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Hi all you kind and experienced repair dudes! I have to change a fret board on a Yamaha BB5000AF 5 string fretless bass. The owner has had the bass since new (about 12 years) and has annually sanded down his rosewood fingerboard to 'clean and level it" to where now there ain't much left. Colonial Steve has shipped a nice BRW chunk for me to replace the existing FB. This bass has an almond 'autobody' type paint job that looks like it overlaps the FB a bit.

Here is what I plan to do:

1) heat up the fret board with a clothes iron to loosen the glue (should I score the paint first? I am not sure where the board and the neck meet really until I get a corner of the board lifted)
2) using a hot knife (putty knife) and iron keep working the board off, starting at the body end of the FB
3) Once the FB is off use it as template to pattern rout the new board so that it is exactly the same size as the old one (if I get it off in one piece!).
4) Clean up all of the old glue off the neck and check out the truss rod (he says that it isn't working anymore and is hard to turn, I suspect he has bottomed it out from adjusting for his very thin FB and that the truss rod is just fine once we back it off and get some meat back onto the neck).
5) Arc the new FB, I think it is something flat like 23.625 inch radius (I got that from the newer Yamaha 5 string specss with a 34 in. scale length)
6) Glue the puppy down with hide glue and make the final finishing adjustments. He is not worried about the finish interface appearance between the finger board and the neck but does want it smooth to the touch.

Am I missing anything here or is there a better way to do some or all of this?

He has also asked about a much smaller radius, like 10 inches or so (my numbers not his, he just wanted 'more curve' because some of the top players have 'more curve'). Any comments on this for a 5 string? He is quite a good player but I have suggested to start with the shallower curve and adjust if he wants something different after we get the bass back into playable condition.

I look forward to your wise sage advice and comments

Thanks in advance.

ShaneShane Neifer38708.761724537

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Canada

Hi Shane,
I think you have the basic concept right except I would do a few things a little different:

1) I probably wouldn't use an iron to heat the fret board. I use S.M.'s tool it 's basically a chunk of metal...the important part is I put a surface thermometer on it so I don't get it too hot.
2) I would use something thinner than a spatula to get started. Again, I use S.M. tools BUT an old fishing filet knife that you dull down would be excellent.
3) When you work off the F.B. try not to gouge or otherwise damage the top of the neck...you don't want to ruin what is an otherwise flat surface(should be anyway)
4) Don't use the fret board for a templet...After cooling they tend to shrink and warp somewhat. They make nice wind chimes and are also good for future repairs. Use the neck itself if you need a templet...but I wouldn't make a templet myself. I would make sure the new blank has a nice flat square edge and bottom and then I would slot ( using my S.M. table saw setup), radius the board ( using Craig Holden's radius machine), and then finaly taper to approximate size.

5) Next I would bring the F.B. close to actual dimension. Get a good clear center line and make sure it is square/parallel to the frets. make sure everything lines up square...drill some pin holes to make sure the F.B. doesn't shift during glue up and after gluing the fretboard to the neck I would clean up the slight overage that was left.

6) Even though you were careful and used a razor to score the paint/f.b. line there will probably be some touch up work needed. I hate this part. I realy dislike finish repair work...but it's part of the whole job so be prepared for it. Experiment on some scrap to see if you can get a good blend. I hope you are getting well paid for this!

Next year we he want's the fret board sanded hit him in the head with a hammer...when he wakes tell him your all done!

Good luck! Have a Merry Christmas!

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Thanks a lot Dave. I don't have all of the SM stuff but I can make up reasonable facsimiles. I will let you know how it goes (probably cause I am going to need more advice )

Shane

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Canada

No problem...ask away!

p.s. the reason I slot first is for accuracy, I then radius ( because some times there is tear out radiusing with the machine. Tapering after radiusing usually allows the tear out to happen on the outside of the taper, thus being cut off in the tapering process). If you are going to radius by hand then you can taper first if you like. I used to wait until the F.B. was glued on to the neck and the neck was on the guitar and then radius with long, pre-radiused sanding blocks. Dave-SKG38708.8386921296

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Sorry to bare the bad news Dave, Shane said that the guitar is fretless.

One less thing to worry bout'

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

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Thanks again Dave, this instrument is fretless, makes things a bit easier!

Shane

_________________
Canada

That must be a pacific time thing there eh Shane.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"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

Yup...can you imagine, two keyboards, two towns, the same thing at the same time. Better buy a lottery ticket!

_________________
Canada

Ya, it's at 20 mill, I'll split it with you if you win.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"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

HEY! That's supposed to be my line!

_________________
Canada

[QUOTE=Shane Neifer] Thanks again Dave, this instrument is fretless, makes things a bit easier!

Shane[/QUOTE]

DUH! I guess it would help for me to read the question correctly before giving the answer...never mind!

p.s. well I still mean what I said about the filet knife and the templet...and the hammer! I think I'll use it on myself a bit!

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Thanks for all of your help Dave, I really do appreciate it.

The best of the holiday season my friend

Shane

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Canada