For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? - Build Your Own Electric Guitar https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/ Guitar Making Forums en-GB Sat, 18 Jul 2026 18:08:26 +0000 wpForo 60 Answer to: For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-22493 Wed, 16 Nov 2022 00:35:11 +0000 I’ll try I post an Excel spreadsheet that I made that works out the radius of a curve from the chord and the deviation at the centre point. It can easily be played with to work out how deep inlays need to be to avoid getting too thin at the edges. I would say that if you have MOP at about 2mm, and you inlay it to pretty much it’s maximum depth, you have very little worry about (unless you are building something seriously weird!!) all the best for your build.

darren

]]> Build Your Own Electric Guitar darrenking https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-22493 Answer to: For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-22482 Tue, 15 Nov 2022 05:34:02 +0000 Yes, you should go for at least 2mm

]]> Build Your Own Electric Guitar Anonymous 46807 https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-22482 Answer to: For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21779 Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:10:21 +0000 @cheesewhisk

If you have a 12”” radius bloc then put a straight edge across from side to side and measure the depth at the deepest point. It will tell you how deep the inlay needs to be.

If you don’t have one and you are doing inlay on a guitar you already have then a radius gauge from a DIY store can be used in the same way. 

]]> Build Your Own Electric Guitar Rocknroller912 https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21779 Answer to: For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21775 Tue, 16 Aug 2022 19:37:57 +0000 Great stuff, thank you Mark. I’ve shopped at Small Wonder before, I think Carol sent me that way for my first build. 

I happen to have found a Facebook group where one of the members actually owns one of the original guitars so I can see if he knows as it’s not mentioned on the page I found the most reference 

https://www.guitarscollector.com/1991---esp-mx-250--man-to-wolf-.html

2mm sounds like a plan though. 

Cheers

]]> Build Your Own Electric Guitar cheesewhisk https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21775 Answer to: For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21774 Tue, 16 Aug 2022 17:30:11 +0000 The MOP blocks I have are 2mm thick - they are about the chunkiest I've seen.

Got mine from Mike at Small Wonder:

http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/

 

You might find the original fretboard had a flatter radius...?

9143 9144

 

]]> Build Your Own Electric Guitar mark bailey https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21774 For a fretboard with a 12" radius, what depth would you suggest for an almost full height inlay? https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21773 Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:17:07 +0000 I'm thinking I'll need enough depth that when I sand down the inlay to match the curvature of the fretboard, I don't want to end up with the inlay too thin at the top and bottom. 

My gut says at least 2mm??

 

This is the end goal.

9140 9141 9142]]> Build Your Own Electric Guitar cheesewhisk https://guitarmaking.co.uk/community/build-your-own-electric-guitar/for-a-fretboard-with-a-12-radius-what-depth-would-you-suggest-for-an-almost-full-height-inlay/#post-21773