-= Building a Guitar from Scratch with Absolutely No Woodworking Experience =-

10 minutes ago, drand said:

Ahh I bought a used acoustic guitar and spent all day trying to fix it.. dead frets around 12 on the high E making me lose my mind. Should have known it was too good to be true,  I think i'll take it to a luthier tomorrow and see what they can do for me. At least I got some experience adjusting the truss rod.

Cool you did!!! Hmmm.... It´s rare an acoustic really needs a fretjob, normally it´s the neck that bends following the air humidity (and temperture) over time. There are two things you need

1) a straightedge - the cheapest one are those aluminium rulers you can pick up for a few bucks

 

 

you use that on top of your frets to adjust the level straightness of the neck - use the 1st and the last fret as reference (at electric guitars 1st to 12th fret as your guitar might have a fallaway from 12th to 22/24!) - adjust the rod so there is no rocking!!! it should be absolutely flat (some go for a little backbow (<1mm on 7th fret).

Measure in the middle, on position of the high and low E strings..... if there is a (real) difference - you do need a fretjob.
If not you are probably good to go ...

2) a fretrocker - the chapest one is that:

those things are produced with high precicion. You can cut away one edge so you get shorter lenghts cause you wanna always test 3 frets for ROCKS.... measure again in the middle, as well as position of high and low E... the tool shall have contact with all 3 frets! - if one fret rocks (is higher) so you can move the tool hitting only the fret before and only the fret after the middlefret use a markerpen and mark the high=rocking spot. Do that for the whole fretboard.

If there are marks you need a fretjob - you can see me do one from here for example: 

If you have finished and you have no marks on your fretboard - hoooray!!!!

3) restring

4) adjust the height of your saddles (not possible on acoustic)

5) check your nut - when string pressed down in 3rd there shall be just minimum (clearly <1mm) of space between fret and string on 1st fret

 

If you need assistance make sure to shout.
Rod

+ lead..... so many misses on normal octaves... hmmm

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Rodman said:

Cool you did!!! Hmmm.... It´s rare an acoustic really needs a fretjob, normally it´s the neck that bends following the air humidity (and temperture) over time. There are two things you need

1) a straightedge - the cheapest one are those aluminium rulers you can pick up for a few bucks

you use that on top of your frets to adjust the level straightness of the neck - use the 1st and the last fret as reference (at electric guitars 1st to 12th fret as your guitar might have a fallaway from 12th to 22/24!) - adjust the rod so there is no rocking!!! it should be absolutely flat (some go for a little backbow (<1mm on 7th fret).

Measure in the middle, on position of the high and low E strings..... if there is a (real) difference - you do need a fretjob.
If not you are probably good to go ...

2) a fretrocker - the chapest one is that:

those things are produced with high precicion. You can cut away one edge so you get shorter lenghts cause you wanna always test 3 frets for ROCKS.... measure again in the middle, as well as position of high and low E... the tool shall have contact with all 3 frets! - if one fret rocks (is higher) so you can move the tool hitting only the fret before and only the fret after the middlefret use a markerpen and mark the high=rocking spot. Do that for the whole fretboard.

If there are marks you need a fretjob - you can see me do one from here for example: 

If you have finished and you have no marks on your fretboard - hoooray!!!!

3) restring

4) adjust the height of your saddles (not possible on acoustic)

5) check your nut - when string pressed down in 3rd there shall be just minimum (clearly <1mm) of space between fret and string on 1st fret

If you need assistance make sure to shout.
Rod

Thanks so much @ Rodman , I was able to find an old ruler and cut it into three different size pieces to use as a fret rocker I didn’t notice any wobble anywhere. Great idea

I adjusted the truss rod little by little last night (aaall the way counterclockwise which feel like I probably should not be doing) and let it settle overnight and the action is still much lower than on cheap guitars I have had.

I am surprised how little it affected the neck really, I am not confident with this part.

I measured the nut height at fret 1 to be about 1.1mm when pressing down fret 3. The nut looks like it might have been altered by last owner but idk because this is the first nut that is made of bone I have worked with and I thought that issues with it would be felt on open strings and disappear when fretting notes from my understanding.

I saw that the high E string has sliced a tangible groove into the saddle so now I am thinking that hopefully this might be the problem. I don’t have shims, tried some tape to elevate and that didn’t work lol it’s too soft. I would love to avoid having to take it in to a luthier but I am stumped

Whatever it is the guitar is probably not beyond repair right? Worried I got ripped off 😅

2 hours ago, drand said:

Thanks so much @ Rodman , I was able to find an old ruler and cut it into three different size pieces to use as a fret rocker I didn’t notice any wobble anywhere. Great idea

I adjusted the truss rod little by little last night (aaall the way counterclockwise which feel like I probably should not be doing) and let it settle overnight and the action is still much lower than on cheap guitars I have had.

I am surprised how little it affected the neck really, I am not confident with this part.

I measured the nut height at fret 1 to be about 1.1mm when pressing down fret 3. The nut looks like it might have been altered by last owner but idk because this is the first nut that is made of bone I have worked with and I thought that issues with it would be felt on open strings and disappear when fretting notes from my understanding.

I saw that the high E string has sliced a tangible groove into the saddle so now I am thinking that hopefully this might be the problem. I don’t have shims, tried some tape to elevate and that didn’t work lol it’s too soft. I would love to avoid having to take it in to a luthier but I am stumped

Whatever it is the guitar is probably not beyond repair right? Worried I got ripped off 😅

Good good.

I assume you set the neck absolutely straight using a long ruler on top of the frets!? If no - do it and use quartercircle adjustments of the rod at once only!

The nut is NOT our problem right now - a lil too high there is ok for now, and forever if it´s ok for your playing.

Action looks great! (The lowest you can go is putting an old credit card between the frets and the strings on the 12th fret, fix with tape - so it follows the radius, capo on 1st fret and if you can play each string at least very slightly without touching the card you are good. That´s also the way to get a perfect setup un your electric guitar - you alter the saddles as low as possible using that technique)

If it´s only the high e buzzing - yes its the triangle that lowers the string!

Fixing with tape - nono. 🙂 Not stable and as it is soft it will partly MUTE the string (!)

To do it properly it´s best you take the whole plastic saddle out (normally it´s just put in place and not glued)

Then - depending on the size of the defect - use SUPER GLUE alone or if its a tad bigger SUPER GLUE AND BAKING SODA (!)
 

Just the right video so everyone can walk away with a lifehack he will need once 😉

Make sure to put tape around the repairspot to not create a mess and only use as much as the spot needs.
Sand away the extend and you have it as good as new. forever.
 

We make that baby sing. Ripped off? Maybe the guy who sold you the guitar, not you!

Rod.

P.S. You say you have the rod already fully twisted to the one side??? Is the neck straight - that´s the one important point. If not - we got work. If yes - AND the action is still too low = you get buzz on several strings you can (besides putting on heavier strings = more tension to the neck that will lead to a lil higher action) raise the whole saddleplasticthingie by putting a fitting piece of wood/metal/plastic beneath it - we are talking half millimeters!!!!

Please share a photo of the whole guitar 😉

On 3/6/2025 at 1:21 AM, Mikson said:

@ Vodka  Great score, I think you should be getting ready to compete in the advanced class soon 😆

 

@ drand  one little step to get 100%! cmon! 

 

low tuning not helping...
i have my guitars with thicker strings packed in the attik so i tuned down my standard E guitars... miserable effect 😉

song is not very difficult but massive recognition issues...

 

 

6 hours ago, Rodman said:

Good good.

I assume you set the neck absolutely straight using a long ruler on top of the frets!? If no - do it and use quartercircle adjustments of the rod at once only!

The nut is NOT our problem right now - a lil too high there is ok for now, and forever if it´s ok for your playing.

Action looks great! (The lowest you can go is putting an old credit card between the frets and the strings on the 12th fret, fix with tape - so it follows the radius, capo on 1st fret and if you can play each string at least very slightly without touching the card you are good. That´s also the way to get a perfect setup un your electric guitar - you alter the saddles as low as possible using that technique)

If it´s only the high e buzzing - yes its the triangle that lowers the string!

Fixing with tape - nono. 🙂 Not stable and as it is soft it will partly MUTE the string (!)

To do it properly it´s best you take the whole plastic saddle out (normally it´s just put in place and not glued)

Then - depending on the size of the defect - use SUPER GLUE alone or if its a tad bigger SUPER GLUE AND BAKING SODA (!)
 

Just the right video so everyone can walk away with a lifehack he will need once 😉

Make sure to put tape around the repairspot to not create a mess and only use as much as the spot needs.
Sand away the extend and you have it as good as new. forever.
 

We make that baby sing. Ripped off? Maybe the guy who sold you the guitar, not you!

Rod.

P.S. You say you have the rod already fully twisted to the one side??? Is the neck straight - that´s the one important point. If not - we got work. If yes - AND the action is still too low = you get buzz on several strings you can (besides putting on heavier strings = more tension to the neck that will lead to a lil higher action) raise the whole saddleplasticthingie by putting a fitting piece of wood/metal/plastic beneath it - we are talking half millimeters!!!!

Please share a photo of the whole guitar 😉

You got me, I skipped it lol didn't really understand but I went back and now it is straight! I will do it to every guitar I get my hands on from now on.

I also used superglue on the saddle but it didn't help so I grinded down the region of fret 14 because I was out of patience lol and it looks rough but it works. Possibly humidity caused the fret to come a little loose at the high E border and I tried smacking it with a rubber mallet a couple times but nothing happened so I just went for it. I might have just deferred the problem to the future but for now I am happy! Thanks again for your help.

Here she is (before the butchering)!

Bass time

Small improvement at last 😅 (don't know if it is problems with drop tuning, the pitch pedal or messing with Rocksmith by switching basses and calibrating):

Got over a nasty cold so I'm finally feeling it to get back into competing again

Farewell forbidden fruitcake lmao

don´t forget your shredding 😉

 

 

 

i know the scores dont count, but we played this right before the start of this week didnt know it would GOG this week hahah... fun album

+ beg

 

 

 

Have a nice weekend!!

 

There are some problem about recognition in this song.

 

ok a little progress:

I'm quite happy with the difficulty. I would not want easier. difficult enough that I have to practice but not so hard as I lose motivation 🙂 

 

Now I try to find a little time for the exercises on the side. I have changed (?) my way of playing, i try to keep the palm of my right hand on the bridge and play with my wrist instead of my arm or fingers. Now the top of my index' fingernail keep scratching the string I play with the pick, and I'm very tense everywhere (fingers, forearm, shoulder), not sure if it's part of the process or if Im doing something wrong... 

Anyway:

Thank you @ Rodman  for the work you put in posting those exercise, hopefully it will make me better.

And good luck to everyone with our last days of the Championship! 🔥

Another improvement:

Hey guys, i'm back home. Spent all week in the hospital with my father in law, he discovered a cancer then i rushed there (600km distance), he almost passed twice, hard days...

Those are the scores i managed to get this week until now, maybe i will try some improvements tomorrow morning. 

45 minutes ago, Satinuke said:

Hey guys, i'm back home. Spent all week in the hospital with my father in law, he discovered a cancer then i rushed there (600km distance), he almost passed twice, hard days...

Those are the scores i managed to get this week until now, maybe i will try some improvements tomorrow morning. 

Sorry to hear that, best of luck with his healing