glue on fingerboard

Wood type -- slotting -- contouring -- fret installation
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Paul C
Posts: 416
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 3:50 pm

glue on fingerboard

Post by Paul C » Sat May 18, 2013 5:47 am

Do most of you fellas glue your fingerboards to the top?

ken cierp
Posts: 3924
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:23 pm

Re: glue on fingerboard

Post by ken cierp » Sat May 18, 2013 7:22 am

Bolt-on necks -- no glue. That is specified in the KMG Kit instruction. Since the natural bow of the fingerboard is downward the extension will compress nicely against the sound-board. There is no risk of buzz that is a myth.

On the other hand -- the dove tail (joint from hell) gets it strength and stability via a very tight fit in the mortise. So even the tiniest shift of the neck from the neck block greatly diminishes the function of the joint. Gluing down the fingerboard extension to the sound board tends to keep the neck trapped in the mortise and that is very important.

Paul C
Posts: 416
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 3:50 pm

Re: glue on fingerboard

Post by Paul C » Sat May 18, 2013 7:42 am

Thankyou Ken.

MarkAndrew1
Posts: 167
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 9:48 am
Location: Milton, MA (just outside Boston)

Re: glue on fingerboard

Post by MarkAndrew1 » Sat May 18, 2013 11:21 am

kencierp wrote:Bolt-on necks -- no glue. That is specified in the KMG Kit instruction. Since the natural bow of the fingerboard is downward the extension will compress nicely against the sound-board. There is no risk of buzz that is a myth.

On the other hand -- the dove tail (joint from hell) gets it strength and stability via a very tight fit in the mortise. So even the tiniest shift of the neck from the neck block greatly diminishes the function of the joint. Gluing down the fingerboard extension to the sound board tends to keep the neck trapped in the mortise and that is very important.
I always wondered that. So, bolt -on-necks no glue under
the fingerboard extension. The natural bow is enough to
keep it from "buzzing" or anything else bad......

Check!

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