Making a Custom Fret Board

[Bobby D. Jones]

Fretboards can be made easy if you have a fretboard of proper size for a pattern.

Cut a piece of thin plexiglass to match the neck.

Smooth and polish the sides and changer end edges of the plexiglass.

Lay the plexiglass on top of the fretboard being copied [b]upside down[/b]. And tape fast so it will not move.
Carefully masking tape both sides of each fret, And fill area between each fret. Tape edges carefully with masking tape. If you want fret markers to match frets cut out the pattern you choose.
Spray paint the frets and fret markers with color you choose. When paint is dry remove all tape.
Retape edges and spray background color on fret board. When paint is dry remove tape.

Turn fretboard over and secure to neck with screws or glue.




By doing the painting on the bottom of the fret board the plexiglass protects paint from scratching. These fretboards was made in 1970.

[Mike Neer]

Bobby, thanks for posting this. I found the thread in a search for “custom fretboards”.
I’m going to try and make a custom fretboard for one of my steels based on the microtonal 22 shrutis of Indian music. I will have to do the calculations for the fret markers. Will let you know how it turns out.

[Per Berner]

Or just print your design on paper, and place transparent plexiglass on top.

[Chris Lucker]

Or do what Wright did and cut a piece of black/white/ black mica to the fretboard shape you want and cut through the black top to reveal the white where you want frets. To make fret markers, Wright sharpened a piece of metal tube, mounted in his drill press and made white circles where he needed fret makers.

[Rob Segal]

Mike, Jim Palenscar has made several for me, glossy black background and polished aluminum fret lines and markers. Try him -- Rob