Archtop #5: Fretboard

The carbon fibre’s epoxied in and then the fretboard glued on.

I always sand the fretboard flat and then sand the compound radius (the white pencil marks act as a quick visual guide when checking progress). I was taught that a craftsman should always use edge tools and that sanding or filing was somehow a substandard practise. But when you’re working to very tight tolerances, on an unforgiving species of wood and seeking a perfect surface, abrasives are the best solution!

With the fretboard finished, the dots (black Tahiti pearl) can go in. The black pearl is very subtle and, in some lights, the dots appear to disappear! Not a problem as I put markers down the edge of the ‘board and I’m sure most players would agree that side markers are of much more use than the dots on the front surface. And then we’re on to the frets……….

Now the frets have been dressed, the neck finally gets carved.............