eddiewarlock Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 So i am building this neck thru guitar, all sapele, 3 piece sapele neck, quartersawn. Quartersawn ebony fretboard, with sharkfin inlays and ivoroid binding. I have been building this guitar the last 2 years. Second fretboard i use. First one was removed because the inlays sucked. The guitar has always been inside my house and has been primed with polyurethane since march 2014. I want to save the fretboard because the inlay set was damn expensive, but i have read that in many cases, warped necks are caused by fretboards. What is your opinion? save or not to save? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Are you asking about saving the second fretboard? Is the neck it is one warped now? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Photos might help. I know how hard it is to let go of something you are mentally and financially invested in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Are you asking about saving the second fretboard? Is the neck it is one warped now? SR yup, the second fretboard. The neck is warped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Photos might help. I know how hard it is to let go of something you are mentally and financially invested in. I took pictures, but it's hard to see in those pictures. It's not an extreme warp, but it is there, and makes the guitar unplayable, at least to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Then I'd say pull it off and see if the fretboard is worth saving at that point. If it is still warped after you remove it replace it and if it is flat use it again. You may have to give it a little time to flatten back out if it was the neck that was doing the warping. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Then I'd say pull it off and see if the fretboard is worth saving at that point. If it is still warped after you remove it replace it and if it is flat use it again. You may have to give it a little time to flatten back out if it was the neck that was doing the warping. SR well, hard to tell, in my experience. Everytime i've removed a fretboard, it ends up curved upwards. Like in an upbow. How long would you let it sit before taking a decision? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Without going into a discussion on elastic vs. plastic deformation, it depends how you remove it. Heat and flat palette knives are best. You shouldn't get a lot of upbow unless you are bending it whilst heated. The heat will likely unseat the inlays anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Without going into a discussion on elastic vs. plastic deformation, it depends how you remove it. Heat and flat palette knives are best. You shouldn't get a lot of upbow unless you are bending it whilst heated. The heat will likely unseat the inlays anyway. i use heat and an exacto knife, which is kinda the same as using a flat palette knife. but for some reason, they always curve upwards... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I would be looking for twist more than upbow or downbow. An upward curve, unless it is severe should be able to be glued flat without too much trouble. Twist might be another problem if you neck is warped now, but looks fine with the fretboard removed. If you neck remains warped after a week or so with no fretboard, the fretboard is probably fine and the neck that needs to be looked into. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 sounds like the way to go Scott. This is the first time this happens to me. I really don't know what it is. I have been building guitars since 2002, and i don't know if seasons has anything to do with this. Up until 2013 i lived in Venezuela, neverending summer, and where i lived, not really humid. Here in southern Spain, doesn't rain much for most of the year, and it's mostly warm, but there are seasons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewarlock Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 OK, i removed the fretboard about 2 hours ago. I inmediatly noticed it was the neck that twisted. The fretboard is curved in a backbow and seems uniform on both sides. I'll let it sit and check if it moves any further. Thanks everybody for your replies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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