Fretboard removal

[Yonkle]

As most of you know I just finished Mandolin#3 a few weeks ago. So far I love it, looks and tone ect. The only thing I don't care for is...I got the fretboard about 1/16 or so too wide and it's a bit chunky on the backside (maple) part of the neck. It only bugs me on some fast tunes, and I keep thinking I will get used to it. I have been pondering taking off the fingerboard and binding, bring it down a little, re-fret and bind and make the neck a bit slimmer. Questions: Should I wait and see if I get used to it? If I don't get used to it...is it hard to get a fretboard off? Once it is off the rest is pretty easy, but how is getting it off?? How is it done? Would you recommend doing it if I don't get used to it, or would you not bother? Any risks involved other than the sizing and re-finish work? Thanks in advance for any suggestions, I hate to mess with #3 it's perfect except for that. Sometime I wonder if I am just my own worst critic! JD

[Michael Lewis]

Remove the frets, shape the neck to what you want, rout for binding with a Dremel or equivalent, install binding, and re fret. After you have it all set up and working the way you want it, sand the back of the neck with up to 320 paper and french polish it. You will probably learn a lot if you pay attention through the process.

Don't remove the fingerboard if you don't have to.

[cameron]

Yonkle,I'm not a builder/luthier;and I understand that I am in the extreme minority when I say that I prefer narrower/slimmer necks(like on snakeheads and Monroe Model Gibsons as two that I really like) than maybe most mandolin pickers. Like you, I can get around faster/make easier double-stops/ longer stretches on a narrower neck. I have small/medium size hands. I've been playing mando for about 10 years;I can play some on bigger/thicker necks;but can't seem to "get used" to them myself. Congrats on #3!