Fretboard extension.to glue or not to glue

[SKBarbour]

I thought I read on here that somebody didn't glue their FBs. Of course I know the positive affects of this (being able to replace the neck easier) but what might be the downside to this? And yes I'm talking bolt on mortise and tenon necks.

[tippie53]

if the fretboard extension isn't attached by bolts or other mechanical means. you better glue them .

[Kevin Sjostrand]

My first guitar which I kept and have been playing now for 3 years I never glued it down. It laid perfectly on the top and I saw no reason, and yes it makes it very easy to remove the neck. On my subsquent builds, I have glued them all down, but mostly because I was giving those guitars to someone (or selling them) and I thought it best that it was glued down in case the neck bolts loosened a bit so the neck could not/would move out of place...at least initially.
I think on any guitar for ME I will leave it unglued.

Kevin

[kencierp]

When the frets are installed in the slots there is a wedging effect this will create a natural downward curve on the FB extension. I have not glued down a FB extension in years and recommend the same for my kit builders I never ever ever had a buzz -- nothing bad is going to happen since when the neck is bolted into place it requires a bit of pressure to compress it against the sound board. One of the pro's who teaches Martin kit building out in New Jersey (one of the members here told me his name forgot) not only leaves the FBX unglued he bolts the neck to the body only using one fastener -- don't recommend that -- just saying.

I no longer use DT's so my comment don't apply for those. If you don't get the downward "curl" -- some glue may be in order, but you don't have to glue the entire surface -- maybe two square inches or so -- that way its held down but is easy to release if need be.

[Jim_H]

I wouldn't consider gluing it down until you are 100% sure of your neck set. For guitars you are making for yourself, this might be forever :p

However, if you are making a guitar for someone else, and it won't be under your TLC, you'll definitely want to glue it or screw it down, especially if it's not already nice and snug.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I would like to get to where I am screwing the extension down. I remember Ken Casper (remember him? Where did he go?) developed a nice repeatable set up for doing that.
I will have to did into the archives and find a pic of his setup. I've been thinking about it for awhile now.

Kevin

[tippie53]

If you have a loaded board and by that I mean if your fret tang causes a bow in the fret board , how can you control that to be a flat plane ? The extension needs to be fixed so the board can remain flat.
The frets can cause the extension to hump up otherwise.

[kencierp]

Yes I agree Ken Casper did a nice job -- so much so I nearly copied it, our system however is a little more simple and is suited for CNC machining. But the truth is - I am not convinced it is worth the "yank' to make it standard on our kits. The limited glue area (explained above) and a clamp accomplish the same thing -- no cost, little effort.

[SKBarbour]

Wow I thought this would be a rather cut and dry discussion with the concensus being to glue. John asks a great question about the plane of the fretboard and one of the reasons I was asking.If the fretboard is bolted on without the FB glued down, will the bolt on neck joint for the most part keep the FB ext from bowing up. This is a guitar I plan on keeping so this may be an experiment. I can always glue it down at a later date if needed. I would be interested in seeing the bolt on FB talked about. I'll search for it.

[kencierp]

Again, in this universe the wedge action of the fret tangs wedge and bow the FB extension down toward the sound board not the other way around. When you push the neck into position "against the neck block and shoulder brace" --- boom flat! This is the norm -- can a warp occur in the extension and pull up off the sound board, yes -- but not normally, the fret tangs are a powerful force.

Lets see, start with McPheason's extension is actual off the sound board -- arched top jazz guitar off the sound board, violins off the sound board, viloa's etc. off the sound board --- its even a design choice, and you can glue it or not glue it. Those that glue it might like their preference -- but its not to say that some guys/gals may see advantages to not gluing it down.

My choice is not to glue it down unless there is a problem -- then spot glue if need be, just makes sense to me. I do not make claims that my choice is best.