What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Dave Locher

Dave Locher

New member
I got a really good deal on a used Warmoth neck and I'm building a hybrid Tele style with it. The only hitch is that it's a 24-fret neck and it just looks odd to me. I would like to just shorten the fingerboard down to the length of the neck but that will leave me with two partial mother of pearl dots.
Any creative ideas on what I can do about the dots to either disguise them or get rid of them?IMG_2653.jpg
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Forgot to mention, the truss rod adjusts at the rear so I can't just shorten the neck heel a bit.
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

To me a 23 fret neck looks more odd than a 24 fret neck. Looks like the former fret placement would be visible too after being cut down (I mean, if you eliminated fret 23 as well)
 
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Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Silence Kid said:
To me a 23 fret neck looks more odd than a 24 fret neck. Looks like the former fret placement would be visible too after being cut down.
Click to expand...

Think so? Maybe I'll just have to learn to like it. What if I just trim some of the extra rosewood at the end?
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Difficult one, Dave - the only thing I can think of is to take the fretboard back to 22, notch the top of the heel so it sits flush to body then get/make an extended scratch plate to cover up the oddness - best of luck!


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Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

I considered that, too, but the big metal truss nut doesn't allow it.
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Dave Locher said:
I considered that, too, but the big metal truss nut doesn't allow it.
Click to expand...

Ugh. Then the only thing I can think is to cut back, pop the partial dots out and replace with wood/stain to match - wouldn't be my preference though!

Other than that, I'm out :(


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Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Is that a 24" 3/4 neck? Pretty cool. As long as you don't need to fit a neck pickup I'd leave it as-is. My brain sees 21, 22, 24 frets and says ok; 23 is wtf. Yeah, you could probably route off some rosewood and make a smooth 23 but I'd rather just say sell and buy the neck you really want.
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Yep, it's 24.75".
I've already bonded with it so I guess I'll just adapt to this look. I owned at least one 24 fret guitar in the past but the fretboard didn't overhang so I never really paid attention.
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

Now you wanna chop up my neck....

Actually, that truss rod nut is about 1-1/2" long, you may be able to shorten it a little bit, depending on the depth of the cavity and the length of the exposed threads.

But seriously, once you get the pickguard going, the last two frets won't even be a thing.

Oh, and did you tint the neck already? Looks like you got some color going there.
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

I had no idea the truss nut would be so long! But I think you're all right that it will look fine when it's all together. And I planned on just a bridge pickup all along so neck pickup position is irrelevant.

No tint, it's just the dim lighting. But I do have some amber shellac ready to go. Body will be either black or dark red; I'm still deciding.
 
Re: What can I do about these mop dots? Shortening fingerboard.

You could just round off the heel corners without taking any frets off and it would look better. I did that with my JM (22 frets but square corners) and it looks much better. The difference is subtle but effective. Because it changes the "neck shape" it does void the warranty, though.

Before:

PickguardR1024x768.jpg

After:

IMG_1253.jpg
 
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