Steve-
The advice you've gotten in the four posts above is excellent. (I've printed it out for my files.)
I just wanted to add that in Somoygi's excellent talk/article reprinted in BigRedBook#4,394 (which you may have seen, or parts of this may be reprinted in Somoygi's book(s)?) he shows a 'neck alignment tool' for checking the neck angle.
For steel-string guitars, the tool shows the line of the neck without fingerboard should be touching the top at the bridge position. With unfretted fingerboard, the line should be 1/4" above the top, according to Somoygi-corresponding with a fingerboard thickness of 1/4". The 'coplanar' aspect shown in the diagram is a simplification, since most tops will have some arching. Steve- do you know what bridge thickness Somoygi is recommending in his book? His measurements would seem to demand a thinner bridge than many use.....
As Robbie, David, and Tom (and Hesh, while I was typing...) have pointed out (Thanks!) this measurement has to work with the planned thickness of your fingerboard, bridge thickness, desired string height above the soundboard, fret height, saddle projection, soundboard arching (and change in arching with string tension) and desired action at 12th fret.
It's a 'whole package' sorta thing and it's a good idea to draw a 'side view' on paper to get it all worked out.
It's a smart move on your part to be thinking this out now - some of us have found problems in neck angle 'later'- not insoluble (usually) but better to get it right from the start.
Cheers
John
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, but when I tape the fretboard and bridge on and check it, the straightedge bumps into the bridge, maybe 1/8" below the top.