Help, mystery fretboard screw.

[SJ318]

HI,
Not gonna believe this. I like to scoop my fretboard. On my J.Beck rosewood fretboard-UNDER the white dot that is the "B" white dot, between the 6 & 7th fret, is a silver (small) phillips screw.
Why is this there. No, I wish I was high, for many reasons. Is this normal, or have none of you seen this before?
SJ

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

By any chance, does the mystery screw go just deep enough into the neck wood to meet the truss rod sheath?

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

What guitar is it?

I imagine it would be a means for the factory to align the fretboard to the neck when its getting clamped...I use small nails hat i nip the end off. I dont know what else it would be.

What i hate is opening a thread like this and not seeing a picture? Come on man please :fing2:

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

Hey, thanks for responding,
It is a Jeff Beck Artist model, I did not remove the screw, so I don't know how deep it goes. At this point, I guess it wouldn't hurt to take it out. However, as I leveled it before I saw it, it makes a nice permanent marker! It still has the phillips indent, if I should want to remove it.
kramersteen! If only you lived near me. I literally have no friends after my divorce I can call to come over and tutor me on how to do forum photos. I have been called on the carpet so many times "No pic-did'nt happen". Drives me nuts. Like I would lie about some of my proudest mods (2 of which IIRC someone flat out called me a lying son of a b**ch). My mods were easily explained and a photo would have saved my butt. Coputer how-to's equally drive me nuts. So sorry, Mr. K, do not have any. Please forgive for now. Will get on it soon.
Sj

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

Ahh so the guitar has a skunk stripe on the bakc? That would confirm for me that it was used to align the fretboard. I mean what else would it be there for? haha

I use photobucket and link from there. All you do is drop your JPEG into photobucket then once its uploaded click on the image and in the right hand corner there will be share links. All you do is copy/click on the ''IMG'' one and then paste the link into the forum. pm me if you need more help.

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

Hey, thanks for responding,
It is a Jeff Beck Artist model, I did not remove the screw, so I don't know how deep it goes. At this point, I guess it wouldn't hurt to take it out. However, as I leveled it before I saw it, it makes a nice permanent marker! It still has the phillips indent, if I should want to remove it.
kramersteen! If only you lived near me. I literally have no friends after my divorce I can call to come over and tutor me on how to do forum photos. I have been called on the carpet so many times "No pic-did'nt happen". Drives me nuts. Like I would lie about some of my proudest mods (2 of which IIRC someone flat out called me a lying son of a b**ch). My mods were easily explained and a photo would have saved my butt. Coputer how-to's equally drive me nuts. So sorry, Mr. K, do not have any. Please forgive for now. Will get on it soon.
Sj

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvvxraciwvI

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

Also, my .02 on your issue:

If the guitar plays well and the screw is not causing any issues, I'd leave it alone, put the dot marker back on and leave it at that.

It would be nice if someone knew why it was there just to satisfy curiosity, but I wouldn't remove it unless it is causing playability problems.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

eschoendorff,
I will leave it alone. It is more of a painted on dot than a hard piece of plastic. As I flatten the wood between frets on all my guitars for better string grabbing, the screw makes a good marker as is. I did not get a chance to look at the link you sent me. My meds are making me sick to my stomach, can't sleep, and am too tired to think right now, but thank you.
To kramersteen, it does have skunk stripe. Have no idea what a photobucket is,or a JPEG, or IMG, or paste. I am so lost with that stuff. In 20 years on the job w/computers I never had to perform a task like that. I am sure once you learn it will be easy.
Thank you, real sick now, will look at link on Sunday. Thanks for the pm invite.
Sj .............. p.s., on my other guitars, gibsons, they are white dots I have had to replace as I get into the wood more, they pop out. Got some extras at LMII. The trapazoids are a b**ch, though.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

This thread contains a reference to what might be the reason for the screw's existence....

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/lut...ng-open-g-string-makes-truss-rod-vibrate.html

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

This thread contains a reference to what might be the reason for the screw's existence....

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/lut...ng-open-g-string-makes-truss-rod-vibrate.html

''f it is the rod, there are other approaches you can try. This is a relatively common problem on some Fender necks, and the typical solution is to remove the dots at one or more of the 5th, 7th, or 9th position markers. Then a smal pilot hole is drilled and tapped for a small set screw (I usually use 4-40). When the set screw is installed and tightened to snug up any slop in the rod, new position markets are reinstalled to cover them.

With that neck I'm not sure exactly of the truss rod type though. If it has an aluminum housing then it may involve drilling and tapping through this to snug up any slop in the rod. If the rod is diagnosed as the source of the noise though, this is an old and time tested remedy which has proven to be quite effective while much less invasive than approaches pulling the whole board. ''

Would that be done at the factory? **** hey

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

kramersteen and AlexR,
As this is not presenting any problem whatsoever, I am going to leave it alone. Mainly curious why it is there. If anything, it shows up nicely and serves as a great fret marker. Coming down with a fever and although kinda hungry, the idea of food makes me want to throw up. Guess no 2 mile back-walk exercise to day. fingers ache.
eschoendorff: I went to the link you sent and right of the bat he's talking about choosing a picture, I don't have any idea even how, what with, what cords, etc needed to even take and put a picture in a "photobucket" assuming I can even successfully download one. Thank you so much for trying to help, but it just goes into a mix of Chinese/Greek from that point on. I need a new computer next year, so I will make that my goal. for now, I think I will stick to english. Folks like you understand what I am saying anyway.
I'll call Fender tomorrow and ask them why it is there, they seem friendly enough on the phone. Heck, I might get small, VERY SHORT flat head screws for all the other dots and plastic dots that have come off as a result of my quest for a flat fingerboard.
kramersteen, I think you like pretty flat boards so you know what I mean.
Thanks guys-off to bed and fetal position.
SJB

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

Hi,
I found out what I have is called a "Fender Bi-Flex Truss Rod" system. Apparently this enables the truss rod to not only give and take concave adjustments, but also allows convex adjustments without cracking the wood in the neck. Only some Fenders have it. I can't see ever using it, but it is there if you want it.
Go figure.
SJB

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

So it must have had a rattly truss rod and its been repaired. I just wonder if the factory would do that?

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

Kramersteen,
Actually, it is there on purpose. It is a function for going convex on a neck without hurting the wood. You can google it. It is installed on some American standars, Fender selects and a few Teles. Almost no one even knows what they are. It is a truss rod "improvement" no one needs. You can find it here: www.fender.com/news/the-bi-flex-truss-rod/
So no, nothing broken, no rattle, nothing to be fixed.
SJ

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Help, mystery fretboard screw.

No picture........ Boooooooooo!!