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I have a couple of 1/4" presanded ebony fingerboards from LMI that have seemed to warp quite a bit in storage... I noticed it when I received it so I stickered and stacked it, and it's even more warped now. Is there anything I can do to restore it or is it a lost cause?

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I had the same on one board, and I decided to slice it into bindings for other ebony fingerboards, headstocks...
Or, you can make it flat again with a vacuum press and a router, but the result will be a fingerboard not thick enough...

That's why I don't like Ebony....

I have an ebony fingerboard blank.. Beautiful, perfect black.. No smudges, white, anything....

Twice a year - Spring and Fall... The end of the blank warps into a crooked, funny shape that looks like an old arthritic finger.... and then it settles down again.....

No way I can use it on a guitar....

I would contact LMI....

I bought it a long time ago... doubt LMI would do anything about it.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I have done this. It involves heat, so you cannot do it if there is wax on the wood.

Get some steel plates bigger than the board. Soak the board (maybe optional). Clamp the board between the plates with old fashioned steel C-clamps. Put it in the oven and bake it for a couple of hours. I think 300 would do. Turn off the oven and let it cool over night.

Down side is the heat will accelerate rust on the clamps.

lightly wet the concave side of the boards.
clamp to a very stiff & flat surface.
let dry for a few days.
the longer the better.
Make sure the convex side is open to fresh air.

This may not make it completely straight.

slice the fret slots if ya can!
This will help release the stress in the board.

I hope this helps you!
Mike

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Mike Collins

If you follow this advice keep in mind that it can make the wood more brittle, and ebony is already quite brittle, so you'll want to take extra precautions against chipout.