Custom Steel Guitar Fretboards

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 6 Mar 2017 2:22 am

I had been designing a fretboard for a PSG being made for me by Mullen.
Other friends have shown interest so I am planning to make some to sell.

They can be sized to any scale from 22.5 inches to 24.5 or whatever you need to replace the one you have. I'd also need to know the width at the nut and at the end of the fret board?

They are metal with adhesive backing and can be done in four color styles;
Black with Polished Gold Frets and Position markers. Mirror like shine.
Black with Brushed Gold Frets and Position markers. Less reflective.
Black with Polished Silver Frets and Position markers. Mirror like shine.
Black with Brushed Silver Frets and Position markers. Less reflective.
Not real Gold or Silver, but look like it.
Could also reverse the style, but don't think you'd want a reflective background as it would make it hard to see the strings.
These below are Polished Gold and Black on top and Brushed Silver and Black at the bottom.

Right now I'm working on a few designs, but made an agreement with Mullen not to sell them with their name.
These are adaptations from older Banjo designs but I'm also working on other styles too.
I can do them with your name in Brush Script or a Bold Print* or no name at all.
*Very fine lines are not possible in this as it's too hard to mask them off.
I even thought of offering them with small numbers on the frets with position markers for beginners who are learning with tab music. Not sure if that is a good idea or not.
I remember back to when I'd think "Where the heck is the 17th fret anyway"?

I laid this one out on my steel to see how I liked playing with it and I did. It is for a Mullen 24.25 inch scale and this guitar is a 24 inch scale but that was no problem since it's so close and we play by ear really anyway. So I sent this Polished Gold and Black one to Mullen to install on my Mullen G2 SD-10 with 4&5.

I also sent them the others as they may be interested in having them as an option or just to keep around the factory.
Mine will match the Gold colored roller nuts they use as well as the Gold Tuner knobs I bought for the guitar. The guitar will be polished aluminum and I like the look of gold and silver together.

This is a virtual image of one I'm having made for my friend Bob with his name at the bottom;

If you think you may want one in the future give me an idea about what you'd like so I will know the best way to go about this project and which designs people seem to like best.
I expect they will be in the $40.00 to $50.00 price range.
Thanks for looking.
Andy

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 6 Mar 2017 11:22 am

excellent work.

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 6 Mar 2017 12:57 pm

Really sharp!

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 6 Mar 2017 5:03 pm

Thanks to Stephan and Jack for the feedback

Gary Watkins · Post by **Gary Watkins** » 6 Mar 2017 5:04 pm

pm sent

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 6 Mar 2017 5:07 pm

Will Respond

Douglas Schuch · Post by **Douglas Schuch** » 6 Mar 2017 5:31 pm

Really nice, Andy! I love the old banjo fret marker designs! I wonder if we could adjust to a pedal steel with a vine-style fretboard like some banjos and guitars have used? A quick search turned up some pretty ones, and turns out you were the vendor of those! Very nice!

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 6 Mar 2017 6:01 pm

Hi Douglas,
Thanks for the kind remarks.

Could be done, but would be hard to find your place on the fretboard.
I know for myself when I play a 6 string guitar with a vine I need to rely on the side dots.

But maybe okay once you got used to it?
Best wishes,
Andy

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 6 Mar 2017 6:03 pm

Hi Guys and Gals,
Steelers one and all,
I'll be going up country for my son's wedding.
Not back until Friday to respond.
Best wishes,
Andy

Gino Cecchetto · Post by **Gino Cecchetto** » 6 Mar 2017 9:12 pm

No chance of any colors? I would really like a new fretboard for my old Remy SD12, but I want to reproduce the fretboard that is on ot, but in the correct width. The current one is 10 string width.

William Hoff · Post by **William Hoff** » 9 Mar 2017 4:15 am

I would love to see a variation of Gibson's Advanced Jumbo pattern

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 12 Mar 2017 8:40 am

Thanks William,
That is a good idea.
I already have drawings for that because we make them as guitar inlays in pearl and abalone.
It is not to hard to resize the drawings to work on a steel's shorter scale.
The main concern is doing something different at the 12th fret since we need that.
Will keep it in mind for the future if these catch on in a commercial way.
Best wishes,
Andy

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 12 Mar 2017 8:46 am

These are the pearl and abalone ones we make for luthiers already.

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 12 Mar 2017 11:00 am

Andy, always refreshing to see something novel in addition to being well-crafted. Kudos to you. Stevet

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 12 Mar 2017 2:45 pm

Hello Steve,
Thank you for your kind thoughts.
Andy

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 18 Mar 2017 8:25 am

For Gino Cecchetto or anyone else interested.
I checked about colors with the company that is making these.
They can only add Black or White.
Not sure how these may look with a white background???

I will see if some of the other companies that can do this offer any other colors when I get back to Viet Nam.
I know some steelers depend on the colors as well to know where they are on the fretboard.
For now I'll be here in Oregon a few months for surgery I need.
BTW, If any of you have had replacement hips I'd sure like to know if there was any effect on you ability to play the pedals and knee levers after?
Best wishes,
Andy

Ed Mikenas · Post by **Ed Mikenas** » 21 Apr 2017 10:27 am

Hey Forum Members,

I just bought one of Andy's fret-boards and have to say
it is REALLY NICE!!! As a bonus, Andy is great to
do business with...very accommodating. You won't go wrong.

Sincerely,

Ed Mikenas

Tim Russell · Post by **Tim Russell** » 21 Apr 2017 10:33 am

Andy,

Very nice work, and I will probably invest in a couple soon. You mentioned about fret numbers in an earlier post; I played with a fellow who labeled his brand new Sho-Bud fretboard with numbers, the on/off pedal keys with a tape-writer/label tape.

He left them on there for the life of the guitar, even though he became a very proficient player. I personally see no shame in that at all, if it helps you fret correctly and find your place quickly.

Would you be able to create a fretboard like that, say, with the numbers in the middle of the inlay and the off/on pedal keys either in the inlay, or maybe towards the edge of the fretboard?

Jim Saunders · Post by **Jim Saunders** » 21 Apr 2017 2:04 pm

I'd be interested in a set for my Mullen G2. I like the black with the brushed silver markers. The stock Mullen boards have the first fret narrower than the adjoining frets because it doesn't reach up under the nut roller. I would want the 24" scale true for Mullen.

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 21 Apr 2017 3:31 pm

I should let you guys do my advertising.
Those kind words are really nice.
Thanks a lot.

Andy

Jim Saunders · Post by **Jim Saunders** » 21 Apr 2017 5:25 pm

Will they have the adhesive backing? And, two-fer pricing?

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 21 Apr 2017 5:46 pm

Tim Russell wrote:Andy,

Very nice work, and I will probably invest in a couple soon. You mentioned about fret numbers in an earlier post; I played with a fellow who labeled his brand new Sho-Bud fretboard with numbers, the on/off pedal keys with a tape-writer/label tape.

He left them on there for the life of the guitar, even though he became a very proficient player. I personally see no shame in that at all, if it helps you fret correctly and find your place quickly.

Would you be able to create a fretboard like that, say, with the numbers in the middle of the inlay and the off/on pedal keys either in the inlay, or maybe towards the edge of the fretboard?

Hi Tim,
I have already done some blank fretboard drawings for some who may want the numbers. I made small circles in the lower corner of the fret position with the fret number in small but bold fonts.
All I need to do is put the position markers they like as well as sizing for the PSG they have.
Yes I remember the days of trying to think of which number the frets were.
No shame in that and very useful for someone working with tab music.

Jim Saunders · Post by **Jim Saunders** » 22 Apr 2017 5:21 am

In the Mullen case, they originally had fret boards with silver on black, then went to the present colored scheme later, which they still use. After thinking about this in last night's sleep, to me it makes sense for the upper frets. The upper octave is the same color as the lower, hence you don't need numbers. On a non colored board, the design pattern would help if the same configuration repeated an octave above. In other words, the 3rd fret pattern should match the 15th. Most other makers followed this pattern.

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 22 Apr 2017 7:09 am

Sometimes the position markers are the same from the 15th to 24th fret as they are from the 3rd to the 12th. As in these Sho Bud style boards.
However I often think that when you use the same ones and just make them smaller to fit the space it looks kind of poor, other times okay as in these and the following Roman Numerals.

I like better when we use the same designs and have them become wider and shorter as we go below the 12th fret like the sets in the middle.
For the boards on the right the pattern above the 12th fret will not fit below it so it is required to change the style a little. not hard to get used to.
There is no reason not to have numbers as well if that is what another person would like.

I've been also working on some that are not on any steel guitars that I know of.
Note how the reflective quality of the polished gold and silver reflected my red shirt when I took the photo.

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 22 Apr 2017 7:57 am

The Roman Numerals have already been made and the one in this image went onto my re-built Sho Bud SD-10.

These are two others I've designed and have ordered. I am waiting to get the actual fretboards.
The images are virtual ones made in photoshop.
This L-1 Style design is from an older 1930's guitar inlay adjusted to fit a PSG.

The horses and horse shoe design is from one of our inlay sets adjusted to fit in a PSG fretboard.

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