Time to complete some old projects

[Slidlow]

After searching though the wood pile I found some curly maple that can give me a fretboard and headstock overlay sooooo I have another possibility. I haven't done a maple fretboard so this might be the time to try it. I can put a layer of walnut down first to delineate between the neck and fretboard.

 

[dwizum]

Well now I think you're obligated! I love maple fretboards. And I think it's a challenge sometimes to put a dark fretboard on a bass with a walnut top since you end up with two different dark woods next to each other, which can be hard to coordinate well.

 

[Slidlow]

Well now I think you're obligated! I love maple fretboards. And I think it's a challenge sometimes to put a dark fretboard on a bass with a walnut top since you end up with two different dark woods next to each other, which can be hard to coordinate well.

Yes I am thinking we have a winner here. Plus I think it will be nice to do something interesting for all the left handed players out there. I don't think they get enough love.

 

[dwizum]

Speaking as a lefty, that is definitely true! Thank you, on behalf of lefties everywhere!

 

[Slidlow]

Speaking as a lefty, that is definitely true! Thank you, on behalf of lefties everywhere!

And depending on the pickups I have some interesting coil pan/switching ideas I may incorporate.

 

[Slidlow]

Ode to the clamp gods for the walnut veneer.

 

[Slidlow]

One thing with maple neck though is what to do about fret ends? Should I slot and bind to hide them? Or just file them flush and let them show? If I bind the neck shall I use more maple or a colored binding? Choices choices.

 

[Reedt2000]

One thing with maple neck though is what to do about fret ends? Should I slot and bind to hide them? Or just file them flush and let them show? If I bind the neck shall I use more maple or a colored binding? Choices choices.

Maple binding would be slick.

 

[Slidlow]

Maple binding would be slick.

I agree but I don't have matching curly maple to make binding from and the piece for the fretboard is not wide enough to cut from it either. I'm trying to use what's on hand. Maybe if I have to use plain maple I might put a layer of walnut in between to break it up?

 

[Reedt2000]

I agree but I don't have matching curly maple to make binding from and the piece for the fretboard is not wide enough to cut from it either. I'm trying to use what's on hand. Maybe if I have to use plain maple I might put a layer of walnut in between to break it up?

That would look cool. The other way I've seen of hiding fret tangs is cutting the slot so it doesn't extend all the way across and snipping the tangs off of the ends of the frets. This is the result:

I assume they do it with precision C&C machinery. Warwick calls it "invisible fret technology".

 

[Reedt2000]

The second picture looks like you can just see an edge where a same material binding was attached.

I don't think so, it looks like the reflection of the 1st string in the fingerboard. If you look further in, the 2nd & 3rd strings reflect the same way.

 

[dwizum]

I'd think about slicing the sides off the fretboard blank, slotting the board, then inserting some walnut veneer (which will take up the width lost to the saw kerf), and gluing the "edges" back on as binding.

I've done this on a few ukes and I have loved the result.

 

[Slidlow]

I'd think about slicing the sides off the fretboard blank, slotting the board, then inserting some walnut veneer (which will take up the width lost to the saw kerf), and gluing the "edges" back on as binding.

I've done this on a few ukes and I have loved the result.

View attachment 4008197

Yes I thought of that but I am not sure I have the width.

 

[Beej]

I don't see a reflection but I do see a grain pattern that looks a little different then the actual fretboard.

My computer monitor is a 65" 4K tv - from this vantage point, it looks like a reflection from the thinnest string nearest the camera. I can see the reflection where it travels over the fret, across the fret reflected on the board, and then into the reflection of the string on the fretboard.

 

[Reedt2000]

Not the clearest of shots, but you can see the slots don't extend to the edges and the tangs are trimmed.

 

[Slidlow]

Glued some wings on the headstock.

Cut a piece of walnut veneer to go on before adding a maple overlay.

Veneer glued with obligatory clamp shot.

I'll put a walnut veneer on the back as well.

 

[Slidlow]

I scrounged a piece of nogal (same as in the neck) that I will use to bind the fretboard.

 

[Slidlow]

Here's a couple of shots of the lefty with the veneer added to the neck and headstock. I will add a veneer to the back of the headstock to cover the scarf joint. Next is to prep the fretboard and headstock overlay.

 

[Slidlow]

So when the time comes I am going to try a Tru-oil finish. I've done other oil finishes so it will be interesting to see how this product works.

 

[Beej]

Well, at least you got enough for 50 guitars.