# Is This Service Available?



## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Last year, I decided to recondition my mid-60's Raven semi-hollow body guitar. This was my very first electric guitar. It turned out to be a pretty good player in the end and I use it strictly for jazz. I able to set it up nicely at the beginning, but the truss rod has a stripped hex nut. It's probably been like this for 40 years. Subsequent fine tuning and/or tweaks due to changes in the weather are impossible. In any event, I decided to remove the rosewood fretboard and the truss rod which went fine. 

Based on a bit of research, I see that you can buy pre-slotted rosewood fretboards. I'm able to install and and do the finishing, but I don't have the equipment to do the all the proper trimming etc. Nor am I prepared to go out and buy the necessary equipment since this is a one off project. So my question is.....

Is there a service (luthier and/or talented hobbiest), preferably in Canada, that I could send my existing fretboard to and have a duplicate made?


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Is it a bound neck? It's not a hard job to glue FB to the neck and trim it with a router. Somebody in Toronto own a router? :smile:


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Actually, been doing some experimenting with the existing fingerboard and I'm going to tackle this part of the restoration myself. It'll be a project over the holidays and I'll be taking some pics along the way. Should be interesting when it's finished.

First order of business is going to be either fixing up the existing truss rod, or just get a new one. I'm going to take it down to Capsule Music to see what they have to say.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

*Question - Types of Glue*

So now that I'm doing the work myself, I've decided to go with wood inlays and wood binding once it's assembled back together. I also plan to make my own wood binding by laminating different types of veneer together. The fretboard is actually in good shape and only needs some minor filling which I'll do once I have some rosewood dust collected from the initial sanding.

To summarize what needs to be glued;

1) Veneer laminate for the binding.
2) The binding to the fretboard.
3) The fretboard to the neck.
4) Rosewood dust paste for filling.
5) The new frets (possibly glued is needed).
6) The new nut.

Can one type of glue handle all of the above and if so, what would be the best? Or are different types of glue recommended depending on the operation?

I'm going to be placing an order with Stew-Mac for some essentials, so depending on the glue(s) I need, should I just order it from them or can I get what I need locally in Toronto?


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

I would glue fretboard on first. Getting it centred is of utmost importance. Use yellow woodglue. I haven't bound anything and martyB should chime in here:smile:. Then glue binding on with Crazy glue one layer at a time. Scrap and clean off glue then drop in your frets. 

But... this guy put his frets in first. 

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/10723-my-les-paul-build-2.html


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> I would glue fretboard on first. Getting it centred is of utmost importance. Use yellow woodglue. I haven't bound anything and martyB should chime in here:smile:. Then glue binding on with Crazy glue one layer at a time. Scrap and clean off glue then drop in your frets.
> 
> But... this guy put his frets in first.
> 
> http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/10723-my-les-paul-build-2.html


So you're saying that standard wood glue and Krazy (or CA) Glue should handle everything I need. I plan to mount the fretboard first and you're right, centering is very important. I actually saw that link in my internet travels, but that looked to be too tedious for me. I'm going to bind first and notch the tangs so the the frets overlay the binding.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Fajah said:


> So you're saying that standard wood glue and Krazy (or CA) Glue should handle everything I need. I plan to mount the fretboard first and you're right, centering is very important. I actually saw that link in my internet travels, but that looked to be too tedious for me. I'm going to bind first and notch the tangs so the the frets overlay the binding.


Ya you got the glue right. I too don't like the binding up on the frets and it's not the standard way either. The link was handy :smile:

You may use a finish nail or brad nail clipped off near the surface to ( sticking up a bit) to stop the board from sliding around. You should probably test the placement dry -no glue- then apply glue. Once you start clamping there you won't be able to see much. I would probably use tape for clamps as well. Clamping on a round surface is a pain in the ...... lower regions. 

BezDez has some bindings and violin purfiling that might work.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> You may use a finish nail or brad nail clipped off near the surface to ( sticking up a bit) to stop the board from sliding around. You should probably test the placement dry -no glue- then apply glue. Once you start clamping there you won't be able to see much. I would probably use tape for clamps as well. Clamping on a round surface is a pain in the ...... lower regions.
> 
> BezDez has some bindings and violin purfiling that might work.


Good advice, thanks. I just briefly looked at what BezDez has to offer. Lots of interesting things. I'll have to go through it more thoroughly when I get some time. I have to pay Home Depot a visit to look at some veneers, and I'm going to try and make my way down to Capsule to see what I can buy in addition to the trussrod.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Bezdez has trussrods that might work for $7. I have used them with no problems.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> Bezdez has trussrods that might work for $7. I have used them with no problems.


Just took a look. My trussrod is 15 inches.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Fajah said:


> Just took a look. My trussrod is 15 inches.


cut 2 " off . The rod would take it. How wide is your slot ?


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

15 inches!?!?! Now I have truss rod envy. :frown:


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> cut 2 " off . The rod would take it. How wide is your slot ?


This is great! Two things:

1) The slot is 1/4" wide, 1/2" deep.

2) Which rod are you recommending?

Since pictures are worth 1000 words, here are some shots:

Neck disassembled











Bottom of the trussrod


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## timberline (Nov 22, 2008)

*rod replacement*

Various makers use different methods for binding and fretting. Martin for example binds the board first, instals the board then nips off enough of the fret tangs to allow the fret to seat with the bead over the binding. Most Gibs. on the other hand have the board fretted, fret ends filed flush, then binding goes on and gets scraped to suit.

If you are going to instal the board prior to fretting you can make locating the board accurately much easier by drilling a tiny, 1/16" hole directly through the first and say 12th or 14th fret slot and into the neck with the board held tightly in place. Once that is done you can use those round wooden toothpics as locating dowels to hold the board in place for glue-up. With the glue on, the board will slither about all over the place unless you use some variation of that theme. Once the glue is set, you nip off the toothpicks and when the frets are in the evidence is gone.

Lee Valley Tools sells some excellent glue for guitar work through their outlets and catalogue sales. It's their 2002 GF. It dries very hard, doesn't creep as do some of the yellow glues, and has excellent gap filling capabilities.

The use of cyanoacrylates ( Super Glues) for binding as suggested elsewhere in this thread is more appropriate for all-plastic purflings and bindings. It hardens according to the PH balance of the material being bonded, and while it works well on rosewood there are other woods that it doesn't like.

If you are using conventional clamps to hold the board for gluing, you should make a series of cauls to support the back of the neck. Cedar wood works well, as it's easy to cut the appropriate contour into it and it is soft enough to not mar your neck. A good alternative to that is to use a length of surgical rubber tubing rather than clamps. You tie that off at one end of the neck/board, then wind it around the work pulling it tight with every wrap. That creates good pressure without any hard spots, and can be much easier for beginners than a complicated clamp set-up. The tubing is also available through Lee Valley Tools, and you'll find many other uses for it once it's in your shop.

KH
Timberline Guitars and Ukes


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

I think I have a 1/4" rod in the shop I will check later. 

Yeah kevin... I said I hadn't bound anything ...


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

timberline said:


> Various makers use different methods for binding and fretting. Martin for example binds the board first, instals the board then nips off enough of the fret tangs to allow the fret to seat with the bead over the binding. Most Gibs. on the other hand have the board fretted, fret ends filed flush, then binding goes on and gets scraped to suit.
> 
> If you are going to instal the board prior to fretting you can make locating the board accurately much easier by drilling a tiny, 1/16" hole directly through the first and say 12th or 14th fret slot and into the neck with the board held tightly in place. Once that is done you can use those round wooden toothpics as locating dowels to hold the board in place for glue-up. With the glue on, the board will slither about all over the place unless you use some variation of that theme. Once the glue is set, you nip off the toothpicks and when the frets are in the evidence is gone.
> 
> ...


Great info and ideas. Thank you.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> I think I have a 1/4" rod in the shop I will check later.
> 
> Yeah kevin... I said I hadn't bound anything ...


I paid a visit at Capsule Music today with the rod. He did some work to the hex nut so that I can use a screwdriver for adjustment. Although it will work now, he suggested that I replace it with a dual action rod. They get their rods from Stew-Mac and since I have to order a couple of things from there anyway, I may go that route. He pulled out the catalog and pointed out the one I should get......as well as some helpful tips on the installation. He said that it's pretty straight forward.

Great guys at Capsule.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Fajah said:


> I paid a visit at Capsule Music today with the rod. He did some work to the hex nut so that I can use a screwdriver for adjustment. Although it will work now, he suggested that I replace it with a dual action rod. They get their rods from Stew-Mac and since I have to order a couple of things from there anyway, I may go that route. He pulled out the catalog and pointed out the one I should get......as well as some helpful tips on the installation. He said that it's pretty straight forward.
> 
> Great guys at Capsule.


Cool.I checked and I do have a 1/4 two way truss rod that is 17 1/4 long and about 3/8" deep. You would have to cut it. You can have it if you want.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> Cool.I checked and I do have a 1/4 two way truss rod that is 17 1/4 long and about 3/8" deep. You would have to cut it. You can have it if you want.


I appreciate the offer, but I already place my order with Stew-Mac. I did get a chance to go through the BezDez store. They have some great items and I decided to go with their ABS binding instead of wood.


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