Double Bass Fingerboard glue...

[RobZon5]

Hi folks,
I'm refinishing a Merchant Vertical bass, and have noticed the glue between the fingerboard and neck keeps seeping out, just enough to form a little ridge up both sides of the neck at the seam. I've sanded it off three times since late January. I did not replace the board, but It may have been removed to repair the neck crack. This can't be normal is it? I'm new to the "upright" world. Any ideas what is happening? Additionally, the bass lived in Colorado, prior to it's current home in southern Louisiana. Altitude and humidity? I'm thinking humidity is the cause. Question is: "What should I do?"
Wait for all of the glue to ooze out and watch the fingerboard fall off? Remove the excess every mornin' and pretend nothing is wrong? Cover it with a thin layer of discarded lingere? Please advise

Thanks for readin'

 

[Damon Rondeau]

I'm not a luthier, but I've spent a fair time hangin' and bangin' with wood and glues.

Your glue is oozing out the seam? On a continuous basis?

Any type of glue for wood -- once set -- will not ooze like that. That's why I think something has gone fairly drastically wrong with the fingerboard replacement on your bass. The wrong substance used as glue, wrongly applied, something like that.

Some adhesives will ooze and run when they're heated up, but by no stretch of the imagination is what you're looking at normal.

Take it to a luthier for a consultation on exactly what you're looking at there. Methinks the board should come off and be properly adhered to the neck.

 

[Nick Lloyd]

Wow, this is a new one to me...
Your move from south to north would actually be a wet-to-dry move. I can't imagine low humidity causing any glue to seep out of a joint. The board has been taken off (previously) and reglued? Have you tried asking the repairperson what adhesive they used?

 

[Paul Warburton]

Wow, this is a new one to me...
Your move from south to north would actually be a wet-to-dry move. I can't imagine low humidity causing any glue to seep out of a joint. The board has been taken off (previously) and reglued? Have you tried asking the repairperson what adhesive they used?

nick, he said Colorado-Kentucky didn't he...North to South.

I have no interest in this thread....I just like to tell nick when he's being dyslexic. LOL
Actually, I had this happen to a bass I had in a center join. I just wiped it out and it was cool. Iguess just too much glue. This was hide glue for sure and the bass was fairly old. Mine was in Colorado, but not a recent move. The bass had been here for many years.

 

[Damon Rondeau]

If this glue is liquid enough to ooze, how can it possibly be adhering the board to the neck? I guess it only needs a little bit of good adhesion in there to do the job, but I dunno...

RZ5, if you take the scrapings of this ooze between your fingers and gently rub 'em together while in a bowl of water or a slightly running tap, what happens? If it dissolves and goes away from your fingers completely, plus it has a slightly funky dead-animal-like smell, it's likely to be hide.

Various carpenters glues -- yellow, white or brown -- have a familiar texture from school days. Rub it between your fingers and it will roll up into booger-like thingies.

Epoxy will smell like plastic or solvent.

Then there's that Gorilla Glue stuff. It does a kind of oozing foamy thing as it dries (I hate that foamy thing, reasonably or not; never used the stuff more than once). You're not getting foam outta there, are you?

Anyhoo, the type of glue is probably moot. IMO, it can't be good and I'd have a luthier look at it for a diagnosis and RX.

 

[RobZon5]

Wow, this is a new one to me...
Your move from south to north would actually be a wet-to-dry move. I can't imagine low humidity causing any glue to seep out of a joint. The board has been taken off (previously) and reglued? Have you tried asking the repairperson what adhesive they used?

It was North to South, Colorado to NOLA. It's usually a slooow ooze, the stuff is pretty thick, very soft at first, but after a few days it's almost crispy. The neck was repaired two owners ago, so tracing the source is improbable. Someone told me they had the same thing on their new Eminence, and another person suggested that it's the hide glue absorbing the humidity down here in the swamp. The other day, after the final coat of Stew-Mac "Master Gel," it was particularly prominent. With that coat, I worked the gel onto the sides of the fingerboard just to see what it would look like. (since scraped off) The previous coat, where nothing happend (of note), I avoided getting anything on the board... and kept the gel away from the seam. I think it's just the hide glue absorbing moisture and slooowly squeezing out. It's like REALLY REALLY thick rubber cement at first, then becomes pretty crispy. I'm pretty surprised it's not more recognized. hmm... I need to network with some other New Orleans bassists I guess. Thanks y'all!

 

[Nick Lloyd]

.sometimes around turned things get I

Gary Bartig, the designer/importer of Eminence, is a very approachable guy. Maybe you could try emailing him... check the Luthier's Directory at Bobby G's site. He would certainly know what they used at the factory.





(Off topic- I don't know who "T Sony" is, but I like his Supporting Member photo. Think she plays bass?)

 

[Jeff Bollbach]

.sometimes around turned things get I

Sometimes more than once! Merchant, not Bartig you llunatic!

 

[Nick Lloyd]

Okay, I should really just edit out my previous two posts. But, I might end up deleting everything I ever posted...

Is there Talkbass Remedial Class that I should be in? Maybe it's the fumes getting to me... sorry y'all.