How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

[1984]

I am able to adjust my neck perfectly flat between 1-15 fret, from there on there is a fall away (downwards slope) that goes down to about 0.10-0.15mm at the last fret. The fall away is built into the fretboard

So i want to try to keep this fall away and see if i like it or not, but how do i level the neck? I know that i gotta have it adjusted the way i got it adjusted now - cause now the neck is flat when taking into account that there is a fall away.

I will be able to level 1-15th fret perfectly flat, but the sading beam wont touch the fallaway unless i tilt it or unless i first sand the 1-15 fret, and then afterwards the 16-24 fret. Taking into account that there is a fallaway I sand the "two parts" of the fretboard not relative to eachother, but relative to itself.

Anyhow, i dont know really. Any ideas?

 

[Waterbound]

Re: How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

I am able to adjust my neck perfectly flat between 1-15 fret, from there on there is a fall away (downwards slope) that goes down to about 0.10-0.15mm at the last fret. The fall away is built into the fretboard

So i want to try to keep this fall away and see if i like it or not, but how do i level the neck? I know that i gotta have it adjusted the way i got it adjusted now - cause now the neck is flat when taking into account that there is a fall away.

I will be able to level 1-15th fret perfectly flat, but the sading beam wont touch the fallaway unless i tilt it or unless i first sand the 1-15 fret, and then afterwards the 16-24 fret. Taking into account that there is a fallaway I sand the "two parts" of the fretboard not relative to eachother, but relative to itself.

Anyhow, i dont know really. Any ideas?

the easiest method for me depending on how much it truly falls away, is to add a little tape to 15th fret in order to raise it enough for the fall away to the 24th fret.

I had a similar issue on a strat neck that dipped a little around 18-22 fret. I applied two layers of tape to the 18th fret and leveled everything up to 18th then 18th + separately. Worked for me but I only had a very light difference.

 

[1984]

Re: How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

the easiest method for me depending on how much it truly falls away, is to add a little tape to 15th fret in order to raise it enough for the fall away to the 24th fret.

I had a similar issue on a strat neck that dipped a little around 18-22 fret. I applied two layers of tape to the 18th fret and leveled everything up to 18th then 18th + separately. Worked for me but I only had a very light difference.

why did you apply tape to the 18 fret. If there is a dip from the 18 fret, then you dont need a tape I would think? get the 1th to 17th fret level, then do the 18th to 22th fret.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

Use a radius block and just eyeball it. Start on frets 1-15 and get that level. Then check the amount of fallaway with a straight edge. Then adjust your desired amount of fallaway in frets 16+. Do a few passes over the whole thing to make sure it's continuous. Easy peasy. A radius block removes the guess work and does a much better job.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

I am able to adjust my neck perfectly flat between 1-15 fret, from there on there is a fall away (downwards slope) that goes down to about 0.10-0.15mm at the last fret. The fall away is built into the fretboard

So i want to try to keep this fall away and see if i like it or not, but how do i level the neck? I know that i gotta have it adjusted the way i got it adjusted now - cause now the neck is flat when taking into account that there is a fall away.

I will be able to level 1-15th fret perfectly flat, but the sading beam wont touch the fallaway unless i tilt it or unless i first sand the 1-15 fret, and then afterwards the 16-24 fret. Taking into account that there is a fallaway I sand the "two parts" of the fretboard not relative to eachother, but relative to itself.

Anyhow, i dont know really. Any ideas?

I think you answered your own question: level the two areas of the fretboard (1-15 and 16-24) separately.

 

[1984]

Re: How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

Use a radius block and just eyeball it. Start on frets 1-15 and get that level. Then check the amount of fallaway with a straight edge. Then adjust your desired amount of fallaway in frets 16+. Do a few passes over the whole thing to make sure it's continuous. Easy peasy. A radius block removes the guess work and does a much better job.

Actually, i think I will use both a straight edge and a (aluminium) radius block. First the straight edge since its long enough to get to both the first and 15th fret, then ill use a radius block on that area. The reason is that the fingerboard is not perfectly radiused, some places its more like a 12" others its 14" radius. This does not make the guitar feel bad in any way. But i believe if I at least get the frets at a consisisten radius that I will be able to get the best setup - after all, if you have a 14" radius you adjust the strings for that.

It might not be a big issue, but I think this way of doing it should work fine?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: How do you level a fretboard with built in fall away

I think so. I've had that happen where my radius block didn't match the radius on the neck perfectly but I used it anyway. As long as it doesn't saw down the frets too much, you notice the uniformness of all the frets' radius in all areas.