Erlewine Neck Jig Guitar Fretwork w/ John Scott at Bluesman Vintage

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In Part 2 of my two-part setup of a Epiphone Dot semi-hollow body guitar, John Scott at Bluesman Vintage puts the guitar in his Stewmac Erlewine Neck Jig in order to correct a problem with high frets. The result is a perfect fretboard that plays flawlessly. Get to know how the fretwork process works in the jig in this video.
Here’s Part 1 which was the initial setup of the same guitar. • How to Setup Your Guit...
See the Fret Dressing Kits available from Thomas Ginex at www.fretrefinis...

[@desisernaguitar]

🎸 What do you specifically need to do in order to play guitar better? Visit the GuitarMusicTheory.com website and click on the answer that best describes you. Get FREE custom video instruction calibrated to your current level. Get on a plan to progressively play and sound better today! Click here ➡️ www.guitarmusictheory.com/play-better-guitar/?

[@hammerhead6537]

I enjoy watching this guy work on guitars. It is plain to see he is a very humble and genuine individual. Thank you for sharing his craftsmanship. Semper Fi, USMC.

[@gaterdog1]

Yes John is a very easy-going builder/tech. I bought a guitar from him for my Veteran's help organization and he was willing to work with every detail I needed.. Great family run shop for guitars!

[@e.k.izzle32]

Pretty crazy. i just dropped off 2 fender strats at this place yesterday to get a set up... i just looked up the place on youtube for the hell of it.. cant wait to see how they end up playing knowing this dude in the video is working on them 🤘.

[@dcap4545]

I've watched several videos about the neck jig, but this one did the best job of explaining why you'd use it in the first place. Nice!

[@TwangThang59]

Anyone who drops a Three Amigos cameo into a guitar repair video is ok in my book! 😂Great video, very informative. Thanks for posting.

[@rfphill]

I was on the fence until the neck jig was on sale and I had some extra $$ burning a hole in my pocket. I pulled the trigger on it. I'm still on the fence, I've read the criticisms, I've read the praise, but now that I own one, I'm all in. :-) Thanks for this video, it really helps to see one in action and pick up subtle things that other videos miss.

[@OttoVonRaz]

Great video! It’s great watching someone doing what they’re passionate about. Question: what’s the polishing compound that was used on the frets? Thank you.

[@nixternal]

OK, this is was crazy cool to watch & learn about. I need similar work done with my acoustic I think, now I gotta check & see if my luthier will do what John did, just gotta wait for this crap to blow past. Thanks for this, super informative!

[@sublyme2157]

Nice! Most of us would have either sent it back or lived with a guitar we hated. It's great to see you took the road less traveled :)

[@scottjordan5854]

Well, all I can say is that I have been doing fretwork for years. Since I started using a neck jig similar to this one, I can now consistently achieve much lower action without fret buzz or high notes choking out, in much less time. This speaks for itself. Only real difference is that I am using 520mm aluminium radius beams. The only better way is a Plek.

[@whopper5150209]

Does a plek level the frets under the simulated string tension?

[@YaGottaBeKidding]

Nice video Desi! Great information and it was conveyed well. I'd always tried to avoid the "cheaper" instruments, for the reasons John had said about your out-of-the-box Epi, but you've shed a different light on things. I think (I hope anyway) John's gonna be a busy boy after this.

[@joeking433]

Hmmm. I always wondered why when I leveled frets perfectly flat when I put strings on I would always find high frets with a fret rocker!

[@torres-luthier]

Hello, I was very interested in the tool you used to crown the frets, it is also very fast, I was surprised. Could you tell me where I can get it. Thank you

[@desisernaguitar]

See the Fret Dressing Kits available from Thomas Ginex at www.fretrefinishing.com/

[@torres-luthier]

@@desisernaguitar thanks

[@MianQin]

This is just amazing!!🤩👍

[@desisernaguitar]

Glad you think so!

[@classicraceruk1337]

That was much cheaper than I was expecting. Shame I am not in the US

[@markwright9352]

Awesome bit of kit that, who makes the fret crowning tool you used??

[@desisernaguitar]

See the Fret Dressing Kits available from Thomas Ginex at www.fretrefinishing.com/

[@analoguecatstudios9866]

What is that sanding jig file thing that you use to crown all the frets shown at 12:30 ? Its amazingly fast to crown ALL the frets in that mere minutes! Please share us name? brand? where to buy? D.I Y?(how to build it?). Thanks in advance.

[@desisernaguitar]

It's this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ6zaYOhg9RlpMksi=3traXP9rjfZhpY65

[@trevorwesterdahl6245]

I have seen several variations of the tool you used to crown the frets. In every example using one, they don't let you now how to get one. No product name. No store where you can purchase. No link to a site. Tried searching. Nowhere to be found.

[@desisernaguitar]

Just search "Erlewine Neck Jig" in Google and the website and product page will be the first results. www.google.com/search?q=erlewine+neck+jig&oq=Erlewine+Neck+Jig&aqs=chrome.0.0i512l4j0i22i30l3j69i61.178j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[@marcocelestino4308]

Very enjoyable video thanks 👍what about pick up height any suggestions?

[@BluesmanVintageGuitars]

Thats really a cdaseby case scenario, but id be glad to chat on the phone about it to help anyway i can.

[@FretFriendGWaL]

Okay so, the guy know's what he is doing. I see that. But... it's much better to remove the nut to level properly in my experience. Also removing the strings means they will not be in the way. This is my job too (not saying I'm better)...

[@desisernaguitar]

Thanks for the input. Wouldn't removing the strings defeat the purpose of leveling the frets while they're under tension?

[@FretFriendGWaL]

@@desisernaguitar AQs a rule I do not level under string tension> I level =with a straight neck which, on a personal level, I believe is the right way to do it. However, if need be, I can set exact string tension with the strings off if I use my StewMac/Erlewine neck jig. Victor...

[@pacojazztorius]

I want this guy to work on my guitars. Too bad I'm 3000 miles away.

[@BluesmanVintageGuitars]

We use fedex and ups. Regularly...lol

[@whackamole5893]

What type mic setup was that that was set on the neck and pressed down to gauge the individual string action variance?

[@desisernaguitar]

Whacka Mole I don’t understand your question. Can you be more specific, and can you tell me at which time point in the video?

[@whackamole5893]

@@desisernaguitar My bad, I forgot it was in video one at 7:10... was trying to find out the name of the "Nut Slotting Gauge"... that is pretty cool I'd like to pick up one of those... Thanks for checkin back...figured it out though! Thanks for all your helpful vids/podcasts!

[@mikeking453]

You are a guitar tech techs

[@besserlebenohneafd]

5:24: How much movement? The gravity effect on the neck is ridiculous: 2-10/1000 inch. Before applying the string tension there is only 5/1000 inch offset. This is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Manual fret levelling will never work that exactly. The dial indicators are far too fine. Also this expensive piece of gear only simulates lateral force on the neck, not the longitudinal force that may also have an effect on the bowing since wood is not a 100% homogenious material. So the traditional method is by far more than sufficient for everyone even for luthiers that will check the playability after such a repair anyway.

[@desisernaguitar]

Maybe you should try a fret leveling with a neck jig and then determine whether or not it makes a difference.

[@besserlebenohneafd]

@@desisernaguitar I doubt it. Such an appliance is good for manufacturing of machines, this accuracy is completely exaggerated when building or repairing instruments (made of wood!). Distances measured in the video are below the accuracy even of CNC-machines. That's my opinion, and that's why I would not buy this neck jig. But it seems to be good advertising for a luthier when customers see that you have one, as you can see in the comments. I do that privately maybe twice a year and it always worked well without a jig.

[@Stu66orn]

@@besserlebenohneafd It's the best way to simulate twisting force on headstock. But you don't have to buy from stemac you can do own for 20 bucks from wood withour dials. Just a perfect way to fixate the neck. This type of jig is somewhat on every pro level repairshop. Bigger companies use PLEK. Trussrod only keeps neck straight but twisting while leveling is less when it's well supported from the back.

[@zdcyclops1lickley190]

I call bullshit. You talk about waves in the fingerboard caused by string tension. Then you take measurements from the back of the neck. The gauges will read differently when you change position with no guitar in the jig. Why? In the work position gravity is pulling straight down on the gauge pins. In the paying position it is pulling perpendicular to the gauge pins. The only thing this jig is good for, is correcting a neck with a minor twist and putting the correct relief in guitars that do not have a truss rod. Even these can be done with a good st of straight edges and feeler gauges.

[@BluesmanVintageGuitars]

You are mostly correct in your theory about gravitational effect on playing posotion verses working position. However these dials are spring loaded.preventing movement unless actuated by the force of the neck whose larger mass is significantly more affected by the gravity and is enough to moove the dials. Additionally, you are mostly correct about the ability to perform this task with strait edges and feeler gagues. However what youre not seeing (nor did I before owning this jig) the low and high spots that occour when the tension is applied to the neck. Also you are.witnessing ONE example guitar where as we have performwd literally hundreds of instruments with similar positive results. Yes we also HAVE used this jig to restore playability to several necks with minor to moderate twists however each case being different. Additionally the strait edge a d feeler gague method although effective has severe ti.e limitations.and requires profession level luthier skills and typically don't yield consistent repeatable results much less profitable results for a high volume shop such as ours. While I value your thoughts and opinions, at this time im going to trust the opinions of rhe numerous professional guitarists and bassists who continue to use our service. Thanks

[@pallecla]

So, I guess you have never used this jig... Because, what you say is wrong.

[@justineisenman431]

Classy response Bluesman.

[@analoguecatstudios9866]

You seems like suggesting that these dials in itself is a faulty equipment because it will be off when holding it in vertical position, which is down right wrong because these dials is a standards calibrating eduitment! To suggest that these dials will have error because of gravity is silly bacause these dials are spring loaded, people designing it knows about this gravity thing... 😂, gravity never affects its readings, its the push from the neck that makes the reading shift. This machine is legit!