How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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Converting is far more affordable than building, and is the main focus here. If building, there are only a few differences from building a standard guitar:

* ~~the location of the~~ frets

* more frets, obviously

* the number of strings, and hence the total tension on the neck

* the string gauges, and hence the size of the nut slots

* the process for intonating the saddle points

* because open strings are used less, a zero fret is more feasible

=== Even-frets vs. odd-frets ===

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There is a 'home zone" around the 14th fret that is the rainbow zone when the low open string is the tonic. There is a 2nd home zone around the 28th fret. To get a complete 2nd home zone, one needs about 32 frets. This should be the minimum number of frets even on an acoustic or classical without a cutaway. Fortunately this translates to almost 19 conventional frets, which almost all guitars have.

The fret spacing is 1.7 times tighter than a 12-equal guitar. This chart compares it to the standard fret spacing. The spacing between the nut and the first fret is about the same as the space between the 12-equal 9th and 10th frets. Increasing the overall scale length will widen the spacing.

The fret spacing is 1.71 times tighter than a 12-equal guitar. This chart compares it to the standard fret spacing. The spacing between the nut and the first fret is about the same as the space between the 12-equal 9th and 10th frets. Increasing the overall scale length will widen the spacing.

[[File:Kite Guitar Fret chart.jpg|none|thumb]]

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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%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.

Some luthiers prefer to install the frets after the fretboard is attached, so that they can do one final levelling on the fretboard along each string path. If so, only install those frets needed for intonation, perhaps frets 1 and 13. After gluing down the fretboard, remove those few frets, level, and then install all the frets.

These pictures illustrate the clamping on a standard 12-equal guitar:

[[File:Positioning a Kite Guitar fretboard.jpg|thumb|alt=|none]]

[[File:Positioning a Kite Guitar fretboard -2.jpg|thumb|alt=|none]]

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This section covers adding new frets or [https://Fretlet.com fretlets] (short frets that don't reach all the strings) to an already completed Kite guitar. The fret you are adding may or may not have a tang, and you may or may not need to cut a fret slot for it. A tangless frets is secured with glue or two-sided tape. You can place it temporarily with ordinary tape over the top of it, and check the cents with a tuner. Then mark the position with a pencil and attach it more permanently. Or you can use the following formulas.

To add <u>tangless</u> frets, measure X and F like so:

To add <u>tangless</u> frets, measure X and F (or X+F and F) like so:

[[File:FretletPlacement1.jpg|none|thumb]]

The new fret will not be exactly equidistant from the neighboring frets. It will be slightly closer to the higher one. The formulas are:

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 Converting is far more affordable than building, and is the main focus here. If building, there are only a few differences from building a standard guitar:
-* the location of the frets
+* more frets, obviously
 * the number of strings, and hence the total tension on the neck
 * the string gauges, and hence the size of the nut slots
 * the process for intonating the saddle points
+* because open strings are used less, a zero fret is more feasible
 === Even-frets vs. odd-frets ===
@@ Line 268: / Line 269: @@
 There is a 'home zone" around the 14th fret that is the rainbow zone when the low open string is the tonic. There is a 2nd home zone around the 28th fret. To get a complete 2nd home zone, one needs about 32 frets. This should be the minimum number of frets even on an acoustic or classical without a cutaway. Fortunately this translates to almost 19 conventional frets, which almost all guitars have.
-The fret spacing is 1.7 times tighter than a 12-equal guitar. This chart compares it to the standard fret spacing. The spacing between the nut and the first fret is about the same as the space between the 12-equal 9th and 10th frets. Increasing the overall scale length will widen the spacing.
+The fret spacing is 1.71 times tighter than a 12-equal guitar. This chart compares it to the standard fret spacing. The spacing between the nut and the first fret is about the same as the space between the 12-equal 9th and 10th frets. Increasing the overall scale length will widen the spacing.
 [[File:Kite Guitar Fret chart.jpg|none|thumb]]
@@ Line 309: / Line 310: @@
 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.
+Some luthiers prefer to install the frets after the fretboard is attached, so that they can do one final levelling on the fretboard along each string path. If so, only install those frets needed for intonation, perhaps frets 1 and 13. After gluing down the fretboard, remove those few frets, level, and then install all the frets.
+These pictures illustrate the clamping on a standard 12-equal guitar:
 [[File:Positioning a Kite Guitar fretboard.jpg|thumb|alt=|none]]
 [[File:Positioning a Kite Guitar fretboard -2.jpg|thumb|alt=|none]]
@@ Line 331: / Line 336: @@
 This section covers adding new frets or [https://Fretlet.com fretlets] (short frets that don't reach all the strings) to an already completed Kite guitar. The fret you are adding may or may not have a tang, and you may or may not need to cut a fret slot for it. A tangless frets is secured with glue or two-sided tape. You can place it temporarily with ordinary tape over the top of it, and check the cents with a tuner. Then mark the position with a pencil and attach it more permanently. Or you can use the following formulas.
-To add <u>tangless</u> frets, measure X and F like so:
+To add <u>tangless</u> frets, measure X and F (or X+F and F) like so:
 [[File:FretletPlacement1.jpg|none|thumb]]
 The new fret will not be exactly equidistant from the neighboring frets. It will be slightly closer to the higher one. The formulas are: