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screwed fret board

Posted by Richard Bender on August 30, 2011 at 8:03pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

 I am in process of building my second CBG.  I am attaching a walnut fret board to the neck.

I am not using any frets, but will mark where they go.  My question is can you screw the board to the neck or is glue the only way to go??  The screw would be counter sunk.

 

Rich

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Replies

  • 3 Fingered Ape August 17, 2013 at 9:15am

    I too screw and glue my fretboards I find it helps with aligning and of course with clamping. Maybe I'm anal (i am ) but I start the screws at the 9th fret and work both ways when the final fitting and gluing is done. Don't forget to sand the mating surfaces slightly before final assembly to make sure both surfaces are flat and free of any tear out from drilling. I also clamp at the first fret for insurance. Personally I like the look of the screws, as my skills as a builder increase it harkens back to the roots of where this all started. I like a highly finished and attractive CBG as much as the next guy but I also like the no rules approach to a handmade guitar using what is available.  

  • David McQueen August 16, 2013 at 4:42pm

    I always glue on the fret board, but I use brass screws as fret markers al the time. They are countersunk and don't affect the play at all.

  • c# merle September 10, 2011 at 7:44am
    done this a few times and covered up the heads with fret markers. no problems at all with neck issues

    Chuck Dubman said:

    Gluing seems like it'd make a stiffer neck, but you need lots of clamps.  OTOH, screws at positions 1, 3, 5, 7, etc would substitute for them well, nice, even pressure the length of the fretboard. Countersink a hair proud and sand level.  If you have a thick enough board, you can countersink deep and plug the bores with contrasting wood.

     

  • Chuck Dubman September 9, 2011 at 11:26pm

    Gluing seems like it'd make a stiffer neck, but you need lots of clamps.  OTOH, screws at positions 1, 3, 5, 7, etc would substitute for them well, nice, even pressure the length of the fretboard. Countersink a hair proud and sand level.  If you have a thick enough board, you can countersink deep and plug the bores with contrasting wood.

     

  • Richard G Caudill August 31, 2011 at 9:12pm
    Yes i have one that i did that way ,, used the screws heads for fret markers   ,,,  no issue s at all !!   3-5-7-9-12-15-17 etc.
    • John Lynn > Richard G Caudill August 16, 2013 at 5:35am

      Brilliant idea - will have to try this one! thanks...

  • Ron "Oily" Sprague August 31, 2011 at 12:51pm
    Richard,

    I'm pretty sure I've seen pics here on CBN, where several people glued and screwed a fretboard to the neck, with the screws acting as fret markers per Ryan's suggestion. The problem is searching through >45K photos on the site; not everyone has the time or inclination to tag them or comment them. But I know they exist. I seem to remember them from the 2009 series of build posts...

    Oily
  • Mungo Park August 31, 2011 at 11:54am

    Go with what Ryan said:

    If I were adding a fretboard, I would use glue myself, but I don't see why screws wouldn't work. Better yet, glue AND screws.  Screw at the 3rd fret, 5th fret,...

     

    Thinking the screwed only might not make a good contact, buzz, maybe a reduced transfer of sound, maybe not screw it on if it sucks you can undo it and add glue. I figure if you screw it the fret board is to thin to lay flat with screws only, countersink might not leave much "meat" to hold onto.  So how thick is your fretboard.   Cheers Ron.

  • Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw August 31, 2011 at 5:47am
    A glued fretboard will contribute more to the strength and stability of the neck than a screwed one. It's just possible that a screwed one might buzz (weather you see that as a drawback or a benefit is up to you).
  • Dan Sleep August 30, 2011 at 9:36pm
    Doesn't really matter. I make all of mine 1 inch and they are plenty loud.

    Richard Bender said:

    I think I will go ahead and glue the fret board to the neck.  Without frets should the soundholes be big or little??

     

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