Official Luthiers Forum!

Here is the latest Luthier Tips du Jour video -The topic is filling gaps under fret ends where they meet the fretboard.
This video as well as all my other videos are available via my website http://www.obrienguitars.com/videos/, LMI's website or on Youtube.
Enjoy!

Great video! This is exactly how I do this job.

_________________
Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

I really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos, thank you!

Thank you Mike and Twick. Glad you are enjoying the videos.

This only works if you fret before finishing. It will not work if you are fretting after finishing, or if you are refretting an existing guitar. I use fretboard bindings to avoid the possibility of having to fill gaps.

_________________
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

Filippo, If you don't mind me asking, what's a faux bind fret board?

I also finish before fretting and haven't found a good way to fill the fret tang gaps.

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

I guess it means a fretboard bound with the same wood as the fretboard, so it appears as though it has no binding.

_________________
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 think it's cutting the slots short of the edge of the board, thus hiding the fret ends. Fret tang ends are then cut shorter than the slot, leaving room for shrinking of the Ebony. Slots are cut with a router bit or a milling bit.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Found this. Looks like thin pieces of wood are glued to the sides of the fret board after the fret slots are cut.

viewtopic.php?f=10133&t=37224&p=491779&hilit=faux+bind#p491779

I'll try this next time for sure. Thanks Todd/Filippo

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

Filippo: I'm in the same boat with you. A bit more work but I like the ends covered with wood. That said, Robbie's method works very nicely for those who want to go that route.
Tom

_________________
A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

a good practical reason for filling in (or covering)these kerf gaps is: over time the gaps will collect sweat and grimy paste, which can lead to corrosion of the fret tang and even rot of the fretboard wood. i didn't notice it mentioned in the video or comments so i thought it worthy of pointing out- probably obvious to most though....
i have a couple of old guitars with original frets, and the tangs appear to be dissolved back a few mm from the fret board edge at the most trafficked positions