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Old 01-09-2020, 08:58 AM
Mking Mking is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Norfolk VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
Actually, neck angle is responsible for achieving a target vertical distance from the surface of the top to the bottom of the strings measured at the bridge. That distance is related to the torque (moment) the strings exert on the top/bridge. For Martin style guitars, that target is 1/2”. The neck angle is correct when the string action is at the desired height above the frets and the 1/2” target is achieved. The bridge thickness is then what is left after the desired saddle projection - about 1/8” - is subtracted from the 1/2” target. That leaves a nominal bridge thickness of 3/8”. Martin uses several bridge thicknesses to maintain the saddle projection with varying neck angles (ie tolerance on 1/2” target).

For classical guitars the target vertical height is 10 or 11 mm, which necessitates a different neck angle than steel string guitars - the nut is higher than the plane of the top, rather than the nut lower than the plane of the top.

For arch top guitars, the target vertical height is often a little more than 1”. (The 1” value is a target for laying a straight edge on the frets and measuring vertical height at the bridge.)
So you mean on Martin type guitars the distance from the guitar's top to the bottom of the strings should measure a half inch? On an archtop the distance between the bottom of the straight edge to the top at the bridge should be a little more than an inch?

Thank you.
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