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 Post subject: Re: Gibson B-25
PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:43 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6994
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Bump. I really need advice on that fretboard


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 Post subject: Re: Gibson B-25
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 6:07 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13641
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
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Mike O'Melia wrote:
Could fretboard be dry too? Could pulling frets ruin it?

This guitar was played a lot.

Btw, saddle was rose wood

Serial on headstock is 904116. I have been unable to date it yet.


"Lifting" frets, not pulling them.... :? won't hurt a thing. Remember to let the tool, the fret nippers work as intended with the flats of the jaws in contact with the board surface when closing the jaws the bevel gently lifts the fret while the flats press on the surrounding wood keeping it in place. Rosewood is FAR less chippy than ebony so you have that going for you too.

We use repurposed Weller soldering guns with a grove filed in the business end to stay on the fret crown while heating.

The fretboard divots are part of the provenance of the instrument and after leveling the board appropriately leaving some tall tale of the divots won't hut a thing and to some is a nod to the thing's mojo. If you go after all of the divots you will be spending more time deepening the fret slots and making the board thinner too.


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 Post subject: Re: Gibson B-25
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 9:21 am 
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Koa
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Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:13 pm
Posts: 835
Location: Durango CO
First name: Dave
Last Name: Farmer
City: Durango
State: CO
+1

I like to do the bridge re-hab first. String it up and let the top pull into it's new shape. Then you can use the frets/ fingerboard work to possibly help a neck angle. If it's going to need a neck set, you would want to do the frets after anyway.


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 Post subject: Re: Gibson B-25
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 11:03 am 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am
Posts: 5585
First name: colin
Last Name: north
Country: Scotland.
Focus: Build
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I got a tip from John Hall for lifting frets which could help a lot, specially if you suspect the wood of the FB is quite brittle.
Water under each side of the fret.
I dampen the fretboard with a wettish (not soaking!) rag then wipe off the excess, leaving a little water under the edges of the frets.
Cover the FB with clingfilm and leave 10 minutes to let the water wick under the frets and into the wood without evaporating into the air.
Go at it with the modified soldering iron - water turns to steam, softens the wood and really cuts down on chip-out when lifting the frets.
I also use very thin fret protectors, designed for fret lifting - http://www.chrisalsopguitar.co.uk/shop/guitar-tools/fretboard-protectors (I bought a full set)
I suspect SM does a similar thing http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Necks_and_Fingerboards/Chip_Stoppers_Set_of_2.html

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.


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