FRETS.NET

This BRW fingerboard was removed from the neck of a '42 Martin 00 recently .. the hide glue had given up the ghost, as did everything else on the neck that was glued including the ebony truss rod .. and it has a steep warp towards the end at about where the neck joins the body.
This causes two problems: 1. It's difficult to get the neck/board seam snug when regluing 2. Once reglued the warp will make the neck angle assessment more difficult than it needs to be, since it will 'spring' up when the neck is inserted into the dt/heel block.

I've already wetted and heated the board twice with my neck heater, to no avail. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Tom

Views: 343

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Hmmm, thought I added a pic .. ? I don't see the option now.

Wetting and heating is the way to go. Maybe you can give the fretboard an additional twist in the other direction while wetting&heating?

And what stops the inevitable return to the warped condition caused by string tension when reassembled and 

re-strung?

Since the wood is aged, it is more stable and will not move as much. Time will tell, but my guess is that it will be stable for at least the next ten years. The heat will reset the lignin, acting much like plastic, to the new shape and freeze in the new position.

Thanks, Roger, I was thinking this might be my next step. Tom
After three wetting/heating applications, the board twist won't move. I'm thinking about removing the frets over the extension to give the wood more spring.
Tom
After three wetting/heating applications, the board twist won't move. I'm thinking about removing the frets over the extension to give the wood more spring.
Tom

are you just wetting and heating the board or are you clamping it in the direction you want it to go?

the point is to push the wood into the shape you're going for, maybe even push it it past that shape to account for spring-back, and hold it there while you're doing the heating, with the goal of re-training the wood to keep the new shape

Hi Walter, I've been wetting/heading/clamping flat .. the board was clamped flat on the solid aluminum heater, heated and left for a few days, to no effect.
I'm going to pull the frets and see what happens .. I'll keep you all posted, and thanks for the insights..Tom

Hi, I have done this with all sorts of fingerboards, large and small, that is to do as you are doing but to overbend the board. I do this by placing a spacer of the desired thickness in the middle and clamping down each end. This I find allows for any spring back.

Taff

RSS

© 2024   Created by Frank Ford.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service