How to make a Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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While 7- and 8-string electric guitars are plentiful, acoustic ones are rarer. (See [[Extended range guitar]].) One way to get one is to convert a 12-string guitar. The neck will be sufficiently strong and there will be enough tuners. There's fewer strings but more courses, so the string spacing can be very tight. To avoid this, the new fretboard can be wider than the old one. The fretboard overhang can be filled with bondo to create a nice-feeling neck.

Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.

Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. There will need to be an additional [[wikipedia:Machine_head|tuner]] (aka tuning machine or machine head). The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock. Use the type of banjo tuner that has the knob pointing backwards, not sideways (i.e. perpendicular to the headstock, not parallel to it). Use one that is geared (via a [[wikipedia:Epicyclic_gearing|planetary gear]]), so that many turns of the knob equals one turn of the post that the string passes through.

There will need to be new holes in the tie block. They can be drilled at an angle, entering from near the upper edge of the back of the tie block. To help get the precise angle and spacing, one can make a guide block out of a hard wood like maple. This block will have holes drilled into it that line up with where the new holes will be.

Because both the nut and the tie block holes will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has ~~total~~ control over the string spacing.

Because both the nut and the tie block holes will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has a lot of control over the string spacing.

===Nut width===

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http://tallkite.com/misc_files/KiteGuitarFretPlacementCalculator.ods

As an alternative to doing the work yourself, various suppliers can make pre-slotted fingerboards complete with radius, taper and inlays. All you need to do is glue it on and put in the frets.

As an alternative to doing the work yourself, various suppliers can make pre-slotted fingerboards complete with radius, taper and inlays. All you need to do is glue it on and put in the frets. All of these suppliers have made Kite guitar fretboards:

*[https://~~precisionpearl~~.com/ ~~Precision Pearl~~] (~~Texas~~)

*[https://www.tonedevilharpguitars.com/ Tonedevil Guitars] (Idaho)

*[https://starrettguitars.com/ Starrett Guitars] (Colorado)

*[https://www.tonedevilharpguitars.com/ Tonedevil Guitars] (Idaho)

*[https://www.johnjansenmusic.com/discography-2 JLJ Instruments] (Maryland)

*[https://precisionpearl.com/ Precision Pearl] (Texas)

== DIY Frets ==

By far the largest expense of a conversion is the fretwork. For a cheap conversion, one can defret a guitar, fill the old fret slots with wood filler, and then create new frets without using fretwire.

To remove the frets, use a pair of end nippers. You may need to grind away the front a bit so that the cutting edge is at the absolute front of the pliers. First use a soldering iron or an ordinary laundry iron to heat the fret, to weaken the glue. Touch the fret as you do this, to monitor the temperature. Too much heat will burn the fretboard. Then pull up the fret with the nippers, starting at one end of the fret and working your way to the other end.

There are several materials that can substitute for fretwire, all metal except for the last:

* each shaft of a [[wikipedia:Split_pin|cotter pin]]

* half-round dental clasp wire

* tangless fretwire meant for [[wikipedia:Parker_Guitars|Parker guitars]]

* plastic cable ties aka zip ties (easiest to apply)

For the metal materials, use double-sided sticky tape to attach the fret. Check the placement with an electronic tuner. Works best on an unradiused fretboard.

==Fret Markers==

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 While 7- and 8-string electric guitars are plentiful, acoustic ones are rarer. (See [[Extended range guitar]].) One way to get one is to convert a 12-string guitar. The neck will be sufficiently strong and there will be enough tuners. There's fewer strings but more courses, so the string spacing can be very tight. To avoid this, the new fretboard can be wider than the old one. The fretboard overhang can be filled with bondo to create a nice-feeling neck.
-Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock.
+Another possibility is to convert a 6-string classical nylon-string to 7 or 8 strings. The fingerboard is wide enough that it may suffice as is. If not, again the new fretboard can be slightly wider. The tension is low enough that an extra string or two won't break the guitar. There will need to be an additional [[wikipedia:Machine_head|tuner]] (aka tuning machine or machine head). The 3 holes on each side of the headstock that the tuner pegs go through can be filled and 4 new holes drilled. Or a banjo tuner or two can be added at the top of the headstock. Use the type of banjo tuner that has the knob pointing backwards, not sideways (i.e. perpendicular to the headstock, not parallel to it). Use one that is geared (via a [[wikipedia:Epicyclic_gearing|planetary gear]]), so that many turns of the knob equals one turn of the post that the string passes through.
 There will need to be new holes in the tie block. They can be drilled at an angle, entering from near the upper edge of the back of the tie block. To help get the precise angle and spacing, one can make a guide block out of a hard wood like maple. This block will have holes drilled into it that line up with where the new holes will be.
-Because both the nut and the tie block holes will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has total control over the string spacing.
+Because both the nut and the tie block holes will be replaced, and because the new fretboard can be a little wider or narrower than the old one, one has a lot of control over the string spacing.
 ===Nut width===
@@ Line 93: / Line 93: @@
 http://tallkite.com/misc_files/KiteGuitarFretPlacementCalculator.ods
-As an alternative to doing the work yourself, various suppliers can make pre-slotted fingerboards complete with radius, taper and inlays. All you need to do is glue it on and put in the frets.
+As an alternative to doing the work yourself, various suppliers can make pre-slotted fingerboards complete with radius, taper and inlays. All you need to do is glue it on and put in the frets. All of these suppliers have made Kite guitar fretboards:
-*[https://precisionpearl.com/ Precision Pearl] (Texas)
+*[https://www.tonedevilharpguitars.com/ Tonedevil Guitars] (Idaho)
 *[https://starrettguitars.com/ Starrett Guitars] (Colorado)
-*[https://www.tonedevilharpguitars.com/ Tonedevil Guitars] (Idaho)
 *[https://www.johnjansenmusic.com/discography-2 JLJ Instruments] (Maryland)
+*[https://precisionpearl.com/ Precision Pearl] (Texas)
+== DIY Frets ==
+By far the largest expense of a conversion is the fretwork. For a cheap conversion, one can defret a guitar, fill the old fret slots with wood filler, and then create new frets without using fretwire.
+To remove the frets, use a pair of end nippers. You may need to grind away the front a bit so that the cutting edge is at the absolute front of the pliers. First use  a soldering iron or an ordinary laundry iron to heat the fret, to weaken the glue. Touch the fret as you do this, to monitor the temperature. Too much heat will burn the fretboard. Then pull up the fret with the nippers, starting at one end of the fret and working your way to the other end.
+There are several materials that can substitute for fretwire, all metal except for the last:
+* each shaft of a [[wikipedia:Split_pin|cotter pin]]
+* half-round dental clasp wire
+* tangless fretwire meant for [[wikipedia:Parker_Guitars|Parker guitars]]
+* plastic cable ties aka zip ties (easiest to apply)
+For the metal materials, use double-sided sticky tape to attach the fret. Check the placement with an electronic tuner. Works best on an unradiused fretboard.
 ==Fret Markers==