XcitR

In need of a couple guitar bodies for test painting. Need these for testing only, so not worried about the condition or style of the bodies, as they will not be used in final project. Cheap, please!

It's a Prestige neck from 2003, one-way truss. I'm told the bow is high starting at the1st fret (which needs a slight bit of leveling), sloping upwards to the 3rd, and a near perfect gradual curve back down to about the 15th. Not sure the exact apex height, but I should get that with the PLEK info Monday. I had noticed the bow back when I glued the board down, but rookie mistake, I thought that was normal and that string tension would help, because the neck was perfectly flat when I glued the board down. Truss rod was completely loose, however. As for the fret tangs being too wide, they were Dunlop 6150's (.020 TW) and LMI slotted board (.023 slots), and all went in fairly easily - but I guess it's entirely possible that the board is adding to the back bow. Also, Setch pointed out when I questioned the bowing after gluing the board down that I probably intruduced the bowing during glue up - using waterbased glue and/or not clamping the neck and fretboard to a deadstraight caul during the gluing. This was seconded today after talking to a local seasoned luthier, Randy Wood (randywoodguitars.com). Anyways, Randy thinks he can heat set the neck back to where it is supposed to be. At this point, I guess I have nothing to loose in trying it. Hopefully I can save the fretboard and inlays in the process... If not, I'll have to find a replacement neck and bolt it on as is. Feeling a bit gun shy about doing another fretboard for a while.

Got the Plek results... Seems with the truss rod completely loose, there is still back bow in the neck - a perfect backbow curve between frets 1 and 12 causing the strings to ground out on the highest frets. The Plek could level the frets to compensate, but it would take the 12th fret to nearly nothing, and the 16th-24th frets would be completely untouched! Being that I glued the board on the neck when it was completely flat and the truss was loose, the fretboard is likely causing more backbow now that it's attached. So, here's my next set of questions if anyone can offer some help: 1. Is there any way to build relief back into the neck in order to save the fretboard and inlay work? 2. Is there any way to build relief back into the neck without removing the fretboard and/or frets? 3. If the frets do need removed, I used CA glue on the ends, which wicked along their lengths - what's the best way of removing them without chipping the ebony board?

I sent it off to Vince at Crossroads Guitar Shop in VA for Pleking. After doing some research, I've found that in a nutshell, pleking is a computer controlled, CNC fretboard mapping and leveling service. There's only a handful of shops in the US that offer this so far and they're all listed at www.plek.com, as well as a more detailed description of the service. Well worth the reading! We'll see how it works, as I should get it back sometime next week if all goes well!

actually, I think it could be both! Fretting low E on 1 and 24 leaves very little clearance on 9. Can't quite slip a playing card between the string and fret. The low E string seems to be the worst - buzzing from 1-9. Fretting all strings on the first fret results in buzzing. The height of the bottom of the nut's string guide to fretboard on low E is .080". There is no shim under the nut or in the neck pocket. Sorry - also posted over at Jemsite, and Rich has suggested sending it off to be "plek'd"?

Just put together and strung up my 1570, and I've got string buzz between the 1st and 12th frets. No buzzing on open strings, though the action from 1-12 is VERY low, and the action from 12-14 is a bit higher. Has a new fretboard, and the frets are nearly perfectly leveled with a straight edge. I tried to loosen the truss rod to give a little more relief, but the truss rod is already as loose as it gets. What next?? Would shimming the nut help?

Man, and I was afraid I was the only one who'd done that! Had the same mistake on my first fretboard inlay. Was so p.o.'d about it, that's when I called Andy and ordered all new inlay blanks (as well as a new fretboard from LMI) and started over! I got it right the second time around!

I painted mine with a couple thin coats of *cheap* pearl nail polish just before installation.

One tip I picked up from Andy DePaul (great place to buy inlay blanks, BTW!) was to paint the backs of the inlay blanks with enamel or white/pearl colored fingernail polish. Then, if your inlays get a little on the thin side when sanding, it's a lot less noticable than having the dark colored epoxy or ebony board showing through. Worked great on mine!

It can be done by hand, just takes a little longer. I used a two-part auto poly clear, and only hand buffing for the final finishing. If I remember right, I used Meguire's Fine cut, swirl remover, Scratch-X, and then Show Car Glaze - all by hand. Came out with an awesome Mirror/Gloss finish!

I'm inclined to think that Setch may be right about introducing the bowing during the gluing/clamping. This is an Ibanez neck that I took off the orig. fretboard and put on a newly inlayed ebony one. When gluing, I didn't clamp with a caul, I followed the tutorial and "sandwiched" the neck and fingerboard between wood shims for clamping. As for heatsetting the neck, Setch, can you discribe the process a little more for me? I really don't want to sand the fingerboard any more because of the inlays.

I'm a little curious... I leveled my fretboard before attaching to the neck, and loosened the truss rod so that the truss rod and neck were flat. Then glued the fretboard down. I now have a bit of backbow from about the 4th fret to the nut, measuring with a straight edge, the gap is about 1.5 mm at the nut. from the 5th fret to the 24th, it seems level. Is this normal? (Note: the neck is NOT attached to the body yet.) Will the string tension once set-up straighten out the neck or do I need to level (sand) the fretboard (again) before fretting? Would tightening the truss rod help? I'm not sure if I should proceed with fretting if my fingerboard/neck wasn't level.

Thanks for all the replies! I ended up scraping the neck smooth and lightly sanding the back of the fretboard. I followed the tutorial pretty closely, and used original titebond for the joining of the fretboard to neck. Had no problems with slippage, and after sanding the edges flush tonight, have a "near perfect" seam! It really turned out well! Thanks for the advice!

I have just finished stripping the old fretboard off an Ibanez prestige neck and am replacing it with a new ebony board. This is my first re-fret, etc. and had a couple questions before continuing: How smooth should the neck surface be sanded before attaching the new fretboard? What is better for gluing the fretboard on, stewmac's slow-setting black epoxy ("30 minute working time, full bond strength in 24 hours"), or good old original titebond (seems to tack-up and set a bit quicker)?

Think I figgured it out... It's the slot depth at center that was throwing me off. The depth along the edges is closer to .093". Much less of a gap. Guess it's been a long day.

Being my first fret job, I'm a bit confused. I have a 16" radiused, pre-slotted board from LMI. I've sanded further with a radius block so that the center thickness is now .230". Even so, the fret slot depth is still at .135", and the fretwire's tang is .074". Is this gap still too much and I need to keep sanding, or will it not matter if gluing/filling with ebony dust when installing the frets?

I have been very pleased with the vinyl decals from www.best-decals.com.

Just a follow-up for future reference... The Jig for tapering the fretboard worked GREAT! I used an 80 tooth, diamond-tipped blade set to about 7/16" cutting height, a featherboard along the rip fence, and cut really slow. Fretboard turned out great, very smooth cuts with no chipping, burning, etc. and the pre-cut fret slots remained unharmed. Excellent little jig!

I've cut MOP and Paua Abalone pyramid inlays for a new fretboard, and I'm at the point of scribing around them on the fretboard to rout out cavities. Would you glue the pyramid pieces together with CA glue first, and then temporarily tack to the fretboard for scribing? What is the best way to temporarily attach them to the board? I've heard of using everything from double-sided tape to DUCO cement (and a drop of acetone around each to remove.) What methods do you guys use succesfully?

Unfortunately, I don't have an edge sander, but I'm going to try using the tablesaw with an 80 tooth blade... see how that works. Also going to try the jig using a router table and see between the two, which produces better results.

Thanks, Rick! That's what's great about this board, lots of experience to learn from. Guess I should add, I'm attaching this particular fretboard to an Ibanez Prestige neck as part of a refinishing project. Also, what is the best way to cut the fretboard for under the locking nut? I was planning on using a flat-cut router bit set to proper depth and cutting just prior to attaching to the neck. Sound right?

I've got a pre-slotted, 16" radiused ebony board from LMI... beautiful board, but it is pre-radiused. What process here? Best to rough it close with the router, then bring it flush with a sanding block once attached?

I thought his blade looked a little rough... Rick500 or Prostheta, what about using something like an 80tooth blade for a smoother cut? You both glue the rough-sized fretboard to the neck first, then final size with a router once attached to the neck? Could you give me a little more info? This is my first fretboard, and I'm not sure of the best method for tapering, sizing, etc. I haven't found much in the tutorials, either.

This one may be common knowledge, but I found this easy to make jig for cutting a perfect fingerboard taper on your table saw. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems pretty self-explanitory: http://www.wellsguitars.com/Articles/Taper_Jig_Article.htm

answered my own question... as far as I can tell, no block necessary.