Lumpy fretboard

[jcgss77]

Ok, I have been watching the forum for a while, and now have a question. I recently purchased a cheap Arbor AS390 set neck, which, to my dismay, is chronic. It is a 24 fret 25.5 inch scale, and when the trussrod is adjusted to where the neck would be straight, frets 19-24 are raised up higher than the rest, making it a buzzing nightmare. My local guitar shop said to just file down the frets, but I know this is the wrong way to fix this. Can someone please help me to repair this the correct way? I like to keep the action low, and if you can make it out in the pic, that is impossible with this guitar in its current state. The link to a picture is here:

s744.photobucket.com/albums/xx81/jcgss77/

Thank you for any advice.

[cynical1]

JC -

First off, welcome to the Nutzhouse!!! ;D

Next, by "set neck" I assume we're talking about a glued neck versus a bolt on. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't really tell from the picture.

Either way, adjusting the truss rod for a straight neck, or with no bow, is a very dicey proposition, even with an expensive neck. It is generally not advisable to adjust a neck without some bow or relief to it. For exceedingly low action there are generally always trade-offs.

My first guess is that the pitch on the neck is off. For that razor thin action you really have to nail the pitch. If it's already glued, then you either have to live with it, raise your action accordingly. or remove the neck and reset the joint.

Have you played with the adjustment on your bridge/tailpiece? Did you already cut the nut for lower action?

If this is a bolt on, there is a bit more you can try that doesn't involve major surgery. It's times like this that make me lean towards bolt-on necks...

Filing the frets on the 12th through 21st, 22nd or whatever is a viable option to attain lower action. Aside from filing the frets down, what else did the shop suggest?

Unless you're used to this very low action, there will always be the nagging condition of having to play very gently with a very soft touch or you'll buzz on everything.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[jcgss77]

Thank you for the welcome, I find guitarnutz2 to be a lifesaver.

Sorry I did not specify-it is a glued set in neck, and for how inexpensive the guitar is, I am not into ungluing the joint and re-setting the neck. I honestly don't think the body wood will take kindly to that, it is very light and suspect in my eyes to causing more damage than I would be repairing. I will not be able to adjust the pitch, since I am not willing to put this kind of work into the guitar.

To further specify, when I have the neck straight, the nut has very adequate height for the strings neckside, and the saddles accomodate the strings to a good matching height bodyside. The problem is the raised up portion at the bottom of the neck. When I play any string at any fret or open, it buzzes very badly. I have already raised up the saddles on the bridge to keep the buzzing from happening. However, this results in a very high action, higher than I am comfortable playing on.

The shop did not suggest anything else, but they did not see the guitar either. I am already doing some research on removing the fretboard and seeing if the issue is too much wood on the back of the board or on the neck, or if there is just too much glue between the two, or some other foreign body that has no business being there.

[cynical1]

JC -

Let me throw this out...for what it's worth...

There is a point of diminishing returns on working on a guitar. I don't know what you spent on this guitar, but what you're looking at doing is going to cost you in tools.

Here's a good tutorial on what you're putting yourself in for:

www.projectguitar.com/tut/removal.htm

Pulling a fretboard is work...and an investment in tools you will probably never use again. Just to skim the surface you have the iron to loosen the glue, a new nut, radius sanding blocks, clamps, new frets (probably)...and if it's new frets there's the files, the hammer...man, the head spins... All in all figure on dropping around $100.00 to $200.00 on the tools and supplies.

Add to this around 10-40 hours to do the job, based on experience, and you begin to ask yourself...is it worth it?

Is the guitar worth it?

Many times selling the guitar and putting the money for tools on top of what you make gets you an instrument you can play out of the box.

If it was a bolt on neck you might be able to salvage the thing. With a set neck it's even more expensive and you have fewer kinder gentler options...

Just playing Devil's Advocate, but if this was a cheap guitar then I'd consider selling it and getting something that doesn't require this much work to be playable.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[cynical1]

I just looked this guitar up on Google. This is a $200.00 guitar. I wouldn't waste any more time then a drive to the pawn shop. You are just throwing good money after bad with this one.

HTC1

[sydsbluesky]

I'm with cyn, for what it's worth.

Head to GC, or some such place, and suck it up for a guitar with it's act together.

I have the Gibson LP sitting in the case most days, while my main gigger cost me 200 bucks second hand and 170 for pups... but I got expensive pups, obviously... I'd go for some GFS on a tight budget. I've heard good things.

Duncan Blackouts, by the way. Worth every penny. They blow EMGs out of the water for everything but metal.


Oh! Where are my manners!

Welcome to the asylu- I mean nuthouse.

[cynical1]

Just one more thought.

I blew up the image again and took a close look at it. You may very well have an issue with the truss rod on that neck.

This opens a whole new can of worms.

If you really want to keep this guitar, then I'd say your best option id to pull all the frets from just above the hump going up towards the bridge. Have the guitar shop do this. If it's under $25.00 to have them do it you're money ahead.

You'll need one of these:




This is the 4" Wooden Radius-sanding Blocks for around ten bucks plus freight. You can go with the 8" for about five bucks more. You'll need to match the radius on the block with the radius of the portion of the neck you're sanding. Have the shop check that too while you're there.

Start out with a 200 grit sand paper over the hump. Work the hump out, then move up to a 320 grit and 400 grit. You can also put an abrasive pad under these blocks to a nice smooth feel to rosewood.

Next, you'll need one of these:



This is a fret saw. Working slowly you can get away with cleaning up your fret slots after sanding to accommodate new frets. Get the depth stop. Trust me. It only cut in one direction. so it's not too bad controlling a straight cut without the fixture...which sets you back around $150.00

A fretting hammer is nice, but you can find similar hammers at any home improvement store and avoid the freight. This one's around $20.00.



If you have a good shop you might want to just have them do your re-fretting. Since you're not doing the entire neck it might come out cheaper and faster in the long run.

Fret files are around $30.00-$40.00...but that's another story entirely...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[jcgss77]

C1,

That idea is awesome! It never even occured to me. I have already picked up some files and went to town, lowering the bottom 5 frets. I DEFINITELY like that idea, pulling the bottom frets, sanding the fretboard, cutting new fret grooves, and relaying frets. The good thing is I can still do that, after what I have already done. The only prob is when I was resetting the truss rod back to straight with no bow, the nut came flying off. And low and behold, of course, I am fresh out of glue. So I have to wait until the kids take a nap to get more...man impatience is a pain. By the way, if you ever see an Arbor and it is tempting you...RUN AWAY.
Thank you all for the advice, I am going to see what it costs me to have that said repair done, and decide to do it myself or pay to have it done. From there, I am running to the pawn shop because I found a great deal on an Agile 3100, and I already have the ok from my wife on that. Man, I am like a kid in a candy store at 33.

Again, thank you all, and if anyone has anymore advice, I would love to hear it.