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Starting my next build and will be attempting a slothead. Will be an 00, 14 fret.
Looking for any tips anyone would care to offer.
Will likely build my own jig for the slotting.
I normally do a 1 piece neck, no scarf, but add ears on the head stock for required width.
Also best bet for tuners, say under $100.

Thanks guys
B

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

A few thoughts:

1. Obviously, the headstock needs to be thicker than a paddle head.

2. Don't put the slots too close to the side of the headstock or the screws that hold the tuners down will poke through to the slot.

3. It is important to drill the side holes before you cut the slots, or else the sides of the slots could blow out when you drill the holes.

Good luck!

FWIW ... After two attempts at making a jig with less than perfect results, I broke down and bought one. It was expensive, but the results were excellent. If you think you may build a few slotted headstocks, it may be worth it.


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the head stock of a slot head needs to finish off at 3/4 in nothing wrong with Grover open back 18 H

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I do the slotting on the drill press with a morticing attachment placing the peghead against a fence to hold alignment. Since I do a modified bridle joint I can do the slotting and drilling side holes while separated from the neck.

Drill the tuner holes, cut two holes at ends of slot, jig saw inside the lines between them, chisel or rasp away the waste, clean with sand paper, boom done.

You will need a drill press or a dowel jig to cut the tuner holes, preferably a jig designed for tuners. It's probably not a good idea to try and do that free hand.

Which jig did you end up buying?

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"Practice enough till the results aren't hopes but expectations" forum member Peter Havriluk

I do a scarf joint for all my necks now - it is much more economic with wood and in my opinion, a much stronger joint, When I do the cutoff for the headstock I thickness it with a Safety Planer, then drill or route the slots before gluing it to the neck stick



You can either make the ends half rounded like this one or drill small holes and square it off, You can do the slots with a drill press and rasps or a router



Usual final thickness including headplate and any veneers is 3/4 inch - I don't drill my tuner holes until that is all together. Here I have simply clamped the head plate to a big hunk of wood, carefully leveled it with reference to the outside edge and drilled the holes. Notice a small piece of wood inserted in the slots to avoid chip out



I've also got a piece of tape on the bit to mark the depth of the hole.

You can also make (or have a machinist make for you) a very simple drilling jig for the hole spacing. Here is one for a 12 string paddle head, I don't happen to have a picture of one for a slot head but the idea is the same. Space the holes per your plans or the specs for the tuners you are going to use (particularly if they are three-on-a-plate style) - the little piece of bar stock hangs over the outside edge of the headstock and is clamped on.



As far as tuners, I have had good luck with Waverlies and Gotoh single units and acceptable results with the StewMac plate style. The plate style require very careful spacing to keep them from binding.

Good advice. A solid side set makes for a stronger headstock than single tuners.

For my first (and only so far) slot head. I made a jig that I could register on one side, route the slot, then reverse the jig and register on the other side. I used a piece of alluminum screwed to the side of the jig so it could be extended on either side (hope that makes sense) I also left the head long so I could screw the jig to the headstock for stability. The head extension was later cut off. As was stated previously, be sure to drill the holes for the tuners first before routing the slots. I was able to drill the tuner holes perpendicular to the sides of the headstock without using a jig. ...worked out fine. After the fostner bit is used to drill out the slots initially, I used a chisel to remove the ragged edges, then routed the holes. I was pleased with the result... I used grover open back tuners.

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

By-the-way, here is the end result...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Thanks for all the good info. Learned a few things already.
Looking forward trying something different.
Still deciding on tuners, I like the look of the 3 on a plate, but it would seem there is no room for error.

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

The luthiertool jig is expensive but if you are going to make a lot of slotheads it is pretty foolproof and gives excellent results. I bought mine a few years back. I see they have a bunch of models now.

http://luthiertool.com/slot_head_fixture.html

Only one issue I have found and that is that it is pretty hard to get the router bit absolutely centered in the bushing so I mark the base plate as to any asymmetry so I can be sure the thickness of the wood between the slot and side of the peghead will be as wide as possible and the same thickness on both sides.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

If you turn your router 180 degrees after your first route and route again it won't matter if the bit is a little off center in the bushing.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

I bought the Luthier Cool Tools. It expensive but very good.


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y

Actually that's what I do Ken but mark which side will be a little thicker. Your explanation is a more clear expression of what I was trying to say. Thanks!

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

What I did is buy drill bits that are the size of the id's of each bushing used and got the bits with a 1/4 inch shank. When installing the bushing I insert the drill bit tighten the collet in order to center the pattern bushing. Works great!

Turning the router 180 like you suggest would be the cheaper, equally effective way to go, but I didn't think of that at the time!
Mike

I did find a picture of my home made 12 string slot head drilling jig - works great. Only difficulty is laying our the hole centers - any good machinist should be able to help with that



StewMac golden age tuners work just fine and have the correct vintage look

It is a very good jig. Probably one of the best made bits of gear I've come across.

One thing that prospective buyers should be aware of is that it presumes a certain headstock thickness. From memory it's around 21mm I think. If your headstock is a different thickness the tuner holes will not be centred (front-to-back) on the side of the headstock.

This isn't a problem if you factor that into your design process. However if you wish to use the jig on a thinner headstock you will need to shim it prior to drilling.

If you wish to use it on a thicker headstock, you're outta luck


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I use layers of binding tape to shim mine. Worked great on the last two.

+1 on this jig. As much as I like to build jigs, I knew it would be hard replicating one as good as this. All-in-one, self-centering, brilliant. It is expensive, but I was happy I bought it the very first time I used it.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Ditto on the LT jig.
All the guitars I have ever made except for one have been slot heads. Unfortunate that I only got to use the LT jigs a few times...