How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions
→Fret Markers: more about the triple side dots on the 36th fret, other minor stuff |
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Removing the entire fretboard also has the advantage that you can get a pre-slotted computer-cut fretboard fairly cheaply that has extremely accurate slot placement (see [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Fret | Removing the entire fretboard also has the advantage that you can get a pre-slotted computer-cut fretboard fairly cheaply that has extremely accurate slot placement (see [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Fret%20Placement|Fret Placement]] below). | ||
When building a guitar, the bridge is positioned relative to the fretboard. When converting a guitar, it's crucial to place the fretboard accurately relative to the bridge. One method: first put the frets on the fretboard. Then clamp it to the neck using narrow wooden blocks that won't interfere with the strings. Then string it up, test the intonation, and adjust the fretboard placement as needed (see [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Saddle%20and%20Nut%20Compensation|Saddle and Nut Compensation]] below). Finally, mark the correct position, remove the strings, and glue down the fretboard. These pictures illustrate the clamping on a standard 12-equal guitar: | When building a guitar, the bridge is positioned relative to the fretboard. When converting a guitar, it's crucial to place the fretboard accurately relative to the bridge. One method: first put the frets on the fretboard. Then clamp it to the neck using narrow wooden blocks that won't interfere with the strings. Then string it up, test the intonation, and adjust the fretboard placement as needed (see [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Saddle%20and%20Nut%20Compensation|Saddle and Nut Compensation]] below). Finally, mark the correct position, remove the strings, and glue down the fretboard. These pictures illustrate the clamping on a standard 12-equal guitar: | ||
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[[File:Positioning a Kite Guitar fretboard -2.jpg|thumb|alt=|none]] | [[File:Positioning a Kite Guitar fretboard -2.jpg|thumb|alt=|none]] | ||
==Fret | ==Fret Placement== | ||
On a standard guitar, the nth fret is L * (1 - 2^(-n/12)) from the nut, where L is the scale length. On a Kite guitar, for an even-fret layout, it's L * (1 - 4^(-n/41)). In other words, simply replace the 12th root of 2 with the 41st root of 4. For the a-fret, use n = 0.5. The b-fret is 1.5, the c-fret is 2.5, etc. Or use this LibreOffice spreadsheet: | On a standard guitar, the nth fret is L * (1 - 2^(-n/12)) from the nut, where L is the scale length. On a Kite guitar, for an even-fret layout, it's L * (1 - 4^(-n/41)). In other words, simply replace the 12th root of 2 with the 41st root of 4. For the a-fret, use n = 0.5. The b-fret is 1.5, the c-fret is 2.5, etc. Or use this LibreOffice spreadsheet: | ||
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The small dots on the side of the neck follow the same single/double/triple pattern. The double and triple dots are oriented like the usual 12-equal double dots. At the 36th fret, the triple dots are too wide to fit between the frets. This is not a problem if there is no binding and each fret's tang stops short of the edge of the fretboard, as is the case with the removable b-fret shown [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Even-frets vs. odd-frets|above]]. Otherwise, the triple side dots can be placed in a triangle. | The small dots on the side of the neck follow the same single/double/triple pattern. The double and triple dots are oriented like the usual 12-equal double dots. At the 36th fret, the triple dots are too wide to fit between the frets. This is not a problem if there is no binding and each fret's tang stops short of the edge of the fretboard, as is the case with the removable b-fret shown [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Even-frets vs. odd-frets|above]]. Otherwise, the triple side dots can be placed in a triangle. | ||
Because the frets get closer as one goes up the neck, the double dots are closer to the triple dots than the single dots. As a result, if the distance between the double dots is the same as the distance between any two of the triple dots, the side of each "kite" formed by the dots is a concave line. To make a nice straight line, use the spreadsheet from [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Fret | Because the frets get closer as one goes up the neck, the double dots are closer to the triple dots than the single dots. As a result, if the distance between the double dots is the same as the distance between any two of the triple dots, the side of each "kite" formed by the dots is a concave line. To make a nice straight line, use the spreadsheet from [[How to make a Kite Guitar#Fret%20Placement|above]]. | ||
== DIY Frets == | == DIY Frets == | ||