F5 fretboard extension problem area?

[Steve Bollman]

I was wondering how frequent the fingerboard extension fails. "Fails" meaning coming loose, cracking, separating from the ivoroid binding between the riser block. Thanks.

[rcc56]

Not often enough for me to have ever seen it in my small, part-time shop.

I wouldn't be surprised to see it on a cheap student instrument, or a '70's Gibson. Is the instrument you're concerned about old or new, American or imported??

I rarely see any kind of glue joint associated with a fingerboard come loose on any instrument. I can recall loose fingerboard joints on 2 or 3 banjos and a few violins, all built before 1900; one '20's Gibson mandolin, and a high grade classical guitar made in 1972.

[HoGo]

There are many ways how the extension is attached to the instrument but generally if the neck joint is stable and wood well seasoned there is not very much tension around it to cause it come loose.