Fingerboard Supplier?

[boingboing]

Hi!

I'd like to know where I can find fingerboards, a maple fingerboard, and if possible pre slotted for frets... does anyone know a place?

Thank you

 

[metlking]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood.html

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You have got to be kidding me...

This is a gift from God!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not a luthier by any mean, but I hope I won't have too much trouble to change it

Any tips you would give to a total but very willing beginner? ;P

 

[metlking]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You have got to be kidding me...

This is a gift from God!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not a luthier by any mean, but I hope I won't have too much trouble to change it

Any tips you would give to a total but very willing beginner? ;P

No problem! Glad I could help! :friday:

I have no tips other than: Be honest with yourself. If you're unsure have a professional do it! The job is beyond my ablity, for sure!

What kind of guitar are we talking about anyway?

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

No problem! Glad I could help! :friday:

I have no tips other than: Be honest with yourself. If you're unsure have a professional do it! The job is beyond my ablity, for sure!

What kind of guitar are we talking about anyway?

You definately did!!!!!!

It's beyond your ability? Oh... well it definately is beyond mine too then

But I'll still give it a shot ;P

It is a 2008 Ibanez RGT6EXFX Basswood body with bound Rosewood fingerboard...

And it sounds muddy :28: It's like, a metal guitar, originally came with EMG 81/85... so

I want it to shine and ring... it's my only guitar and I really care about it lol...

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You want to replace a bound fretboard on a neck thru guitar because it sounds "muddy" to you?

Please hear me when I tell you that you are about to destroy that guitar. Replacing a fretboard is no small task, and if you have no idea what you are doing, forget it.

Change the pups, sell the guitar, or pay a pro to do the work.

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You want to replace a bound fretboard on a neck thru guitar because it sounds "muddy" to you?

Please hear me when I tell you that you are about to destroy that guitar. Replacing a fretboard is no small task, and if you have no idea what you are doing, forget it.

Change the pups, sell the guitar, or pay a pro to do the work.

I have read some instructions, and I definately not plan to make any quick moves... I'll take all the time it takes.

I don't know any luthier around, and I exaggerate when I say it's muddy. It's just not clear enough for my tastes, basically.

What is so hard in doing this? You melt the glue, gently remove the fretboard, glue the new one in place (it should fit, right?), gently hammer the frets...

The thing I wonder the most is if fits right in place? Of course I don't know exactly what I am doing, I am by no mean a luthier, but there is a beginning to everything right?

 

[aloymetal]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

wow.... sounds intresting.
tell us the progress if u really do it.
change to ebony board?

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You want to replace a bound fretboard on a neck thru guitar because it sounds "muddy" to you?

Please hear me when I tell you that you are about to destroy that guitar. Replacing a fretboard is no small task, and if you have no idea what you are doing, forget it.

Change the pups, sell the guitar, or pay a pro to do the work.

A Major +1 !! I removed a rosewood board on a junker,Just to test my skills. I can tell you it's a long, painstaking & tedious task. Even for pro's with the proper tools (i.e.) Heated blades & steam tools.Lets say hypothetically you do mange to remove the board without destroying the instrument? Replacing the board is not as easy as just gluing some wood together . You have be sure the scale length is proper or the guitar will never intonate , Then you have to do a fret job, And leaveling !!:eyecrazy:

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

wow.... sounds intresting.
tell us the progress if u really do it.
change to ebony board?

Well, I really gave up on that guitar anyway, so I'm probably going for it either way...

Ebony, is it better, brighter than maple? What is the difference?

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

A Major +1 !! I removed a rosewood board on a junker,Just to test my skills. I can tell you it's a long, painstaking & tedious task. Even for pro's with the proper tools (i.e.) Heated blades & steam tools.Lets say hypothetically you do mange to remove the board without destroying the instrument? Replacing the board is not as easy as just gluing some wood together . You have be sure the scale length is proper or the guitar will never intonate , Then you have to do a fret job, And leaveling !!:eyecrazy:

Yeah... it seems really hard... I know... what I don't understand is the binding thing... will it melt too? I can't remove it since it's against the finish of the guitar.

Seems like a complicated task... especially with the binding.

 

[pzaxtl]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You want to replace a bound fretboard on a neck thru guitar because it sounds "muddy" to you?

Please hear me when I tell you that you are about to destroy that guitar. Replacing a fretboard is no small task, and if you have no idea what you are doing, forget it.

Change the pups, sell the guitar, or pay a pro to do the work.

Spot on! Advice you'd do well to heed!

Well, I really gave up on that guitar anyway, so I'm probably going for it either way...

Ebony, is it better, brighter than maple? What is the difference?

Apparently, you're determined to trash this guitar. Too bad. At least you'll learn something in the process, but I can guarantee you it won't be how to replace a fingerboard. Good luck!

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

Spot on! Advice you'd do well to heed!




Apparently, you're determined to trash this guitar. Too bad. At least you'll learn something in the process, but I can guarantee you it won't be how to replace a fingerboard. Good luck!

You don't have to scare me more than I am about this, I know the risks...

I was explaining that if I was willing to take the risk, it was because I was dissatisfied with my guitar. I made a mistake of buying this kind of guitar, I did.

I'm still thinking... and I wish I could get some advices instead of warnings...

Of course, I'm still uncertain about it, but, some advices on procedures wouldn't hurt

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

You're joking about the fretboard, right?

Sounds to me like you're about to ruin a really nice guitar.

I think there are some mods you could do to your guitar that would be much cheaper and easier than a new fretboard. I don't think a new fretboard will make a dramatic difference--much less so than tuners, nut, saddle, strings, pickups, pots and frets.

Heck, I'd say replace the body with an ash body or even a maple-capped mahogany body. That would be a major improvement in brightness and clarity over the basswood and much, much simpler and cheaper.

If you really want some good advice and not just a "warning" (especially since you're not listening anyway), BEFORE you hack up your guitar--go enroll in the Roberto-Venn luthiery school, or the program at GIT in Hollywood. Your local community college might even have a luthery course or program.

Otherwise,....

Bill

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

One final thing to consider before you hack up this guitar. Changing the fret board is going to do very little to nothing about the sound.

If you don't care for it now, you will not care for it with a new board.

Sell the guitar, and buy something else.

 

[boingboing]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

One final thing to consider before you hack up this guitar. Changing the fret board is going to do very little to nothing about the sound.

If you don't care for it now, you will not care for it with a new board.

Sell the guitar, and buy something else.

I disagree. Or at least disagree with the little to nothing, because to me, it's very evident.

But I guess I'll try to sell it instead...

Thanks...

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

I disagree. Or at least disagree with the little to nothing, because to me, it's very evident.

If you wanna see if you'll be able to do this kind of job, I can tell you right away you won't.

But it'll be very funny to see the actual butchery. Go ahead and document every single step of the way, and post it here. We'll be here, and with lots of popcorn.

HTH,

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

Is a 2008 Ibanez RGT6EXFX Basswood body with bound Rosewood fingerboard...

And it sounds muddy :28: It's like, a metal guitar, originally came with EMG 81/85... so

I want it to shine and ring... it's my only guitar and I really care about it lol...

OK. Sell those EMGs (some people appreciate'em) and get a '59N / C5. That's your best bet with that kind of wood.

You've gotta redo the electrics of the guitar as well.

CTS 500K Linear taper for Volume, CTS 500K Audio taper for tone, .022 100V Orange Drop cap. Wire it with the '50s mod and you'll be golden.

HTH,

 

[aloymetal]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

Well, I really gave up on that guitar anyway, so I'm probably going for it either way...

Ebony, is it better, brighter than maple? What is the difference?

can't say better. it is depent on your taste.
but ebony is bright + percussive.
maple is just bright.

i got both. :1:

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Fingerboard Supplier?

I have read some instructions, and I definately not plan to make any quick moves... I'll take all the time it takes.

I don't know any luthier around, and I exaggerate when I say it's muddy. It's just not clear enough for my tastes, basically.

What is so hard in doing this? You melt the glue, gently remove the fretboard, glue the new one in place (it should fit, right?), gently hammer the frets...

The thing I wonder the most is if fits right in place? Of course I don't know exactly what I am doing, I am by no mean a luthier, but there is a beginning to everything right?

I think you´re not fully aware of the scope of the work you have planned. Just as a reference, to have a pro do it you´d be able to buy a cheap guitar instead, and if you´ve never leveled frets and profiled fretboards the chances are very good that you will ruin the guitar.

What is so hard in doing this? You melt the glue, gently remove the fretboard, glue the new one in place (it should fit, right?), gently hammer the frets...

up until "Glue the new one in place" you were on track.

After removing the fretboard youll have to clean and level the neck first, otherwise the new board will have gaps between it and the neck.

Then you have to layout the fretboard position "in reverse" using the bridge position and new scale as a reference. Otherwise it will not intonate properly.

Then you have to attach the board. It will NOT fit but will in 99.9% of the cases require profiling to fit the neck properly. Even if everything else is done perfectly, this is where you make or break the playability of the guitar, and is no easy task. I know people who needed 3 months of daily practice to learn how to do this...

Once profiled, it has to be leveled and fretted. Essentially the same work as a pro refret.

Then the neck needs to either be refinished or sanded smooth.

and then, if everything was done right, you can setup the guitar, tune it, plug it in, and realize that the huge amount of glue that you used as a novice just deadened the tone by that much more

It´s your decision whether or not to proceed, but I highly recommend not doing it. Especially since a lot of the knowledge needed to do the task properly is not something that can be read up on, but has to be manually practiced...