Fretboard needed for a 4003 !!

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:32 am

This is what I see looking at your pictures: from the G side end of the neck toward the peghead: The raised area at the 3rd fret. From the picture it doesn't look that bad, and the back of the neck shows standard Eastern Hardrock Maple that is not 1/4 sawn. It's what most refer to as slab cut. What I would do to repair your Bass: pull both T-rods...pull all frets...plane and level finger board, radius to a 10 inch crown, seal fingerboard, remove all tape from T-rods,clean and straighten the T-rods. Now apply wax to the rods(bees wax),reinstall the rods and check their operation with a straight edge on the fingerboard by tightening each rod a little at a time. Now it's time to press in new frets of proper size tang that fit the fret slot. An oversized tang will cause the neck to bow or twist. I use a small arbor press with a 10 inch radius caul for setting frets, this is done with the T-rods snug but not tightened. When finished, nip and file the ends, check the fret tops with a straight edge, level tops of frets lightly. If you are going to apply a clear finish on the fingerboard now is the time to do it. Once the finish has cured the fret tops must be leveled of all finish. Using a 10 inch minimum leveling block and 320 wet/dry paper you can remove the finish from the top of the frets and level the frets while you are at it. Now you can adjust the rods with strings at tuned tension..Once you've reached a desired adjustment, it's time to polish the frets. This can be done with various wet/dry papers, leveling blocks and polishing compounds. Retune and it should be good.

j_gary · Post by **j_gary** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:29 am

Good grief Dale, I'd have to live to be 200 years old to learn all those procedures.

I'm quite sure half the guys calling themselves luthiers in the Detroit area would set their stores on fire after reading that paragraph.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:31 am

Not surprising. Look at all the people that call themselves musicians these days.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:36 am

Dale's very comprehensive procedural post gives non-luthiers an excellent example of the amount of work and detail that's necessary for even a minor project such as this one!

Briefly, it's seldom as simple as we think it could be. Couple this with all the tools and specialized materials that it takes to effect even small repairs (and this is sort of medium-complexity), and you can see why luthiers make The Big Bucks (joke!).

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:37 am

If it was easy, anyone could do it!

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:12 am

Easy button...press here <o> .....Paul..speaking of big bucks..I believe we do these things in a labor of love because I'll never get rich monetarily speaking doing what I've been doing for over 35 years

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:35 pm

But Dale, when you see the fruits of your labours you must feel VERY rich - you certainly should!

Bob

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:09 am

Exactly Bob....but I'm getting on to 60's years old and I need to scale back some to start enjoying other things in life...

ben_brown · Post by **ben_brown** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:25 am

...and I need to scale back some to start enjoying other things in life...

...Like attending more Rickenbacker confluences and festivals!

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:52 am

OUI OUI and more surfing... BTW Steve the inlays on your Bass turned out mighty nice..I'm glad you are going with the Blue/CB binding..It will be a very nice V68

lyle_from_minneapolis · Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:10 am

Marc, if I were you, I would copy that comprehensive paragraph of Dales's and make sure the person who repairs your bass reads it, right in front of you. Their reaction will tell you all you need to know about their ability to fix it properly.

There are too many headscratchers calling themselves luthiers these days. And if you get any attitude, grab your guitar and run.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:30 am

If I showed those instructions to a luthier who already knew what he was doing, he'd think I was a jerk. If I showed it to a luthier who didn't know what he was doing.....he'd think I was a jerk. The point being, that no one who is or thinks he is an expert at something wants advice from someone that is not.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:46 am

Ah, but Dale IS an expert....

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:51 am

Blue v68 in the works eh?

lyle_from_minneapolis · Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:00 pm

"If I showed those instructions to a luthier who already knew what he was doing, he'd think I was a jerk. If I showed it to a luthier who didn't know what he was doing.....he'd think I was a jerk. The point being, that no one who is or thinks he is an expert at something wants advice from someone that is not."

Not necessarily. Put that way, everyone is a jerk and no one can say anything without pissing off everyone else. But a luthier like Dale or Paul, I don't think they would be offended if it were presented in the right context. If I showed someone that document and said, what do you think about how this luthier would go about it? It would provide an opportunity to discuss the process in more detail. But you could also get an idea of where they agree or disagree, and you could evaluate their merit from their take on it.