Cutting and glueing the scarf joint for a fan fretted acoustic

[Birdman14]

Hey guitar forum, I'm getting ready to build a fan fretted steel string (6 string, 25/28 scale) acoustic guitar. I'm in need of ideas on how to cut and clamp (glue) the headstock properly. Does anyone here have experience with multiscale guitars? Would appreciate any help.

[dekutree64]

First of all, if by 25/28 scale you mean a 3" difference, I'd highly recommend reducing that by a lot. Even 2" is way too much, IMO. I prefer 1/2" to 3/4" difference, though 1" probably wouldn't get too uncomfortable. Especially if you use a fairly wide nut and string spacing (reduces the angle on the frets for a given scale difference).

That said, the headstock tilt is surprisingly easy. Cut and glue the scarf joint square, just like normal, but make sure the headstock piece has plenty of excess thickness. Then mark the angled nut line on the neck, and plane the headstock face from the treble side until it's tilted, so the transition line between the neck and headstock surfaces matches the angle of the marked nut line. Then thin the headstock from the back until it's consistent thickness.

It's easier to create the shape than to understand what it is that you created

[Birdman14]

Thanks! I'm pretty new to the multiscale guitar idea in general, so I'll probably take your advice and do a 3/4 or 1 inch fan.

[GeoffStGermaine]

Another way to do it is to cut the joint with the compound angle matching both the angle of the nut and angle if the headstock. That's how I do it. I don't think that either way is any more work than the other.



I also agree that a 3" fan is extreme for a 6 string guitar. For an instrument with a wider neck or a longer scale length where the fret/nut/bridge angles might be reduced, 3" would be fine.