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| When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=31104 |
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| Author: | jeff.scott [ Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
My wood of choice for this build is maple. 2 reasons: it was given to me and I am making a Gibson L6 replica. I notice that most maple boards on Strats have a gloss finish. Should this be done before slotting? After slotting? After fretting? |
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| Author: | peters instruments [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
i would say its really just a matter of personal preference. i think i find it easiest to finish the whole neck first and then clean up the fret slots and slot it. either way makes a little extra work in a different way, if you spray after fretting you will have a little more clean up to to on the frets during the dress. in either case i would wait to do the fret dressing till after you have sprayed the finish. |
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| Author: | Mike Baker [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
I've wondered the same thing lately. I'm hoping to do a bound maple fretboard on my current build. I think that I'm going to finish after binding and fretting. I considered finishing before fretting and binding, but I'm worried about delaminating the finish hammering the frets in. But I'm also doing a Gibson style binding(with the little binding nubs on the end of the frets), and I worry about finishing the neck, then leveling the frets and having the little nubs at the ends ending up a slightly different shade than the rest because I sanded the lacquer off of them during the leveling and crowning process. I'll have to be really careful to make sure I use a lacquer that is water clear, not one that imparts an amber hue. Never done this before, so it's learn by doing( like everything is with this stuff). |
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| Author: | peters instruments [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
you can lessen that risk if you press the frets instead of hammering. i have used my drill press as a fret press before, just made a radius block from some hard sugar maple and it work pretty well. |
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| Author: | Mike Baker [ Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
peters instruments wrote: you can lessen that risk if you press the frets instead of hammering. i have used my drill press as a fret press before, just made a radius block from some hard sugar maple and it work pretty well. Thanks, Shad, that's good advice. But i doubt I'll ever progress past a fret hammer. Hammering frets in is one of my absolute favorite things in building. 
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| Author: | jeff.scott [ Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
I thought about using the drill press as a fret press. Thanks Shad, I'm sure that would work. |
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| Author: | helldunkel [ Fri Feb 18, 2011 4:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
When I studied guitar building, I was told to first finish the fingerboard, then apply the fret, the obvious reason is to prevent a build up of lacquer arround the frets which would crack off in the futur if the frets would need to be removed and all together make the job a real pain. I've recently built this model here, I finished the board with some matt acrylic lacquer before fretting it... 
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: When to finish a MAPLE fingerboard |
I've done it both ways. Prefer applying the finish after fretting. Also - did a few cyano finishes on maple fretboards. Takes extra care so you can breath, but it's so much faster than layers of lacquer. |
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