Members Zebra Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 So I sent a email to a local guitar place about getting my fretless board re-epoxied (maple fingerboard). The quote they sent me back was $200, or $125 if I took off the neck myself. My gut tells me this is pretty high, because the materials involved are worth crap AFAIK. Hell, $75 to take off a neck and put it back on? Are these rates typical? I'm thinking I'm just gonna do it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeeTL Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Blue tape, epoxy, and a sanding block to match the fretboard radius. Seems easy enough... That said, shop rates include overhead, insurance, salaries, profit, etc. There are LOTS of things it doesn't pay to do yourself. I suspect this isn't one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zebra Posted December 17, 2008 Author Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Blue tape, epoxy, and a sanding block to match the fretboard radius. Seems easy enough... That said, shop rates include overhead, insurance, salaries, profit, etc. There are LOTS of things it doesn't pay to do yourself. I suspect this isn't one of them. Seems that way. Can you recommend an epoxy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeeTL Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 I'm not a fretless guy, but I suspect others will have advice there. In my experience with model airplanes, all epoxies are NOT created equal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zebra Posted December 17, 2008 Author Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Also, how can I tell what radius my neck is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted December 17, 2008 Moderators Share Posted December 17, 2008 If I remember correctly (and a quick search here or on the internet should tell you) the best guys with the longest wait times charge in the range of $400. However, it has been at least a year since I talked to anyone about having it done and pricing, so my memory may be hazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hawkhuff Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 So I sent a email to a local guitar place about getting my fretless board re-epoxied (maple fingerboard). The quote they sent me back was $200, or $125 if I took off the neck myself. My gut tells me this is pretty high, because the materials involved are worth crap AFAIK. Hell, $75 to take off a neck and put it back on? Are these rates typical?I'm thinking I'm just gonna do it myself. I agree, it too much. Do it yourself. It's pretty easy and rewarding when you do it not to mention a whole lot cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Perfessor Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Anywhere you don't want epoxy put on a thick coat of wax. Epoxy won't stick to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vladoicho Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 and this way you'll (probably) have a bumpy, uneven, ghetto epoxied fretless fingerboard, very much like jaco pastorius did I've done it once, and I'm pretty satisfied with the result, even though that bass pretty much never gets plugged in... I think the total I spent was ~10$... could've been 20$. Anyway, in my case I could never justify dropping that amount of money for that task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Perfessor Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Any good woodworkers specialty store has radiused sanding blocks. Take your neck in there and size 'er up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Also, how can I tell what radius my neck is? I'd like to know this as well - I'm planning on doing the same thing in the future... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Perfessor Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 I'd like to know this as well - I'm planning on doing the same thing in the future... - georgestrings Get a large variety compass with a sharp pencil in it and draw half circles at different diameters. Radius is 1/2 daimeter. So if you set your diameter on 28" it's a 14" radius, etc. You can cut out the radius and match it to your neck. Try 10". 12" 14" first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Get a large variety compass with a sharp pencil in it and draw half circles at different diameters. Radius is 1/2 daimeter. So if you set your diameter on 28" it's a 14" radius, etc. You can cut out the radius and match it to your neck. Try 10". 12" 14" first. Thanks for the tip - will do... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dDigitalPimp Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Thanks for the tip - will do... - georgestrings stew mac also makes those feeler gauge things so you can be sure. everything from there is super expensive tho. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Neck,_fingerboard/Understring_Radius_Gauges.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Renfield Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 If I remember correctly (and a quick search here or on the internet should tell you) the best guys with the longest wait times charge in the range of $400. However, it has been at least a year since I talked to anyone about having it done and pricing, so my memory may be hazy. That sounds about right to me. But those also get you the super thick, glass like, buffed to a mirror shine craftsmanship, not a micro thick layer that needs to be redone every few years. Knowing how to mix and pour without bubbles is an artform unto itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dDigitalPimp Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 That sounds about right to me. But those also get you the super thick, glass like, buffed to a mirror shine craftsmanship, not a micro thick layer that needs to be redone every few years. Knowing how to mix and pour without bubbles is an artform unto itself. that guy thor charges like $400+ for his defret and epoxy jobs. turns out his business is about an hour and a half north of where i live. in vestal, ny i believe. i should check it out sometime when i have a free afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluedogaudio Posted December 17, 2008 Members Share Posted December 17, 2008 Can you recommend an epoxy? I'm still in the process of epoxing a Fender jazz neck, but so far, so good! I'm using System Three Mirror Coat.... http://www.systemthree.com/p_mirror_coat.asp [YOUTUBE]3AyRHNc8yvg[/YOUTUBE] I went to Woodcraft and talked to salesman about what I was doing, and he said this was perfect. He knew what I was trying to do since he had been playing cello for many years. I sanded it down with a radius block I got from Stewart Mac, put on about four layers of epoxy, sanded it down again, wet sanded, and now I'm buffing it out. I'll try and get some pictures soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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