staticunderwater Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 (edited) So I had ordered a pre-slotted cocobolo fretboard from LMII for my seven string project and today I got around to cutting it to taper. And this is my first project but I've been researching and studying luthrie for close to two years now online and through books and have been following measure 10x and cut once religiously... but today for whatever reason I didn't check my work and have now messed up. The nut end of the fretboard is too narrow by about 5mm and is now too narrow to be made into a seven string (And I've already bought a seven string bridge, and cut the guitar's neck to seven string width so I would rather buy a new fretboard over switching to a 6). But then I thought about those "melted fretboards" Connklin makes and thought "Is it perhaps possible to glue it back together and start over?" So I glued it and clamped it and its currently drying, but my question is will it be strong enough? Should the glue line (which is small and kinda blends into the grain) disappear when I radius? Anything else that is blindingly obvious about this that won't work that I'm not realizing? In short will this work or am I going to have to shell out for another fretboard... I'll upload some pictures in a minute if that helps. Thanks. Edit: Edited November 28, 2008 by staticunderwater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooglebug Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 how about some binding? that'd probably sort it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staticunderwater Posted November 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Hmm, didn't think of that... It would have to be some really thick binding though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 (edited) Not if you slip a line of abalone purflings either side :-D Although I think those are a bit OTT myself. Good luck. ...or pop in a contrasting line and re-use the outer pieces of cocobolo as matched binding... Edited November 28, 2008 by Prostheta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djhollowman Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 I defer, of course, to the more experienced members here, but I'm thinking that simply glueing the cut part back on should work. Strength-wise would it not be just as good? I'm assuming you can make it look decent again, by disguising the join etc? Hmm, interesting.... I think I might have chickened out, used that one for a six-er at a later date, and bought a replacement. I would like to see a 'board with a contrasting stripe through the centre; tapered to match the edges. Ebony maybe? You would open up some cool ideas for contrasting marker dots and/or inlays. This idea might be more suited to a natural-finish neckthrough perhaps......and maybe even a *gulp* bass?? only teasing.... Prostheta, you been looking at this page? It shows an inlay like the one you just suggested. I remember you starting a topic a while back about those fret ends too! DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staticunderwater Posted November 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Well it just so happens this will be a natural finish neck through. Its looking pretty good so far, I just hope it doesn't split at all when I go to fret... But I think i used enough glue that it should be fine. Does anyone suggest maybe some sort of stress test before I glue it onto the guitar? And those balled fret ends are insane, I have an old neck I'm halfway through refreting, I think I'm going to try that out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 (edited) Prostheta, you been looking at this page? It shows an inlay like the one you just suggested. I remember you starting a topic a while back about those fret ends too! I'm going to use this approach on my wife's Les Paul as I think it gives it a really finessed look to the neck. Those are particularly well done! I think glueing the piece back on will expose the difference in grain as it's pretty straight to start out with, unless it's planed and offset to match. Difficult! I would splice something in. Perhaps even a centreline? Cut the fingerboard in two and splice in a central piece? It was discussed briefly a while back on the initial spec for my wife's Les Paul that I was going to laminate a fingerboard for inlaying, and Fryovanni pointed out it might weaken the wood over the trussrod. It was agreed that a good joint shouldn't fail in these circumstances anyway, so it's an option perhaps. In answer to the original question - let's see what happens when you unclamp and radius it...you may get lucky! Please update. Edited November 28, 2008 by Prostheta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djhollowman Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Excellent choice, sir! I was obviously on the right track then! That's gonna look great, what are the specs - woods, finish, electrics etc? You should start a topic in the "In Progress and Finished" forum, with lots of tasty photos! We all love a bit of guitar porn here!! You could include some pics of the fretting with the ball ends as well, though. I'm sure the guys would be interested. And did you notice that those are stainless steel frets? DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djhollowman Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Prostheta, you been looking at this page? It shows an inlay like the one you just suggested. I remember you starting a topic a while back about those fret ends too! I'm going to use this approach on my wife's Les Paul as I think it gives it a really finessed look to the neck. Those are particularly well done! I think glueing the piece back on will expose the difference in grain as it's pretty straight to start out with, unless it's planed and offset to match. Difficult! I would splice something in. Perhaps even a centreline? Cut the fingerboard in two and splice in a central piece? It was discussed briefly a while back on the initial spec for my wife's Les Paul that I was going to laminate a fingerboard for inlaying, and Fryovanni pointed out it might weaken the wood over the trussrod. It was agreed that a good joint shouldn't fail in these circumstances anyway, so it's an option perhaps. In answer to the original question - let's see what happens when you unclamp and radius it...you may get lucky! Please update. Yeah, I wondered about that issue of having a join over the truss rod. In the case of the O.P. here, would glueing on a bit at the side of the 'board not work well enough, strength-wise? Well, assuming you could get a nice grain match of course! DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staticunderwater Posted November 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Yeah I'll have to start a thread over in the Progress forum, I've been meaning to for days now. As for specs: Walnut body with flamed maple top with a slight carve 5 piece flame maple and walnut neck 24 fret cocobolo fretboard Medium jumbo normal (not stainless) frets offset abalone inlays (on the bottom ala Black machine) gold hardware hardtail bridge Dimarzio pickups (D-Sonic 7, Air Norton 7) Electronics will be a 3-way switch, a phase mini-switch, volume, tone and then each pickup will have its own series/north coil/south coil mini-switch the headstock shape will be like Daniel Gildenlow's Mayones. And the finish will be tru-oil. And those stainless frets really shine, making me wish I had gone that route... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 (edited) If it is a clean break glue it back together and see how it looks after. Chances are you will be fine. I have knocked the corner of a headstock before. If the break is fresh it is easy to get a really clean glue line. The next step is truing it up. so after you glue it back (which you already did) sand the back flat and have at it. If the glue line looks good use it! The only upward load on a fretboard is in the middle where the truss rod pushes. I really doubt you would interfere with the structural integrity of the neck. A good glue joint is stronger than the wood and the grain runs the correct direction. Edited November 29, 2008 by RestorationAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staticunderwater Posted November 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Well I unclamped it and everything is looking pretty good, the glue line isn't too bad. I think it should definitely blend in better once I radius. I remeasured what the width should be and since I would only be taking of 5-6mm I decided instead of cutting to just use a sanding drum attached to my drill, that seemed to work great so now my board is the right dimension. Thanks again for all the kind words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Easy fix. Cocobolo binding on either side @ 2.5mm thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djhollowman Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 BTW, is that nut a Graphtec Carvin one? Looks mighty similar to the one I used on my R7t. DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staticunderwater Posted November 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Yep, its a Carvin nut. And btw, your R7t is beautiful, I love the inlay and the simple elegance of it. Its very very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggravated_alien Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Add Abalone Purfling That will sort things I out I wish all my guitars had Abalone Purfiling it looks stunning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 The only upward load on a fretboard is in the middle where the truss rod pushes. I really doubt you would interfere with the structural integrity of the neck. A good glue joint is stronger than the wood and the grain runs the correct direction. +1 This is the conclusion we ended up at re: my wife's fingerboard. Staticunderwater: Where in the world are you? If you're in the UK then I have some cocobolo binding I could send. PS. Edited topic title :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staticunderwater Posted November 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 I'm in the US but thanks for the offer. I started to radius today and everything is looking good so far, I think I'm now in clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Great stuff - good to hear it! Now go make a build thread already :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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