Uneven fretboard fix?

[posite63]

Alright experienced techs and luthiers, I have a bit of a tough one. Google didn't help a lot unfortunately. I'm working on a project guitar where fretboard is thicker on the trebble side of the bottom of the board than the rest of the fretboard. It affects the last half-dozen frets of the treble side.

To get the strings to clear those frets, the bridge has to be raised considerably (at least 1/8"). That makes for ridiculously high action on frets 1-18.

So my question is how to remedy this. I assume I'll need to remove the frets. Can I simply use a radiused sanding block to even out the surface? Is it something I can eyeball, or do I need some precise methods of measuring my work?

A couple relevant details. The fretboard is rosewood, and it's a set neck guitar. I'd really like to avoid removing the fretboard from the neck unless that ends up being the easier solution.

I'll post pics if needed.

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[Ayrton]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

Wood sometimes does what it wants to do and if slight enough, you can compensate with the frets. However something this out of whack will require fret removal.

Are you sure it is the fretboard and not a twist (or both)? You will want to know as there are different solutions for each.

The key to getting a straight and level board is a long radius block. The 4"-8" wood blocks you see everywhere are not the best for fret or board leveling. The long aluminum bars are expensive, so investing in one may not make sense for a single repair.

http://www.philadelphialuthiertools...uminum-radius-sanding-beam-20-5-520mm-length/

You can accomplish the same result with a flat bar, you just have to pay a little more attention and go slower. You can use a leveling bar like the steel StewMac or an aluminum one.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tool...MItamxtoqd2wIVBbjACh1njA7BEAQYAiABEgJ6GvD_BwE

https://www.etsy.com/listing/226055...num-beam-luthier-tool?ref=shop_home_active_15

A bubble level can even work if it is true enough.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

How much relief do you have? Sounds like either too much or you have a hump at the end of the fretboard. That’s very common with bolt on necks.

It actually doesn’t matter if the treble side is thicker, as long as the fretboard is level.

I have a Parker P38, which has the fretboard on an angle. The whole thing is twisted so the bass side is higher.

Try to adjust the truss rod so the neck is dead straight. Then see if you can get the action lower. You might then find you have fret buzzes at the top of the fretboard.

The fix for that is usually to remove the frets and plane the fretboard flat. It can be done with a partial refret. If it’s not too serious a fret dressing can work.


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[DavidRavenMoon]

Uneven fretboard fix?

D

 

[posite63]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

Thanks for the advice so far, I love the wealth of knowledge on this forum.

There are no strings and the truss rod is not engaged at all, definetley not a relief issue in this case. Here's a pretty straight on shot. You can see the height difference.

As stated before, this rise only lasts about 6 frets or so, it's not consistent the length of the neck. So it sounds like planing will do the trick? I'm actually going to use this as an excuse to clean up the messy fret job too.

I've got a stone beam that I use for fret leveling, I hope that will do the trick.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

If you have a small bubble level, place it on the body right behind the neck pickup (center) and make the body level. Then place the level a various frets along the neck and compare. This will show you if there is a twist or how uneven the board actually is.

 

[AxlOz]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

I've seen this before - I'm no luthier, but I think its designed that way to relate to the way our hands engage with the fretboard.
I think you should just level the frets as per normal, then just change/adjust the nut to suit the shape of the fret board, and then adjust the saddles to suit accordingly.

Edit - upon second look, the height difference is noticeable (the light difference is the giveaway). I'd think if you leveled the frets as per normal they'd get really low on those higher frets so you may need to modify the board itself. It should be minimal though, and as its rosewood you don't need to re-finish it. It'll just be the markers that may be troublesome..

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

Use it as an axcuse to put some stainless steel jumbos in there.

 

[posite63]

Re: Uneven fretboard fix?

I'm not expert enough yet to justify stainless, but I'm definitely doing jumbos. I'll admit that my first attempt at these frets was a healthy fail.

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