| In understanding how to make guitars and | | | | fret boards, which can be of a 12" radius arc. |
| guitar-type instruments, you only need to grasp a | | | | How to make guitar fret placements along the |
| few basic facts. Looking at things simply at first, | | | | length of the neck become known takes a wee |
| how to make a guitar can all be logically | | | | bit of math - a little trick known as the "18 rule". |
| understood by dissecting the instrument into | | | | The 18 rule is a means of finding precisely where |
| three major parts; there is the body, which can | | | | to place each fret on the fret board, and is a |
| be hollow, or solid in the case of an electric guitar; | | | | must-have bit of information, if you really want to |
| there is the neck, which both holds the strings | | | | know how to make a guitar. It goes like this; you |
| taught as well as provides a place for fingers to | | | | measure the distance of the "effective length" of |
| press the strings against (at different places, | | | | the string... that is to say, the part of the string |
| effectively shortening the length of the vibrations | | | | that lies freely between the "nut" at the head |
| thereof, to varying degrees), for creating | | | | stock end of the neck (also called the "zero fret"), |
| different notes; and then there are the strings | | | | and the "bridge" at the body end of the strings. |
| themselves. Let's take a closer look at the first | | | | You then take this measurement and divide by 18 |
| two... | | | | - or much more precisely, 17.8167942... take the |
| Before we get into the math involved in fret | | | | answer to that math problem, and you have the |
| placement, if you're looking to know how to | | | | precise distance from the nut to place the first |
| make guitar necks such as those we see on | | | | fret. Now measure from that newly found first |
| guitars in instrument shops, particularly with those | | | | fret placement and the bridge, divide that by |
| electric types that use steel strings, you will | | | | 17.8167942, and then you have precisely where |
| invariably need to route a channel (usually under | | | | to put the next fret, and so on. The number |
| the fret board, before attaching it) centrally down | | | | 17.8167942 is pretty close to 18, thus the name |
| the length of it for a truss rod to be kept in place. | | | | of the rule. |
| A truss rod is used to correct any natural bowing | | | | There are other factors in learning how to make |
| that may occur in the wood of the neck, or | | | | guitar type instruments, but none that are quite |
| which can also be due to the stresses of | | | | as mathematically involved as finding fret |
| stretching steel strings upon it, by adjusting the | | | | placements so much. Now that you know the 18 |
| tension thereof. | | | | rule, you've got the hardest mathematical part in |
| Understanding how to make a guitar neck for | | | | your memory. So as you can see, learning how |
| acoustic types and those using nylon or other | | | | to make a guitar and putting one together need |
| material for strings, we find that this may not be | | | | not be very difficult. The rest is all a matter of |
| necessary. Having a slight arc to the fret board | | | | how well you work with your hands and what |
| across the cross section of the neck may or | | | | tools you have at your disposal. With guitar |
| may not be desired, depending upon the player's | | | | strings, fret wire, machine heads and wood |
| specific needs - with this aspect of how to make | | | | clamps and such, readily available and easily |
| guitar necks, you'll find that these can be of | | | | enough bought, it's all easy enough to put |
| different radii, such as with the Gibson type guitar | | | | together when you know how. |