I need help with shrinking down a guitar neck template to the appropriate scale length. If this is even possible

LightBurn Software Questions
1

Hi there. So I have been looking all over the web for a conversion template from a 25.5 inch scale to a 27 inch scale telecaster neck.

The only one I have been able to find is a conversion from 25.5inch to 28.625 inch. I have copied that template into lightburn.
baritone tele revision.lbrn2 (43.9 KB)

My question is is it possible to convert the distance from the nut to the scale length line to exactly 27.00inches without shrinking, then measuring, shrinking, then measuring, shrinking, then measuring over and over again until its perfectly 27 inches?

The scale length line in my upload is the red line labled centerline 02.

I know this question is very specific, but short of shrinking and measuring repeatedly, I’m out of ideas.

Thanks in advance.

2
  1. Select all shapes
  2. Make sure lock symbol is enabled in Numeric Edits Toolbar
  3. In either scaling factor fields enter this: 27/28.625*100
2 Likes
3

I don’t know anything about guitars so it might not be exactly what you’re after but is this the kind of thing you’re trying to do?

EDIT: By the way I’ve scaled the whole thing so that the aspect ratio is constant. This might be what you want or it might not!

baritone tele revision - scaled to 27 inch.lbrn2 (45.7 KB)

2 Likes
4

Yes, that seems to be exactly (2 ten thousandths tolerance should be ok:) ).

How did you do it? I need to make the side profile the exact same size.

5

Actually, it looks like it already is the exact same size.

6

I need to scale just the length. The width of the neck has to stay the exact same.

7

I did it slightly different to @berainlb but the maths is the same. I did everything as @berainlb did except that I entered 909.570/28.625*27 in the Width box.

1 Like
8
  1. Select all shapes
  2. In width scaling factor field enter this: 27/28.625*100

If you want the head of the guitar to remain the same then:

  1. Select all shapes other than head
  2. Click right-middle 9-dot in Numeric Edits Toolbar
  3. In width scaling factor field enter this: 27/28.625*100
1 Like
9

Ok, if you just want to scale the length then don’t lock the aspect ratio.

1 Like
10

Thank you!

11

Thank you.

12

Ok, as I said; I don’t know much about guitars but I’m guessing you want the head to stay the same size and just the neck length scaled. If that’s the case then this is how I’d do it:

Select everything you want to scale

image
image1076×376 18.5 KB

Set the anchor point as shown below:
image

Make sure the padlock is ‘unlocked’ and enter the following after the current width:/28.625*27 so that it says 727.047/28.625*27 and hit enter.
image

13

I did similar, except I just changed the width to 27 rather than the 28.625 it was showing originally.

14

baritone tele revision 3.lbrn2 (43.6 KB)

15

Ok, I’m working in metric and I guess your LB is set up in inches.

16

Wait a minute, what I did didn’t work. I’ll try it your way.

17

Don’t forget to let us know how you get on and whether you need any more help.

1 Like
18

Thanks, I ended up sorting it out by extending just the width and not locking the axis.

1 Like
19

Great, glad it all worked out.

20

I was visiting a luthier earlier this week. He’s reworking a knock-off telecaster.

The neck was located incorrectly and was too far from the bridge.
This put all the Frets in the wrong place and he could never tune it.

He moved the neck toward the bridge to fix it.

Did you rescale the distance to the Bridge while rescaling the Neck?
or…
Are you rescaling the neck to correct a problematic guitar?

It’s been a while, but IIRC it’s the 12th fret where you can hit the first harmonic.
That defines the mid-point of the length of the strings.

You’re doing this so I imagine you’ve probably already got this figured out.

Ideas seem to stick better for me when they’re bundled up with reasons why.

Sharing a reference for other guitar enthusiasts and future builders.
https://www.guitartricks.com/blog/10-Things-to-Know-About-Playing-Natural-Harmonics