Postby 101Volts » Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:36 pm
Re-post because I made one error in writing, previously:
"Also: the neck heel is actually thinner at the bottom than it is at the top of the neck, beneath the fretboard. This is not something you necessarily need to replicate, but it prevents the neck from being pulled out as easily. I'm not sure why this is a feature, but I'll compare the neck heel area, starting from Fret 16:"
I meant to say "thicker" at that part in bold. This is now rectified. I've also made a note about fret width more clear. Now, back to the rectified reply:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Measurements are taken with a digital micrometer, mostly from the top of the fretboard (Low E side,) and with the caliper horizontal to the ground, butted up against the original fret*, on the side of the fret closer to the bridge.
*Original Fret Width is 0.070: that is 70 thousandths of an inch wide. Wider frets would differ, so they would move the micrometer a bit closer to the bridge.
Neck and Fretboard Width:
Calculated just past the fret (closer to the bridge,) except where noted.
1.5470 - 0 Fret.
1.5680 - 1st Fret.
1.6110 - 2nd Fret.
1.6490 - 3rd Fret.
1.6735 - 4th Fret.
1.6985 - 5th Fret.
1.7240 - 6th Fret.
1.7490 - 7th Fret.
1.7760 - 8th Fret.
1.8000 - 9th Fret.
1.8240 - 10th Fret.
1.8450 - 11th Fret.
1.8640 - 12th Fret.
1.8825 - 13th Fret.
1.9085 - 14th Fret.
1.9380 - 15th Fret.
1.9690 - 16th Fret.
1.9950 - 17th Fret.
2.0200 - 18th Fret.
2.0380 - 19th Fret.
2.0530 - 20th Fret.
2.0690 - 21st Fret.
2.0780 - 22th Fret.
2.0890 - Fretboard End (note: this might be irrelevant to a Slab Ventures II model. I think the neck extends a bit farther on this model than a Slab Ventures II.)
Note: The back of the neck stops being "neck shaped" between frets 14 and 15; the neck heel starts in the center of the neck between the frets here on this model, and the neck heel starts tapering out sideways. It's about done tapering to a full sized neck heel between frets 16 and 17.
Also: the neck heel is actually thicker at the bottom than it is at the top of the neck, beneath the fretboard. This is not something you necessarily need to replicate, but it prevents the neck from being pulled out as easily. I'm not sure why this is a feature, but I'll compare the neck heel area, starting from Fret 16:
Bottom of Neck Heel Measurements:
1.9530 - Fret 16 (1.969 at bottom.)
1.9760 - Fret 17 (1.995 at bottom.)
1.9870 - Fret 18 (2.020 at bottom.)
2.0095 - Fret 19 (2.038 at bottom.)
2.0210 - Fret 20 (2.053 at bottom.)
2.0360 - Fret 21 (2.069 at bottom.)
2.0510 - Fret 22 (2.078 at bottom.)
2.0660 - F.B. End (2.089 at bottom.)
Fretboard Width, Near the Top (Face of the Fretboard: )
As you get close to the face of the fretboard, the Fretboard is slightly tapered away from the neck. This is 99.99% likely due to workers using long fret files on the edges of the fretboard, knocking down rough fret ends, and slightly shaving wood off, which slightly rounds it over as it gets closer to the face of the fretboard. (This is not a model that used binding, which might have gotten the same treatment.) The edges of the fretboard are slightly rounded over. Here are some measurements of that round-over, as close to the top of the fretboard as I could get (which is probably inconsistent.)
1.521 - 0 Fret.
1.542 - 1st Fret.
1.576 - 2nd Fret.
1.625 - 3rd Fret.
1.647 - 4th Fret.
1.679 - 5th Fret.
This section of measurements might be a bit silly, inaccurate, redundant, and unnecessary. Just know that you'll need to file down frets, and round over the edges of the fretboard a bit.
Total Fretboard and Neck Thickness (Not Width: )
1.340 - 0 Fret.
0.881 - 1st Fret (Chafed section.)
0.838 - 2nd Fret (Chafed section.)
0.848 - 3rd Fret (Chafed section.)
0.851 - 4th Fret.
0.849 - 5th Fret.
0.856 - 6th Fret.
0.850 - 7th Fret.
0.844 - 8th Fret.
0.848 - 9th Fret.
0.846 - 10th Fret.
0.843 - 11th Fret.
0.854 - 12th Fret.
0.877 - 13th Fret.
1.014 - 14th Fret.
1.125 - 15th Fret.
1.122 - 16th Fret. (Note: at this point, the sides of the neck heel seem to be not perfectly flat, but the center of the neck heel is the measurement. Or maybe I just held the micrometer a bit off kilter.)
1.1425 - 17th Fret.
1.1695 - 18th Fret.
1.1885 - 19th Fret.
1.2105 - 20th Fret.
1.234 - 21st Fret.
1.243 - 22nd Fret.
Fretboard End (measured in the middle of the fretboard, at the pinnacle of the fretboard radius: )
1.250.
Also, note: the 10" radius appears to be "tapered" towards being deeper on the Low E side of the fretboard than it is on the High E side. At the very end of the fretboard, on the sides, I checked for the thickness.
Low E Side: 1.191
High E Side: 1.225
Subtle, but I guess it helps with pressing the high strings down. However, I could not measure to my own satisfaction if this statement is accurate to the entire fretboard. Perhaps the High E side was indeed "tapered" so that the player's finger would hold a Barre Chord down easier, or perhaps not.
- Austin
1966 Ventures II (German Carved, B670.)
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.