Official Luthiers Forum!

Got an issue. As most first time builders have experienced, pounding in frets....especially 12th and up... is a nerve racking experience. You just wait for something to POP!
My current retop of and old Goya is especially troubling. It has very little inside headstock for the top to adhere to. New top is installed. I'm ready to reinstall the ORIGINAL fretboard and am worried about pounding on this neck above the 12th. I DO NOT have a press machine for frets.
What is the con to installing the 12 and up frets before gluing?....or ALL of the frets in this circumstance. I've clamped the fretboard down and checked everything out and all looks fantastic. The only issue I see in prefretting is making sure the slots are wide enough to not arch the fretboard when installed.
Kent Bailey

_________________
Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

In making the slots wide enough to not bow, the frets may be a bit loose later, with humidity change, etc. You could put a drop of CA at each end of the frets after it's all assesmbled. It will wick in and prevent loose frets.

So keeping relevant.How many people install the frets on a new build before the fretboard is glued to the neck.Seems like it would be a lot easier.Pro`s and con`s?
James

_________________
James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Pre-fretting works just fine. There is just a different set of things you have to account for.

First, don't widen the slots. The fb will backbow and that's ok. I carefully flex it in the other direction until I get it pretty close to flat again and close is close enough. This has the added advantage of really seating the barbs.

By the way, one of the advantages of doing it this way is that you can use a press all the way up so you may want to consider getting one if you like this route. Hammering can work just fine but technique is important. I'm sure the archives has a lot of good info. With this method, I would hammer them but not worry about fully seating them. Once they are all in, put the board on a good flat surface, flatten a scrap of hard wood about 1" wide and 4" long and fully seat the frets by tapping the scrap with a hammer, gently but firmly, going up and down the board a few times.

Make sure your neck joint and neck angle are correct (I usually like a little bit of fall-away on the extension). You don't have room to correct afterwards with this method.

Do most of your neck shaping before gluing the fb. Make a clamping caul that will hold everything flat while clamping and use epoxy so you don't introduce water. Try to get even clamping pressure up and down the neck (this can be difficult at the heel but the caul really helps you here).

Good luck.

_________________
http://www.chassonguitars.com

I install up to the neck joint before installing the board. I just like being able to pound them in over a nice slab of marble. Anything over the neck joint makes final fitting the dovetail a little difficult for me. Either way will work, I just do it my way.

_________________
Don't confront me with my failures--I have not forgotten them.

Kent approximately how much fall away ? .010-.020?
James

_________________
James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

James,
That is in the range of the fall away.... more on the base than the treble.
Kent

_________________
Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com