Neck Angle

[tracy]

I am building an electric mandolin and need a little help.

Can anyone tell me what the proper degree of angle is for the neck relative to the plane of the body.

Thanks.

[sunburst]

I can't be sure, I don't build electric instruments, but my guess is; no, nobody can tell you the angle.

Is it a solid body? How high is the bridge? Fixed or floating bridge? Is the bridge adjustable? Will the fingerboard be higher than the plane of the top? Will the top be flat or arched? How high do you want the action? How will the neck be attached?
The answers to these, and probably other questions, will determine the neck angle.

[Stephen Perry]

In acoustic mandolins if my memory serves me right one wants something like 18 degrees break over the bridge. Although the acceptable range seems quite side, based on what I see passing through.

[Chris Baird]

As has been said it depends on your design. If I were to start with an angle and design around it, I would shoot for 4-5 degrees.

[thistle3585]

Check out Melvyn Hiscocks book, "Building an electric guitar". It will tell you what to do. I make my necks, on a flat top solid body, so that the fingerboard is on the same plane as the body. The highest point of the fingerboard is 1/4" off the body and that meets the necessary height to give me the ability to adjust the action from the bridge saddles. You need to base it on the bridge that you use.

[amowry]

If you have Microsoft Excel you can download the spreadsheet that will calculate your neck angle for you when you enter all of the other variables that John mentioned.