Question regarding Fretboard for Martin 00-14 Fret

[David Mathis]

This is my first post on the forum and I'm looking forward to interacting here. I am an experience woodworker, but I'm still researching and learning before building my first kit guitar.

Because my budget is tight (3 kids in college) and I know this first build will be a learning experience, I bought my first kit when I found a Martin 00-14 fret kit on eBay for cheap. Or maybe I should say a "partial kit," because a few parts (fretboard, fret wire, and bridge) were missing - the seller made that clear up front.

Upon examining the neck and reading in Bill Cory's Martin construction manual, I see that Martin necks and fretboards have two pins used to align them together. I am wondering if any of you know of a source where I could buy a Martin 00 fretboard that already has the alignment holes. Or do I need to remove the pins from the neck and use a fretboard without holes?

Thanks!

David

[tippie53]

contact me and I can help
we need to know scale length
call me

[MaineGeezer]

I just did this with the assistance of the luthier teaching me to build a guitar. I assume this may not be the only way to do it, but this is what we did.

After completely profiling and binding the fingerboard, we located it exactly where its was to go on the rough-shaped neck. The surface to receive the fingerboard was flat and the location of the nut was defined, but most of the neck shape was only roughly sawn. Anyway, we determined the centerline of the fngerboard and aligned it with the centerline of the neck, and butted the top of the fingerboard up against where the nut would go. After clamping so it couldn't shift, we drilled a 1/16" hole through the fret slot for#1 fret (n.b. the frets aren't in yet) and through the fret slot for #14 fret, down into the neck about 1/4" and offset left and right from the centerline so they miss the truss rod. Don't drill too deep -- it would be embarrassing to have a hole when you round off the neck. Insert two 1/16" diameter brads. Now the fingerboard can be removed and replaced as needed, with alignment guaranteed.

When the time comes to glue the fingerboard, it won't slide around. Pull the pins, and the holes get covered by the fret wires.\

[David Mathis]

Many thanks to John Hall and MaineGeezer for your helpful replies. I look forward to participating in this online community.