Cutting the fretboard

[ngzcaz]

No, I'm not kidding. The last seven or 8 frets in that
ridiculous extension serves no purpose to me whatsoever,
well.. it does create a lot of pic click http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif The farthest
I venture is the 14th or 15th fret and even thats only a
note or two. Since my finger covers at least 3 frets at
a time at the bottom, its doubful they will ever be used.
I'm figureing masking it off with masking tape & then
having a go at it with the Rotozip, shaping it like a
mandolin thats joined at the 12 th fret. My basic question
is how do I finish it off after the bare wood is exposed ?
Stain, the varish, blk paint, decals ?
I'll probably put a pickguard afterward.
Obviously, this is an old Loar ( just kidding ) its under a thousand import. The only reason I'm hesitating is the
warrenty. Would I kill it if I mess with it a bit ?

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[John Zimm]

Is the fretboard bound? That may make a difference in what you do to finish it. Yeah, I hate that fretboard extension myself. If I were a better woodworker mine would be gone.

-John.

[crawdad]

You could always do the scoop.

[ngzcaz]

Okay, I'' bite. Whats the " scoop " ?
Is there a picture of it somewhere ?

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[Salty Dog]

The "scoop" (sometimes called scallop) is the process of removing the frets from the fingerboard extension and then milling the fingerboard extension (wood and binding) to below the fret cut lines with a smooth transition from fretted to unfretted. #Luthiers will usually do this for around $50 -$75. #It retains the look of the extension (without frets) and eliminates the nasty question of dealing with the unfinished (or roughly finished) area of the top below the fingerboard extension.

[crawdad]

See this:

http://www.thefishnet.com/makemandolin/dude153.jpg

The last frets arent really frets--just pieces of plastic sunk into the fret slots. That step is optional. you could just fill the frets slots with ebony filler or epoxy. The whole end piece of the fingerboard (Florida shape!) is scalloped--reduced down to about half the original thickness, which gets it out of the way of your pick.

here is a better pic that really shows the idea:

http://www.michaelkellyguitars.com/mandolins/fingerboard.html

[ngzcaz]

Doesnt it seem odd that the factorys make the
fretboard that long only to have other factorys and
luthiers, hackers ( like me ) remove it ? I mean what
percent of players would ever use those last seven
frets ? If it would serve as structural bracing I could
understand why its there but it obviously doesnt .......

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My English teacher used to say " a preposition is not
a good word to end a sentence with.. "

[Dru Lee Parsec]

And here's an article on how to scoop the fingerboard on an existing instrument (as opposed to building an instrument with a scooped fretboard) Scooping the Fretboard (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Mandolin/DropTongue/droptongue.html)

[MikeB]

Nathan, keep talking like that and someone is going to lecture you about classical players using those high 20s frets all the time, or else it will be that it's the traditional look. Loar did it that way, so we must all do it that way. #

I posted your exact sentiments here a week or so ago. #The topic comes up often. #

A few builders do use the extension (scalloped, however) for support of the pickguard.

[neal]

Hmm, deja vu? Same thing with mine, I'm having a fella here in Milwaukee do it for me, just under 100.

[ngzcaz]

Mike, you are absolutely right. Should the one in
100,00 thats able to play up that far wants to buy
it ( actually, I love it & wouldnt think of selling it )
I plan to keep the cut off piece. A little super glue
& voila, good as new.
Hey, maybe tomorrow, its supposed to rain all
day. I appreciate the scoop advice, but I really
think the whole things gotta go.

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