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Rolled edges

How important are rolled edges to you?

  • Yes

    Votes: 124 64.2%

  • No

    Votes: 36 18.7%

  • Carrots

    Votes: 33 17.1%
  • Total voters
    193
  • Poll closed .
#81
For me rolled edges are a must on most basses and definitely on guitars. A sharp edge is a non starter. Rosewood is easy to roll if it isn't already. Maple is really difficult because you can crack the finish with the "crush" method or you'll tear it up if you file.

I am also extremely fussy about the shape of the fret ends. I'll always go over fret ends one by one with a diamond nail file. I like them round, not just bevel filed.
 
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#83
vindibona1 said:
Rosewood is easy to roll if it isn't already.
Maple is really difficult because you can crack the finish with the "crush" method or you'll tear it up if you file.
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This is what I was saying about maple with gloss poly finishes, I don't think they get rolled edges by playing them.
No matter how long you play them, your hands are not going to wear off the thick poly clear coat and radius the edges.
How they came from Peavey or Guild or Yamaha is how they are now after three or four decades.
And I'm glad that those companies took the time to do the edges before finish was applied.
 
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#85
Turnaround said:
Just a warning - this damages the wood and is not a good idea. The wood should be cut, not crushed.
Click to expand...
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#86
Turnaround said:
Just a warning - this damages the wood and is not a good idea. The wood should be cut, not crushed.
Click to expand...

Now you tell me! Probably not a biggie, as it barely did anything, so not very much wood damaged, and not very damaged. I bet I could have put a cut in a tomato with it, and now I doubt I could, but I wouldn't really call it "rolled" now. It's like I dulled the blade.
 
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#88
Turnaround said:
Just a warning - this damages the wood and is not a good idea. The wood should be cut, not crushed.
Click to expand...

With any of this one has to be careful, but I've done the crush method on several guitars with maple necks. I haven't damaged the wood yet but if the lacquer is brittle it will crack and then you have some retouching to do. Obviously rosewood is easier because you can sand it. It is recommended to take care of the fret ends first then do the edge rolling. While slow going, filing the fret ends one by one with a diamond nail file, with a little care and skilled touch you can make them round and smooth where you can't feel them at all. Best to do it in the winter when they are more exposed so that fret sprout never happens or comes back if you had it before.
 
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#91
Turnaround said:
If I crushed your fingers, would you call it damage? I maintain that crushing wood damages it.
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If I sanded the skin off your knuckles, would you call that damage? It might make more sense to explain how it affects the performance of the fretboard. Is it going to splinter? I could see that, but that kind of info would be more helpful.

edit: I can see calling it damage. But to me it's kind of a systematic dent. I have basses that have had dents on the neck for 30yrs. and it doesn't really seem to hurt anything, per se.
 
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#92
I’d never thought of rolled edges being a “thing” until I got a used 2012 Fender mim standard P-bass. The edges of the fretboard were a hard sharp right-angle on that and I found they dug in to the palm side of the knuckle joints of my fingers quite uncomfortably on the treble side of the neck.

I had to carefully sand the fretboard edges just to take the sharpness off. Fortunately it was rosewood so easy to do with no refinishing required.

Since then I got a (slightly) used Fender Jazz Pro1 and that has almost exactly the same slightly rounded edges. I’d assumed that was normal as all the basses I owned before the mim standard didn’t have sharp edges, just a slight rounding that was hardly noticeable, but comfortable to play.
 
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#93
KJMO said:
If I sanded the skin off your knuckles, would you call that damage? It might make more sense to explain how it affects the performance of the fretboard. Is it going to splinter? I could see that, but that kind of info would be more helpful.

edit: I can see calling it damage. But to me it's kind of a systematic dent. I have basses that have had dents on the neck for 30yrs. and it doesn't really seem to hurt anything, per se.
Click to expand...
Sanding and crushing have two very different affects on the wood structure. Sanding cuts into the wood and does not introduce internal stresses. Crushing, on the other hand does create internal stresses.
 
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#95
KJMO said:
What does the internal stress cause?
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Cancer. Ulcers. And in the case of fretboards, it can be somewhat unstable. If you crush some wood and then expose it to moisture it will often swell back. If it doesn't it's because the fibres have been ruptured. Why do that when there is a much better alternative?
 
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#97
marchone said:
Thanks for all the responses everyone. I just received a package from StewMac with a fret file and a set of micro pads. I’m going to work!

:bassist:
Click to expand...
Enjoy, and post pics of your results. The first board I did was Rosewood, and I just fastened a strip of sandpaper to a wooden tongue depressor, using double-sided tape. Worked well, and gave me a great degree of control over the shaping of the wood.
 
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