Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

You could also use a heating blanket from Luthier's Merchantile (http://www.lmii.com). Do a search on their website for SBPL4 for a guitar fingerboard blanket. They don't have them for a bass, but I just heat the upper part of the neck first, then shift it to the lower part once you've gotten the separation started. The trick with the clothes iron does work, but like Paul says, heating a board takes practice, since it's very easy to overheat the board, and destroy the finish and inlays. I've also found that using seam separation knife makes it easier. Stew Mac (http://www.stewmac.com) sells one that I particularly like - it's item #4465. Fingerboard removal is also kind of an expensive proposition unless you do a lot of them, since the cost of the proper equipment can add up real quickly.

Larry

dgwguitars wrote: ... I've also found that using seam separation knife makes it easier. Stew Mac (http://www.stewmac.com) sells one that I particularly like - it's item #4465...

Looks like a shoe knife.

ken_j wrote:

dgwguitars wrote: ... I've also found that using seam separation knife makes it easier. Stew Mac (http://www.stewmac.com) sells one that I particularly like - it's item #4465...

Looks like a shoe knife.

Might be, if a shoe knife's blade has a wedge-shaped cross-section. I couldn't tell by the pics I found on a search.

Larry

ken_j wrote:

IMG_1332.JPG

IMG_1337.JPG

It's a shoe knife.

jingle_jangle wrote:This is made more difficult, because nobody makes the beam heater anymore.

Seems like a piece of aluminum angle (or better yet, an old level) could be married to one of these to make one fairly easily:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#strip-heaters/=b6sulm

dgwguitars wrote:It's a shoe knife.

So, you're saying that that knife would be a shoe-in for what is needed?

johnhall wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote:This is made more difficult, because nobody makes the beam heater anymore.

Seems like a piece of aluminum angle (or better yet, an old level) could be married to one of these to make one fairly easily:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#strip-heaters/=b6sulm

Ooh! Good idea! Thanks for the tip!

I know this is a bit off topic but...

dgwguitars wrote:

ken_j wrote:

IMG_1332.JPG

IMG_1337.JPG

It's a shoe knife.

My point in posting this is that Stewmac sells tools from other industries at inflated prices. The also modify some tools for use in the luthier business. Here is another example. The guitar vise that they sell I have seen much cheaper in industrial catalogs with a different name. In a quick Google search I found the same vise listed as a "pattern makers vise". and also as a "patternmaker and gunstock carving vise". Each of these are about $20 less than Stewmac. They were quite a bit cheaper in the industrial catalog but my memory fails me as to where I found it what and it was called.

Perhaps S-M thinks RED is worth $20 more?

jps wrote:

dgwguitars wrote:It's a shoe knife.

So, you're saying that that knife would be a shoe-in for what is needed?

Try as I may, I don't have a come-back for that one.

dgwguitars wrote:

jps wrote:

dgwguitars wrote:It's a shoe knife.

So, you're saying that that knife would be a shoe-in for what is needed?

Try as I may, I don't have a come-back for that one.

Maybe it's the perfect fit?