Suppliers for multi-scale slotted fingerboards

[Son of Magni]

Just wondering if anyone here knows of where I can get "fanned fret" fingerboards. Or if anyone here can make them for me, please PM me.
Thanks, SoM

[Phil Mailloux]

I don't know a supplier but here's a nice aticle Micheal Doolin wrote on how to do it.

http://www.doolinguitars.com/articles/novax/

[iamlowsound]

SoM, with your skills, it shouldn't be hard for you to make one.

lowsound

[pilotjones]

Sheldon Dingwall supplied one to Jack Read a few years back.

[PaleMelanesian]

Didn't he also do a couple for JP last year?

Really, do it yourself. Looking at what you've done on other projects, you can easily handle it!

[Sheldon D.]

Due to time constraints, I've had to quit doing custom slotting.

It's not that hard to layout and cut your own slots with minimal tools.

[Son of Magni]

Ok thanks guys. I guess I'll have to think about designing a jig. I know how to do the layout, I just don't want to cut fret slots freehand if I can help it.

[SDB Guitars]

You probably power slot your other boards, right?

I haven't gotten around to power slotting as I am too lazy to build the jigs for it. I don't have enough volume to make that much of a difference.

That having been said, I'm betting that you could use a sliding compound miter saw with one of those StewMac or LMII blades to do it, you'd just have to be dead on with your angles. Maybe with a really accurate laser guide?

A squared block, a c-clamp and a hand fretsaw are my tools of choice for slotting either standard or multi-scale fretboards

[pilotjones]

Originally Posted by Son of Magni

Ok thanks guys. I guess I'll have to think about designing a jig. I know how to do the layout, I just don't want to cut fret slots freehand if I can help it.

I'm pretty sure I've heard of people plotting out their Fretfind output full-scale, adhering it to the board and using a simple movable jig (re-clamped to the board for each fret) to cut right through the paper.

[Son of Magni]

Originally Posted by SDB Guitars

You probably power slot your other boards, right?...

Actually I use a StewMac jig. It works well and is very accurate, but a pain to use for hard boards like Ebony. Haven't gotten into power slotting because I build so many fretless.

I guess I should try the block and clamp method and see how it works out. You do this on a radiused board or radius after slotting?

[pilotjones]

I think I've seen it done on a flat board, to make it easier to do accurately, then radiused, then the existing slots deepened as necessary after radiusing.

[SDB Guitars]

Definitely slot first, radius second

[T2W]

Im looking into slotting a board really soon for a multi scale. however.... am I wrong in thinking that the 12th fret should be dead square? then use 31" and 36" templates with the 12th fret as a guide? also, what are the 'standard' scales for a multi scale?

[Dan Knowlton]

If the centerpoint is the 12th fret, wouldn't you line up the centerpoints with the other two scales set where your string would be and then just draw a line to mark the cut?

5-String example

B-string is 36" scale, A-string is 34" scale, and the G-string is 32" scale.... right?

Dan K.

[erikbojerik]

Originally Posted by Dan Knowlton

If the centerpoint is the 12th fret, wouldn't you line up the centerpoints with the other two scales set where your string would be and then just draw a line to mark the cut?

5-String example

B-string is 36" scale, A-string is 34" scale, and the G-string is 32" scale.... right?

Dan K.

All you really need is a linear change of scale length with string number; the example above does that, but a 4" difference between the outer and inner scales is about the limit of what I'd do on a bass. Having just made one (a guitar, not a bass), I wouldn't go more than that on a 34" scale instrument (i.e. 34" to 38").

You don't need to make the 12th fret parallel; indeed, on a bass I would probably go with 9th fret parallel just to make nut angle less extreme. You just need to choose which fret will be your perpendicular one, then line up your scales accordingly.

CAD is really your friend here.

[pilotjones]

I'd use Fretfind. You can try different scale lengths and perpendicular frets (not directly, you enter a decimal of the whole length--you'll see) and see what they look like.

Choices made for scale lengths, perpendicular frets, and nut and bridge widths will have huge effects on your ergonomics. For reference, I would start with successful designs to see what was done. The most successful in multiscale units sold is Dingwall, AFAIK.

A perpendicular 12th fret, with any large multiscaling amount (difference between long and short strings), will make it unplayable up at the nut due to too much angle.

[eleonn]

I've been looking into this and think that the usual is having the perpendicular fret at 7th or 9th fret and using a difference of 2 inches between the largest and shortest scale.

[budman]

I've slotted three by hand using full size paper patterns I made in AutoCAD. The first one took me a couple of days. It was a six string. Because of the angle some of the slots get pretty long. I couldn't stand to cut more that two or three at a time. The second two were five strings which I did in a couple of hours a piece. I used a hard maple guide block for the saw that I lined up with the fret lines on the pattern. I stuck some 80 sand paper to the bottom of the block to help keep it in place even though the block was clamp. Once I had the slot going I removed the guide block and cut to the depth I wanted. Works like a charm. Just go slow and have patience.

[pilotjones]

Originally Posted by eleonn

I've been looking into this and think that the usual is having the perpendicular fret at 7th or 9th fret and using a difference of 2 inches between the largest and shortest scale.

3" difference is quite doable on a five-string with a perpendicular 7th. Of course, the more strings, the more overall difference you can have; what's important are the difference from string to string, and the spacing from string to string.