip that paints the whole top and partly down the sides of the frets in one swipe. Leaves a better sight picture when grinding.

 

[bagman67]

Yeah, but the TONE, maaaan!

 

[Cagey]

It's ok. I more than compensate for it with my strap hanger pegs and my can-do attitude.

 

[bagman67]

I do share your affection for a chisel-tip marker, though, to be honest.  I use Sharpie because it's around the house.


And I improve my tone by using stainless screws for affixing pickguards. That's where the real magic is.

 

[ScottZ]

Well, you already have a nice piece of tubing. Take it to a machine shop and have them mill one of the narrow sides flat, and you have the perfect leveling beam.

Stick some 320 grit sandpaper on it, adjust your truss rod to get the neck as level as possible, mark the tops of the frets with a "Marks-A-Lot" permanent marker, tape off the fretboard (optional, but I always do - better safe than sorry), and ride the beam back and forth a few times without pressing on it. Let the weight of the beam do the work. When you lift the beam off, you'll be able to see lines in the fret tops that'll indicate where it's having an effect. When you're hitting all the frets, it's level. Check it with a fret rocker to be sure.

Recrown as needed, polish out the scratches, and call it a love story.

Thanks. How much harder is it to level stainless frets? Oh, and any tips for leveling a compound radius?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Stainless just takes a bit longer, might use a lil more sandpaper, but the principles of the action are the same.

 

[Cagey]

It is as Tony says - same exercise, somewhat more work. Stainless is pretty hard relative to nickel/silver, so it doesn't cut as easily. If you can swing it, you want diamond files. They not only cut better, they also cut smoother and in both directions, leaving a surface that's easier to polish out.

As for following a compound radius, I just try to make sure the leveling beam follows the string path. When you mark the fret tops, it's easy to see what effect your leveling is having on the frets, so you can adjust as you go. You're not going to have to take much off to get level, particularly on new frets. Sometimes, you can just spot level, picking targets using the fret rocker.

 

[ScottZ]

The fun just keeps piling up.  I haven't leveled the neck yet, still waiting on a notched straight edge before I tackle it.  I was playing around with my calipers and decided to check the nut.  I have 6105 SS frets, and the bottom of the 6th string slot is only 0.050" above the fretboard.  So, time for a new nut as well. If I'm figuring this correctly, it should be 0.077".

Are the Warmoth nut slots flat bottomed or do they have a radius? I need to figure out what to order to replace this.

 

[Cagey]

They're flat-bottomed.