Need help working with fretboard woods

Malcolm Leonard · Post by **Malcolm Leonard** » 3 Jun 2005 2:03 pm

In looking around for a suitable fretboard to replace that awful ugly painted-on one on the Morrell pro model lap steel,I see that my local hobby shop sells pre-sanded mahogany planks 24 inches long,3/16" thick and 4 inches wide.Airplane and ship model builders use these.
How would those be as a starting point for a home made fretboard?Anybody ever tried one?

Also,can I cut thin hardwoods(1/8")like rosewood and maple by hand with a very sharp knife along the length of the grain in order to trim a fretboard to a smaller width?

The only stationary power tools I have are a combination disc and belt sander and a scroll saw.
Thanks,
Malcolm

Billy Gilbert · Post by **Billy Gilbert** » 3 Jun 2005 2:13 pm

Whack it down with the scroll saw, then use the sander to dress up the cuts. A knife tends to follow the grain and can be hard to control.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 3 Jun 2005 2:20 pm

Why not take a thin piece of clear plexi and cut out the same size board and lay it over the painted lines. It would protect the lines and look much better than anything you could make without a silk screen set up. Easy.

Is this the 6 string Joe Morrell guitar you are talking about?

Michael Aspinwall · Post by **Michael Aspinwall** » 3 Jun 2005 3:53 pm

Bill's got the right idea--For $3.50. my local Ace Hardware cut the plexi piece on this guitar for me: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/pedalap2004.jpg

Malcolm Leonard · Post by **Malcolm Leonard** » 3 Jun 2005 3:58 pm

Hi Bill,
Yes it is the 6 string.I got mine cheap as it is blemished and most of the blemishing is on the fret board paint job.In some places the fret lines are only half there.
Of course,I could mask and repaint the fouled up areas.I have done a lot of masking and airbrushing as I once worked at professional level scale model building.
But silk screened fretboards remind me of the painted neck position markers on those very old Harmony and Stella acoustics without neck reinforcing rods that were all I could afford to buy as a kid.
Separate fingerboards raised above the body with bound edges look so much cooler and more "professional"to these old eyes.I suppose maybe this is just personal opinion.

How do transparent plastics such as Lucite afffect the tone of a guitar?
Thanks,
Malcolm

Malcolm Leonard · Post by **Malcolm Leonard** » 3 Jun 2005 4:04 pm

Michael,that does look good!But you have a much better looking fretboard under that plastic compared to my board.I did not know that those hardware stores offered to cut plastics.
How does the plastic affect sustain?
Malcolm

Michael Aspinwall · Post by **Michael Aspinwall** » 3 Jun 2005 5:42 pm

Malcolm--I'd have to do a real close listening comparison with the fretboard on and off, but I'm willing to bet that it doesn't noticeably affect sustain. To make the design under the plastic (and here's a tip for all you artsy-craftsy types): I took a piece of black construction paper and laid down the fret markers with 1/16" pinstriping tape from a hobby supply store and used stick-on vinyl stars from the same place, then took it down to Kinko's and ran off a copy on buff-colored paper so's it would match the wood. And thanks--it did turn out rather nicely.

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 3 Jun 2005 6:00 pm

you could cut veneers that contrast into the shape of the morrels 2-tone layout and glue it up , then lacquer if you want, a shop knife and straightedge would do it, BTW its hard to find that scale length fingerboard all made-up.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 3 Jun 2005 6:58 pm

Mal.

An 1/8 inch piece of plexi is not going to do anything soundwise.

You have the skill to touch up the paint. Try that first with the clear and then just play it!

I looked up the Joe Morrell Six Pro and I actually like the motif of the painted on board. If you can touch it up I would save it.

Malcolm Leonard · Post by **Malcolm Leonard** » 5 Jun 2005 1:00 am

Lots of good ideas here,guys!Thanks for the creative suggestions!I am new to anything that is not hollow,does not hang from a neckstrap and uses fingerpicks rather than a "regulation" plectrum and what I am learning about lap steel is that the creative possibilities for hot rodding and customizing these singing sweethearts is just about endless!
Malcolm

Jan Hess · Post by **Jan Hess** » 5 Jun 2005 10:18 am

Hi Malcolm; Here's a link to a place that carries 3"x24" project woods. www.leevalley.com They carry the following woods;

Canary
Chechen
Padauk
Purpleheart
Redheart
Yellowheart
Rosewood
Cocobolo
Spanish Cedar

<pre>They carry them in 1/8",1/4",3/8" sanded both sides + 3/4" sawn both sides.</pre> <pre>Soundhound</pre>[This message was edited by Jan Hess on 05 June 2005 at 11:24 AM.]