Neck jigs like the stew mac one but better?

[tjclem]

Yeah Tom, if I had the time, I could whip a few out in a few days just no time

As for this vvv
Thomas & Ginex Fret Refinishing Method

I also have one, found it useful for quick redress work but not much else

Thanks it is interesting and might be cool for quick touch ups.

 

[Rickett Customs]

Made mine out of a 3' piece of 4/8 mahogany, a piece of 3/4 MDF, several hammer in "T-nuts", all thread (wing nuts lock them into place) with furniture bottom tips. Cost less than 1/2 of the stu-mac one.
Can do any longscale and short scale. With new basses, I don't concern with string tension, with refrets and leveling old guitars/basses, I string to tension, buckle it down/adjust and take the strings off.

Fits perfectly into the B&D benchmate........

The feeler guages are not necessary though, but could easily be added.

 

[tjclem]

Made mine out of a 3' piece of 4/8 mahogany, a piece of 3/4 MDF, several hammer in "T-nuts", all thread (wing nuts lock them into place) with furniture bottom tips. Cost less than 1/2 of the stu-mac one.
Can do any longscale and short scale. With new basses, I don't concern with string tension, with refrets and leveling old guitars/basses, I string to tension, buckle it down/adjust and take the strings off.

Fits perfectly into the B&D benchmate........

The feeler guages are not necessary though, but could easily be added.

Thanks looks good man!

 

[Rickett Customs]

I've gotten spoiled with this..........best way to level frets on, hands down.....

 

[tjclem]

"I string to tension, buckle it down/adjust and take the strings off."

Doesn't the pull down on teh headstock change the tension on the neck or am I not picturing the order correctly.

Thanks again.Tom

 

[suraj]

With new basses, I don't concern with string tension, with refrets and leveling old guitars/basses, I string to tension, buckle it down/adjust and take the strings off.

Pardon my stupidity but can you explain why string tension is used in a jig like this? I always thought levelling meant using the truss rod to get the frets as close to flat as possible, supporting the neck at several points with something like your jig, and then levelling with a large straight abrasive thing. Why is string tension added to this equation ?

Thanks for sharing your jig

 

[Musiclogic]

I've gotten spoiled with this..........best way to level frets on, hands down.....

Yes you have.....LMAO. Not sure how you ever did frets without it....LMFAO

 

[Rickett Customs]

"I string to tension, buckle it down/adjust and take the strings off."

Doesn't the pull down on teh headstock change the tension on the neck or am I not picturing the order correctly.

Thanks again.Tom

There's an adjustment behind the strap at the headstock, so no pull down tension there.

 

[tjclem]

Cool thanks.t

 

[Rickett Customs]

Pardon my stupidity but can you explain why string tension is used in a jig like this? I always thought levelling meant using the truss rod to get the frets as close to flat as possible, supporting the neck at several points with something like your jig, and then levelling with a large straight abrasive thing. Why is string tension added to this equation ?

Thanks for sharing your jig

First, not having points for the neck to rest on, while leveling the frets,makes it tough to get a good level, due to movement in the neck while leveling.

Second, this simulates actual string tension.....neck relief does change with string tension, so there's a tendency for the neck to move when strung and in tune. This enhances the ability to get a "real world" fret leveling with the neck set in it's natural position, so that the lowest possible action can be obtained (although some folks don't like it too low.)

 

[gbarcus]

Thanks Jason for the picture of your neck jig! Couldn't resist making one of these. Parts (minus the wood) cost me $35 at Menards. A bit overkill on the wood.
I think both strings on and a neck jig seem to accomplish the same thing, I guess it comes down to preference and ease of use.
The strings on approach first appealed to me, as coming from a logical standpoint, you can't get any more real world than the stress of the strings. I'll have to use both and see what happens, although I have a feeling results will be the same.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Thanks just wondering why you would go with the 16" and not the 24? Wouldn't it ...in theory be best to have one even longer than the fingerboard? so you don't do any leveling with the neck to tension?

Yeah, I chose the 16" just because it was a little easier to use with guitar fingerboards. And it was cheaper.

But I'll probably pick one up at some point. The first instrument I used it on was an Ibanez bass, and it worked great.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

One point about the neck jigs, the preferred way to use them is with the instrument in playing position, since gravity has less effect.

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We always used them flat tough, and they work fine like that as well.

 

[luzceloffan]

if i understand, the sticks that supports the neck reproduces string tension, and the straps the truss rod tension?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

if i understand, the sticks that supports the neck reproduces string tension, and the straps the truss rod tension?

You set the neck set up the way you want, as far as the strings up to pitch, and the truss rod adjusted. Then you move the rods so they are touching the back of the neck and headstock. This should be done in playing position, but it doesn't have to be.

Then you loosen the strings. Now the neck is going to stay in the same curve it was when the strings were tuned up because it is resting on the rods.

The straps just hold the guitar or bass to the jog.

The reason for the jig is that when the neck is under tension it's not always the same as when it's totally void of tension, i.e., no strings and a slack truss rod. So the jig simulates the string tension.

 

[luzceloffan]

ah got it! Thanks for the explanation, i'll try to built one.

 

[praisegig]

I built my jig using the link mentioned above With a few mods. Works good for me for less than $100.