Replacing a fingerboard
- Thread starter smavridis
- Start date
I've done this once and It's a fairly serious repair. I'm not looking to discourage you, it's just that this type of repair is one that relies on you knowing how to do some other things first. Without going into too may details here's a basic rundown.
- Remove the old fretboard, without damaging the neck back or truss rod. In my case it was already loose and badly chipped.
- Depending on what you see, you may need to remove and reinstall the truss rod anyways.
- Clean and prep the entire mating surface.
- Trim and glue in the new board, being careful not to get glue in the truss rod.
- Slot it, if it isn't done already.
- Do the inlays, if it isn't done already.
- level the board.
- radius the board.
- fret the board.
- Remove the old fretboard, without damaging the neck back or truss rod. In my case it was already loose and badly chipped.
- Depending on what you see, you may need to remove and reinstall the truss rod anyways.
- Clean and prep the entire mating surface.
- Trim and glue in the new board, being careful not to get glue in the truss rod.
- Slot it, if it isn't done already.
- Do the inlays, if it isn't done already.
- level the board.
- radius the board.
- fret the board.
line6man
Epic Member
- Messages
- 6,443
When i built my second Warmoth Jazz bass, i looked into the possibility that the fingerboard would be sanded down so much over the years from stringwear that i would need a new fingerboard one day, and they guys on TalkBass said it would probably cost more than the neck was worth to replace a fingerboard.
One guy said they charged him $900 for a new fretboard and fretwork.
One guy said they charged him $900 for a new fretboard and fretwork.
stew mac sells rosewood fret boards that are slotted and ready to attach on a neck for only $20. Or i could go with ebony for $40 and it would look nice without the inlays.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood/Electric_guitar:_Fingerboards/25-1_2_Fender_Scale_Fingerboard.html
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood/Electric_guitar:_Fingerboards/25-1_2_Fender_Scale_Fingerboard.html
