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I'm getting ready to fret my second guitar and was wondering if glueing them in is the norm....or just pess and be done!

Thanks,
Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

It boils down to slot width to tang width ratio. MichaelP38814.5006481481

I guess I could explain a bit more If the slot is tight enough to hold the tang, gluing is not required, however too tight can lead to chiping and slot spreading and there by fretboard bowing. I press only through the 12th and widthen the slots a little on 13th on and glue them by wicking in thin CA. This helps to eliminate down bow on the extension.

Thanks Michael,

How do you widen the frets a tad? what do you use?

Thanks,
Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

I use an exacto backsaw blade that cuts a .028" kerf. It is a china made saw blade(an Exacto hobbie knife-saw knock-off). I use StewMac's Med/Med fretwire. Standard dry fit kerf for it is .023" so this enlarges the kerf by .005"

I use a fret barber from stewmac and thin out the tang a bit then I press them in the slots and wick in some ca. This method I think is really the best of both worlds, 1st off you don't get too much back bow in the fingerboard when pressing them in and 2nd you still have a nice tight fit between the tang and the slot. I build mostly classicals and I changed from fretting on the neck to fretting the fingerboard before it's attached. I then sand the sides of the neck flush to the sides of the fingerboard using a robosander indexed off the fingerboard side as a template, works great! An added benefit is I can bevel the edge of the frets before it's on the guitar and that keeps the guitar from possibly getting scratched or damaged.