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Rip Topaz

Rip Topaz

Aug 12, 2005
8,664
918
Willow Street, PA
#1
Hi everyone. I've built 6 basses now, all fretless but one. Not quite tooled up enough yet to install frets on my own, plus have never done it yet.
I have a customer that wants a fretted instrument. Is there somewhere I can buy a Fretboard already fretted? I know several places sell them pre-slotted, but that doesn't really help my cause.
Anyone know of a supplier for pre-fretted boards?
 
#2
You can buy pre-fretted entire necks, and pre slotted/radiused fingerboards, but I've never seen pre-fretted fingerboards, most likely because neck dimensions are nowhere close to standardized.

Fretting isn't that hard, just take your time. Maybe get Dan Erlewine's book/video series. Also, practice on scrap first. :D
 
#3
Some luthier supplies places will do a fingerboard blank pre-slotted - the supplier I used for my first Bass did for me, I just had to specify the scale length, and how many frets. He's in England though, so it would probably cost too much to have just that sent to you.

Maybe you could ask one of the luthiers here to slot one for you - from what I've seen, a lot of the people on here could do it in a matter of minutes! :)
 
#7
I do plan on learning to do fretwork. Looking forward to it. However, that doesn't help in the immediate future.
As for making friends, hi!! Nice to meet you. I'm Paul. :)
I'm the only one I know of in my neck of the woods doing any building, so any education I get will be through books, videos and online study.
 
#12
I 'm able to teach high school kids to do descent fret work every year: it's not that dicficult. I'd suggest getting a pre-slotted/pre radiused fingerboard from lmii or others. and get two: one to practice on and one to do for keeps.

I personally think that the radiused cauls from stewmac are great . you can buy the fret pressing caul and radiused piece and use it in a drill press. very consistent fret work even the first time out. use some CA glue to lock everything in and take your time on the leveling and fret dressing. the Stew-mak how-to into is great as well.

if you're serious about building instruments (and it appears that you are) you might as well get the hang of fretting. the suggestion that you find someone close by that is good at fretting and maybe even pay to pick their brains.....

you'll do fine with patience and practice!

karl
 
#16
The hold up for me isn't the slotting. It's the pressing. And learning to do it properly. I've got the fretless thing down, just haven't gotten all the proper tools for the job of fretting.
I know we have a search function, but for the sake of keeping all my thoughts in the same place, what are the necessary tools I'm gonna need for this? I'm pretty well tooled up for every other aspect of building, but if someone has some pointers, I'm all ears.
 
#17
Rip Topaz said:
The hold up for me isn't the slotting. It's the pressing. And learning to do it properly.
Click to expand...

I still haven't "upgraded" to pressing in my frets. I have the Stew-Mac dual-face hammer, and it works very well. I trick I have been doing lately to ensure that the frets are well seated is to tap the fret in (always pre-radius!), then tap it slightly sideways in the channel, causing the barbs on the fret tang to dig in, and making is to they don't align with the "gaps" they made going in. Seems to work pretty well.

I then just dribble a tiny bit of water-thin CA glue through the fret slot from one side of the fingerboard, and capillary action draws it on through, sealing in the fret. God, I hope they never have to come out. LOL :hiding:
 
#20
if you're going to build basses with 5 or more strings, the StewMac arbor press is overpriced and doesn't quite have enough throat room for a neck that accommodates a 20mm bridge spacing

you'd be better off finding an arbor press at Harbor Freight or some similar place. I got my 2 Ton press for around $65 at a Jet/Powermatic/Performax dent & scratch outlet. I can easily press frets for a 9-string if I ever needed to

http://www.jettools.com/us/manufacturing/en/product.html?node=7964&product=184709

all the best,

R
 

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