Rolled edges?

[RS]

Is it possible to roll the fingerboard edges after the neck is fretted, or do you need to do this first? If so, how exactly do you do this?

Thanks.

 

[David Jayne]

You could do it with a large flat file. Remove the neck, remove the nut, slide the file down the edge the 'long' way. Finish with a sanding block, or radius block. Redress fret ends, if needed. Refinish.

 

[PilbaraBass]

Yes,

I’ve done this a couple of times…

I start with 320 grit wet-dry sandpaper (dry) and carefully go up and down the edge, smoothing the fretboard edge and knocking down the fret ends simultaneously…once I got the shape (doesn’t take much at all), I then go over it a little with 800 grit…

That’s it…done…takes about 10 minutes…

If you want, you can protect your frets & fretboard by laying down some masking tape first, lengthwise parallel to the edge…I haven’t bothered.

The effect I work towards is a "worn" edge not a "rolled" edge per say...
and yes it does make it nice and comfy

 

[erikbojerik]

I personally like the file better for this - sandpaper can erode the wood between the frets faster than the frets themselves.

If you're building a neck from scratch, knock down the fretboard edge before you fret - and nip the fret ends so they are just a wee bit more narrow than the board.

I HATE feeling fret tangs poke out!

 

[fenderphil]

i've heard of old blues guys using the side of a shot glass to roll the edges of their fretboard.

i've never been brave enough to try though...

 

[PilbaraBass]

I personally like the file better for this - sandpaper can erode the wood between the frets faster than the frets themselves.

If you're building a neck from scratch, knock down the fretboard edge before you fret - and nip the fret ends so they are just a wee bit more narrow than the board.

I HATE feeling fret tangs poke out!

I understand your concern , erik…however, I use a metal-grade wet-dry paper and I apply it to a hard flat surface (my sanding stick)…it then, in effect, becomes a pseudo file

and again, the effect I am after is a "worn" rather than "rolled" edge...so a little goes a long way

 

[PilbaraBass]

i've heard of old blues guys using the side of a shot glass to roll the edges of their fretboard.

i've never been brave enough to try though...

old blues guys would have 1million+1 uses for a shot glass…not the least of which is drinking shots