Fixing Neck Warpage after Fretboard Removal

Baron Von Vik · #1 12-06-2011, 11:13 AM

Gosh dang it.

I'm working on a fretless conversion project, with my free Dean Playmate acoustic-electric bass.

I removed the rosewood fretboard and the bridge, started sanding and refinishing the soundboard in preparation for glueing in the new bloodwood fingerboard.

In the middle of this process, I noticed that the neck (with fingerboard off, Dean says it's mahogany, has a very solid truss BTW) is now beginning to warp from about north of midpoint to the headstock. I assume this is due to the wood drying out while I worked on the other stuff.

The headstock is twisting slightly to the left (as seen from above).

I can physically, with little effort, twist the neck back to true.

In your experience, should I expend the effort to try to steam the neck back into shape? Or any other method you can suggest to true it? Since the fingerboard will be a thick piece of bloodwood (since it'll be fretless, has to be taller to compensate for fret height) It might give it the structural strength it needs to stay true...

Or since it was, after all, a Dean AEB that was given to me in lieu of discarding it anyway, should i just chuck it in the dumpster and chalk it up to experience?

I'd rather keep it, because it's been a fun little project, but if it's not salvageable c'est la vie. Thanks- Vik

Baron Von Vik · #2 12-06-2011, 08:39 PM

"...And then this guy walked in saying something about Fralin vs Nordstrand, and how he liked the mids boosted just a little more..."

Ooops. Sorry, just a little background conversation there, nothing too important. Welcome to my thread. Make yourself at home.

Baron Von Vik · #3 12-08-2011, 10:14 AM

*crickets*

202dy · #4 12-08-2011, 11:00 AM

How long has the fingerboard been off the neck? Fingerboard removal and replacement is generally regarded as a same day job. The reason is that weird things can happen when previously mated laminations part ways for any length of time, as is the case here.

mordechai · #5 12-08-2011, 09:37 PM

This thread would probably do better in the luthiers corner.

Good luck with it, post pics!

Baron Von Vik · #6 12-09-2011, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 202dy

How long has the fingerboard been off the neck? Fingerboard removal and replacement is generally regarded as a same day job. The reason is that weird things can happen when previously mated laminations part ways for any length of time, as is the case here.

It's been a week and a half. Plus the weather's been weird here, really cold at night and warm during the day.

I'll see what I can do about switching forums, thanks.

202dy · #7 12-09-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron Von Vik

It's been a week and a half. Plus the weather's been weird here, really cold at night and warm during the day.

I'll see what I can do about switching forums, thanks.

This is repair work. The post is in the right forum.

Advice is difficult without measurements or seeing the amount of deflection. All measurements should be taken with no tension on the truss rod. The first measurement would be to place a long straight edge on both sides of the neck to determine the amount of deflection. Less than .020" shouldn't be much of a problem. The second would be to place winding sticks on the body and at the nut to determine the amount of twist. Less than 1 degree is acceptable. If the neck meets these parameters, gluing the new fingerboard should bring the neck back to spec.

Much more than either and you might want to consider a thicker fingerboard. The original fingerboard is approximately 1/8". A new fingerboard at 3/16" will probably do the trick. The bridge will require a taller saddle to accompany the thicker fingerboard.