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This probably doesn't apply to those who use only dovetail neck joints, but if you use mortise & tenon either pegged or bolt on, I have a question. When do you fret?
StewMac info shows fretting the unmounted fret board, Cumpiano, the method I'm following mostly, attaches the fret board to the neck then installs all frets before attaching neck to body, other books I have show attaching the neck first then doing all the fretting on the completed structure. I know I need to attach the neck beforehand for all the fitting, etc., but is there any problem in installing all frets before the neck is attached?

Thanks,
Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

My necks are removable like Taylors so I fret after I apply the finish and before I assemble. I have a jig that I use to hold the tongue while I hammer in those frets. I also use a little stanly deadblow that should be mandatory for anyone doing frets, when I get home tonight I'll post a link to them, they are small and thin and are PERFECT for fretting...

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Thanks, Paul
My neck is removable, too. I made the jig in Cumpiano's book that clamps on the tenon for fretting the extension, Is that the jig you use?

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Pretty much with some modifications, I use a barrel bolt system as well. I got the original tenon idea from Cumpiano's website and then modified it some...

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Ron, do what your comfortable doing. Both ways are fine. I never fret first, I always attach the neck completely, glue down the extension, then fret. This allows me to level the fretboard after its been attached.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I'm with Lance on this one. I want to get it all glued down and then sand it dead level, or as level as possible. That gives the best results, at least for me.

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I appreciate your input fellows. I'm a little aprehensive about hammering over the soundboard (My first guitar), but I suppose I need to learn sometime. I'll probably just follow Cumpiano on this first one since I have all the info and pictures to help.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Hi Ron

I recently changed over to fretting on the body, I had always used the method you describe, and had avoided doing the fretting on the body as I was aprehensive too.

With the correct setup, carefully cut slots and a good support method for the fingerboard extension, it is not as bad as you might imagine, it is also a big advantage being able to level the fingerboard once installed.

Ron,
Hammering over the body is not a problem, I lay a thin sheet of cork on both sides of the extension,(Just in case) but really, your target is pretty big and hard to miss

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Thanks guys,

Lance, do you use a fret buck, or bag of shot, or what?

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I use a bolt-on neck, and that lets me bolt the neck on the guitar and level it before fretting and then remove it (if I want to) and put the frets in place.
I use a drill press with the Stew-mac fretting cauls to press in the frets. I can't believe how much I like that method over tapping them in.
I also try to use the term "tapping" since I have dealt with helping a lot of people on the 'net who are just getting started with fretting and when you say "hammer" they think you really need to slam those frets HARD, when really tapping with the wrist is all you need to do. No swinging from the elbow here, if you are pounding that hard then something is wrong!

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Thanks, Mark
This sounds just like the method I was thinking of.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Lance,

What happens once you put on the strings and the neck comes under string tension? Do you get back to your level fingerboard via trussrod adjustment or do your necks stay put? I find that I have to anticpate/calculate where the string tension will move the neck/fingerboard to and build this into the neck set, and so I tend to level my fingerboards before I attach the neck, and also have my fingerboard extension unglued.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010