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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 22, 2019 at 9:05am

Hi, I use a fingerboard for a number of reasons. 

It adds strength or stability to the neck.

depending on what a neck is made of, a hardwood f/b will hold frets better

it allows for better nut fitting and break angle of strings to tuner posts

it easier to get the bridge height correct with the way I fit my necks to the box

it seperates a cheep looking instrument from a more quality instrument 

it does cover the truss rod channel, but you can have a rod in a neck without a f/b.

Bottom line....No you don't have to have a fingerboard.......if you got suitable neck timber.

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 22, 2019 at 1:13pm

A separate fret board is not a must. Just look at some Fender guitars and you'll see many have a hard maple neck with frets inserted directly into the maple.

I've built guitars with and without fret boards. Personally, I like adding a fret board in a contrasting wood color. It does add some strength to the neck, but with a good hardwood neck, not essential. It gets the string height up off the cigar box top, but if you cut a deeper step in the neck (where it intersects the box) you can accomplish pretty much the same thing.

In the end, I think it just a builder's choice. I like fret boards, but a lot of high end Fenders managed without them. Again an example of "No Rules".

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Permalink Reply by Road Rash Roy on February 22, 2019 at 2:27pm

Assuming you are building a through-neck design, a 1x2 (probably even an oak 1x2) will bow unless you build it up with a 1/4" fretboard on top.  I also add material to the bottom of the through neck inside the box, as well as a heel where the neck meets the outside of the box just to make sure.

Additionally, if you don't build up the fretboard, your nut and bridge will be too short--strings will be too close to the box for picking and won't deliver any volume.

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