Dovetail joint fit need help with correction

[Beau J]

this is where i am currently at. neck is dead center and fits snug. cheeks look good not great but dont want to fool with anymore until final set. angle is much better. but has 1/8 inch clearance from sound board to straight edge with no finger board installed. i think i am ready to check the bridge.
you guys have been a great help.
what do you think.

[ken cierp]

Way to go!!! That looks great.

Next step is to replace the paper shims with wood veneer -- the goal is to get that exact same fit. I believe the gap at the bridge is OK a little high but there are ways to deal with that -- so you did good there too.

Something that often throws off measurements in this process is the natural curvature of the finger-board. So don't be tempted to check the fit with it clamped in place. The reality is the bow and other irregularities will be flatened out when the FB is glued on the neck and finger board extension are clamped and compressed to the body. What you are doing now is preparing the exact final location ---- This is element is huge in the big picture --- trying to fit the neck angle using the finger-board, and not taking this inconsistancy into consideration is the number "two" cause of grief in the neck adjustment process. Number "one" is not taking time to get the straight line established -- you have jumped the first hurtle. --- Great!

[Beau J]

shims glued in worked on the dove tail now the neck is fitting tight, straight and just proud of the sound board. if i install the fret board it sits about 3/32 above the sound board at the end near the sound hole. with a straight edge on the fret board and the bridge resting on the sound board the straight edge is 1/16 above the bridge . do you think i should shim the fret board or lower the neck and sand the top down . i think i will have to sand to much off the sound board to get it right. i could possibly attempt to adjust the neck angle back up slightly??

[Tim Benware]

I'd fabricate a wedge for that. Done correctly you'll hardly notice. It is often necessary to do that after a reset which is very much like you just did. Now you know a good bit of how to do a DT neck reset, learn the other half and you're in business:)

[ken cierp]

just proud of the sound board

Why??

Sand off the tenon until the neck drops into the mortise and the neck plane is even with the sound-board.

Sanding the sound -board process, as mentioned early on, has nothing to do with your situation.

[Beau J]

the neck is already very close to level with the sound board the difference will not be made up more than 1/32

[ken cierp]

As it relates to neck angle and neck fit 1/32" is "HUGE" Something that I see often that prevents the tenon from dropping down in the mortise is a mis-match or poorly shaped area where the side/rim cap was removed -- the "V" should be cleaned back a little and have very crisp edges so they seats deep enough in the tenon corners.

As for you general situation at this point --- your angle/projection at the bridge is "too" high, your idea to add a spacer under the finger-board extension makes it even higher -- not good!