Just used my Bagpress fret slotting jig for the first time and it's amazing! Today has been a good day; I managed to conquer the witchcraft that is using hand planes to get a square and flat* fretboard blank, which then got slotted in minutes. I've done fret slots manually a couple of times but with very mixed results**, which is why I've bought pre-slotted boards from Mark for my last few projects but I wanted to try a different wood to what's available pre-slotted.
Mark often says that pre-slotted boards are one of his biggest sellers - selling a jig this good might just do him out of some money. If you haven't already got one and you have some unwanted cash or a birthday coming up then you know what to do 🙂
* - long as you promise not to measure too closely.
** - the second attempt was worse than the first and couldn't even be used for jazz.
@rockpile99
Anything can be used for jazz, you just have to declare yourself "experimental" and/or "free".
It takes commitment though, you have to repeat the motif (no matter how painful) until somebody in the audience (ideally wearing a poloneck) nods knowingly.
I'm trying to get my first build off of the ground it's getting in to my budget a little more than I expected. I went on line to buy enough cam clamps to get started and got sticker shock, $30 US each for the small one, so I came up with this. In the US we have a cheap tool store called Harbor Freight. The 12" ratchet clamp was $4.00 US, I got the 1/4 20 handle on Amazon for $.85 each, I used a T nut to thread it and the wood was left over scrap oak from a previous project. Besides misc. sheetrock screws, I have a less than $5.00 in each clamp. I built 4- 6", 4- 8" & 4- 12" clamps for a grand total of $60 US, Hope that this helps someone, Buck
If you haven't already got one and you have some unwanted cash or a birthday coming up then you know what to do
That Bagpress fretting jig is indeed a very useful thing. Have you seen the neck heel/pocket cutting jig??
Online guitar making courses – guitarmaking.co.uk