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I have a guitar that is needing a neck replacement. I have the new neck readt to go but I'd like to use the old fingerboard (ebony) and if possible headstock veneer (African Blackwood).

So the question is, what's the best way to remove the fingerboard? Should I remove the frets first (i'd rather not)?

I know a heated putty knife should be the tool of choice but what a should I use to heat the neck. How hot?

Anyway I guess you can see I'm in way over my head here so any help would be appreciated.

THnx

Ronn, have you checked frets.com? Great info and should be what you're looking for.

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Remove the neck and fretboard just as you would for a reset then remove the fretboard from the loose neck. I do suggest that you remove the frets the very first thing.

If you have never done a neck rest before I would fine a luthier that is experienced in this proceedure. There is a lot of risk on a bolt-on neck removing the freboard from the top. If it is a dovetail it is even more risky steaming the dovetail loose. A lot of damage can happen here, even for someone with many of these repairs under their belt.

If it is a bolt-on neck and has not been glued to the body the neck removal is easy but if it has been glued in or it is a dovetail neck then the joint must be steamed lose at the 15th fret amd press off with a neck removal press. If you are not set up to do this and or do not completely understand the joint or have the neck press fixture then really!!!! find a good luthier. It is not a cheap repair and for good reason. As I mentioned before it is risky

Last but not least, the odds of you getting the peghead overlay off in tact is not high due to the fact that the overlay is thin. If you are wanting to salvage inlay, that may actualy be easier, by removing the finish heating the inlay to a soilder iron till hot the carfuly prying out the shell.

If you find yourself look for someone to handel the job PM me and I would give you a quote. but be prepaid to open your wallet the task will require neck and FB removal, N&FB reglue,PH veneer & binding, N&FB rest, refret, finsh work and set-up.

Don't mean to scare you but this is a big, risky repair.
MichaelP38762.8448611111

Thanx for the words of wisdom.

I already have the neck off the guitar (bolt on) and this is not a reset. It will actually require a new neck. The saving grace in all of this is that it's my guitar so what bettter place to learn right?

So given the complexity of the "repair", might I be better off just using a new fingerboard and PH veneer? In essence a completly new neck...

Then again the opportunity to learn on my own guitar has decided benifits.

The question remains, what should I use to apply heat to the neck/fingerboard and how hot?

Thnx again

I have removed a few fretboards with a clothes iron. I set it right on top of the frets, set it to "cotton" and wait till it gets real hot. I just keep checking to make sure I am not burning anything up. I have learned to wait until it wants to come off, don't force it. You will have to keep moving the iron down the neck as you lift the board off with a very thin knife. Wifes cake icing knife should work fine... I have also just done the same to a headstock overlay made of applewood.. Of course this only means it worked once.. but before you buy a new board and overlay its worth a try

I still believe the new neck will need to be set for proper back angle, That is why I sid re-set

Saving the fretboard will not be that bad if the neck is off Temp wise is between 190 to 220. If you have a heating blanket this is a perfect job for it. I had rather heat all of the fretboard at the same or near same rate vs using an iron and having to do it in segments. Mike is right about wait til the glue starts letting go fairly easy. Don't pry with any real force. The seam knife is used just to part the glue not to pry off the fretboard. Same with any seam that you seperate. let the heat do the work but don't over heat or heat too quickly.

And yes I would put on a new peghead veneer. no more than the cost and a lot less trouble.MichaelP38762.9395833333

I have pulled a peghead veneer and it wasn't very hard to pull off the old neck. I am assuming that the veneer is of sentimental value to you as you mentioned that this is your own guitar (maybe a first build fix or something, I've done this). Is the headstock finished? (ie: shellac or something) you may want to strip it first before you try and remove it. And when you start to heat the veneer, use a slightly moist cloth over it than the iron. The veneer is so thin that you risk cracking it if there isn't moisture. Like the others have said, go slow and let the heat do the work.

The nice thing with this "repair/replace" is that your not trying to save the neck so any damage to that isn't important.

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Well Gentlemen,

Thank you all. Michael, before your second post I got anxious and used a clothes iron as suggested by Mike V. It worked flawlessly. I had considered the blanket but for some reason shyed away... Next time I'll try it. And of course you are correct the new neck will have to be set for angle. That's not the worst of it though. This is a 14 fret guitar, that is its a 14 fret + or - a millimeter or two so now I'll need to set this neck the same to maintain proper intonation.


Yeah the PH veneer is a keeper just because, as Rod True guessed, it was my first build. Plus it is a really nice looking piece of Book matched african blackwood. I'm pleased to say that after removing the finish the PH veneer came off perfectly as well.

Again thanx to all

Well done Ronn.   

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Happy for you Ronn, must be a relief!

saved it alll way to go