Fret Slotting—The fret spacing requires the tightest tolerance of any part of a guitar. Each fret must be accurately placed within a few thousandths of an inch, and the error must not be allowed to propagate up the neck.

I cut the slots in a precision miter box based on a picture in the LMI catalog. The backsaw is guided by two waxed maple blocks. The fretboard is double-stick taped to a template with an edge notch at each slot position. A pin engages one of the notches and the saw cuts until its back touches the maple blocks.