Installing frets on or off neck?

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ChuckBarnett
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:46 pm
Location: Arlington, WA

Installing frets on or off neck?

Post by ChuckBarnett »

My first build is a tenor ukulele. Working on a maple fretboard with narrow frets. Are there pros and cons to installing frets with the fretboard glued onto the neck or separate? I really have no intentions of appearing as an example of what not to do in this case.

Very gratefully,

Chuck Barnett
Last edited by ChuckBarnett on Sun Jun 10, 2018 10:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
yellowesty
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2016 11:58 pm
Location: Petaluma, Calif.

Re: Installing fretsh on or off neck?

Post by yellowesty »

FWIW, I just finished installing frets on a guitar I'm building after a year of non-building. So I forgot whether I should install the frets before or after attaching the soundboard to the neck -- and, unlike you, I didn't have the patience/foresight to ask.

I attached the soundboard to the neck before installing frets. I'm sorry that I did. The frets over the "straight" portion of the neck installed easily with a press and cauls. The frets under the soundboard extension (clear of the truss rod) pressed in easily as well. The frets in the region of the neck heel were far less easy.

Next time I'll install the frets before gluing the fretboard to the neck.
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Installing fretsh on or off neck?

Post by MaineGeezer »

I install the frets after gluing the fingerboard to the neck and before shaping the back of the neck, i.e. while the neck is still rectangular in cross-section. I press in the frets, and having the neck rectangular gives good support while pressing -- or while hammering, for that matter.

Installing the frets after gluing the fingerboard to the neck also helps keep the fingerboard flat. If the frets are tight, the fingrboard can curve dramatically from the wedging action of the fret tangs.

But I think the main thing is to find out which way you feel most comfortable doing it, and get good at doing it that way.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
phavriluk
Posts: 554
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:49 pm

Re: Installing fretsh on or off neck?

Post by phavriluk »

I've done one each, fretting off the neck and fretting after installing the fingerboard and shaping the neck but before finishing the neck. I found cleaning all the finish that made its way past the masking tape on top of the fingerboard to be a good way to burn an evening. Next up will be fretting after the neck is finished. Somewhere I'll find the most comfortable workflow for myself.
peter havriluk
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