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Carvin LB75 ressurection

#181
I had a little time today so I drilled and installed the side markers, touched up the fret slots where needed and smooth sanded the surface of the fretboard. Drilled for locating pins on either end at the first and 23rd frets. I'll install all the other frets before gluing the board down and put these two in after then level and crown. Getting there slowly.
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#183
Reedt2000 said:
That looks fantastic :thumbsup:

I'm really enjoying watching this old Carvin get a 2nd lease on life. As a kid before the internet I used to drool over the Carvin catalog and every one I've had has been a really solid bass. When are you gonna route for the MM bridge pickup? :smug:
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Probably not install a MM pickup. I am more thinking of changing the preamp to 18 volt for more headroom and tweaking the EQ centers if possible. I played it first through a Yamaha Hundred115B head into a Vox VR212 and there was nothing missing from the tone so I may not even have to bother with upgrades. I still have one of their catalogs from 1980 I believe.
 
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#185
Fretwire time. I use a jewellers vise to hold the wire while I clean up the ends with a large file.
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Then notch the ends with the large file finishing with a smaller one.
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Lastly pressing it in with brass caul in my drill press.
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Level the ends to the edge of the fretboard with the large file and on to the next.
 
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#186
#188
I assume the question is more related to the notion of the frets causing the neck to develop a back bow. I see no reason why pressing them in would be any different than hammering them in.

@Slidlow, so you just notch your ends "by hand" then? No fancy fret end nippers? Do you fill the fret slot on the sides of the board, or just leave it alone?
 
#189
TerribleTim68 said:
I assume the question is more related to the notion of the frets causing the neck to develop a back bow. I see no reason why pressing them in would be any different than hammering them in.

@Slidlow, so you just notch your ends "by hand" then? No fancy fret end nippers? Do you fill the fret slot on the sides of the board, or just leave it alone?
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Point one - yeah probably what he was asking. The board may bow backwards if it is real hard, the slots are cut narrow or the fret wire tang is too wide for the slot. So far I haven't had any issue and once attached should not give any issue. I have never seen frets installed causing a back bow to the whole neck but maybe under some circumstances.

Yes by hand. I'm pretty proficient at it and it doesn't take me long and I find it soothing. I guess if I was going to do a lot more I would invest in a quicker way. I do fill the ends with a mix of epoxy and sanding dust collected while profiling the fretboard. Dark boards like this and the fill will be near invisible. Light woods may need the fret tang out to the edge (which I do not like) or some binding plan to hide the ends.
 
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#190
Slidlow said:
...Yes by hand. I'm pretty proficient at it and it doesn't take me long and I find it soothing. I guess if I was going to do a lot more I would invest in a quicker way. I do fill the ends with a mix of epoxy and sanding dust collected while profiling the fretboard. Dark boards like this and the fill will be near invisible. Light woods may need the fret tang out to the edge (which I do not like) or some binding plan to hide the ends.
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I'm loving this. :cool: Yeah, for sure. I thought I was gonna hate doing things like neck carving or fret work, but if you just get lost in it, it's actually quite nice. For my first build I just left the tangs visible on the ends. I've internally debated doing some sort of an angled cut/file instead of a notch and then filling the slot like you do. I dunno, nobody seems to do that, so maybe it's a bad idea.
 
#192
TerribleTim68 said:
I'm loving this. :cool: Yeah, for sure. I thought I was gonna hate doing things like neck carving or fret work, but if you just get lost in it, it's actually quite nice. For my first build I just left the tangs visible on the ends. I've internally debated doing some sort of an angled cut/file instead of a notch and then filling the slot like you do. I dunno, nobody seems to do that, so maybe it's a bad idea.
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I have filed the ends angled and used a filler as well. It works but you need to get the fret length exact and keep it lined up with the edges while pressing it in.
 
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#193
I used magnifying goggles and the dremel with a tiny cutoff wheel to trim the fret ends on the last bass.
It was time consuming and I had to be careful not to dig in too hard, as to not heat the frets up too much, or bust my cutoff wheel, but once I got into a rhythm, it wasn't horrible.
Like mentioned, it was for one bass and I wouldn't do it by hand for 20 basses in a row.
 
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