paulkc
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Post by paulkc on Jul 5, 2017 15:07:06 GMT -5
Brand new member here - and first post. I am presently in the process of putting together a "Project Telecaster". Though at this point, I am mostly waiting for parts to arrive. The body has been ordered from Warmoth. It's a custom build with finish - so it will be a couple of months before I have that. Here is a mock-up of the order (from Warmoth's build app)...  Quilted Maple on chambered Swamp Ash - rear route - pearloid binding on top. The neck has been ordered and it is a USA Fender "American Standard" neck. Maple on maple with the standard black dots for fret markers. The neck will be here in about a week and I want to change the plain black dot markers out for pearl. I think the pearl will look nice with the pearloid binding. If the neck were unfinished - I probably wouldn't have signed up for this forum and posted this question - but it is a finished (standard) Fender neck. I believe the finish on the fret board is a satin nitro lacquer. My question is - how best to proceed. I know that's kind of a huge question - but to narrow it down a bit... I don't want to strip the fret board and remove the frets (though I imagine a luthier probably would). I want to leave as much of the original finish in tact as I can - but need to get the new markers scraped down level with the fret board - and replace the finish as needed. Any pointers for how best to approach this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! -Paul |
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Post by newey on Jul 5, 2017 16:24:00 GMT -5
paulkc-
Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!
I don't have any answers for you, never tried anything of the sort myself. But someone will be along to help.
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paulkc
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Post by paulkc on Jul 5, 2017 16:57:11 GMT -5
paulkc- Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!I don't have any answers for you, never tried anything of the sort myself. But someone will be along to help. Thanks newey! |
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Post by b4nj0 on Jul 5, 2017 17:27:09 GMT -5
I haven't checked recently but Warmoth did not do a nitro option back when I purchased two necks from them. I imagine this neck you have bought was from a ready finished selection of necks because otherwise am left wondering why you didn't specify the correct dots? I specified such dot markers on my Strat neck (for an upcharge). No assistance that I can offer I'm afraid, but newey is correct that someone on here will be able to offer some sound advice.
e&oe...
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paulkc
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Post by paulkc on Jul 5, 2017 17:34:29 GMT -5
I haven't checked recently but Warmoth did not do a nitro option back when I purchased two necks from them. I imagine this neck you have bought was from a ready finished selection of necks because otherwise am left wondering why you didn't specify the correct dots? I specified such dot markers on my Strat neck (for an upcharge). No assistance that I can offer I'm afraid, but newey is correct that someone on here will be able to offer some sound advice. e&oe... b4nj0 - perhaps you missed my description of the neck (or I wasn't completely clear). It is a USA Fender. Not "like a USA Fender" - it is the USA made neck from American Standards. I was considering ordering a neck from Warmoth (where I could have ordered the inlay as I wanted) - but I preferred the truss rod adjustment at the nut - and this is not the case with the Warmoth with bi-flex truss rod. -Paul |
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Post by newey on Jul 5, 2017 19:40:37 GMT -5
My first off-the- cuff thought is that perhaps you could get the pearl dots as a thin veneer, a couple of mils thick, then just glue them over the existing dots, then a thin coat of finish over the top. If it was just a couple of mils thick, you probably wouldn't notice the slight difference in height.
Prying out the existing dots seems like a recipe for disaster- you're almost certain to gouge the fingerboard around one or more of them.
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Post by b4nj0 on Jul 6, 2017 2:08:56 GMT -5
No, you were quite clear, I misunderstood. (or rather I couldn't see /read your post while I was replying.)
Apology due!
e&oe...
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paulkc
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Post by paulkc on Jul 6, 2017 10:05:12 GMT -5
No, you were quite clear, I misunderstood. (or rather I couldn't see /read your post while I was replying.) Apology due! e&oe... b4nj0, No apologies necessary! Usually things are clear in my head - but I don't always spell them out in posts. If I catch myself when re-reading I will edit to add the missing information. Anyway - just looking for someone that has experience changing fret board markers on finished Fender maple neck. I don't think it will be difficult to remove the original dots. This is what I'm thinking... 1) Will carefully score the finish over the dots so that the finish will break along the edge of the dots. 2) Drill 3mm(ish) hole in the middle of the dots and pull/remove. 3) Clean and square bottom of inlay route with sharp 6mm brad point bit (turned by hand - not in a drill) 4) Fill bottom of route with superglue (if/as necessary) to prevent new markers from setting below the surface of the fret board. 5) Chamfer the edge of the new inlays that will be driven in to the route (to help guide them in). 6) Glue and set new markers in to routes; flush with the fret board - or as close to flush as possible [this is where it gets a little tricky - because there is a finish on the fret board and I think I need to get the new inlays flush with the actual fret board] [this is easy if you are willing to remove all of the finish - but I would like to leave as much finish in tact as I can - that may or may not be the way to go] 7) Sand/scrape/polish new inlays perfectly flush with fret board 8) Restore finish (obviously there is a fair bit of detail in this step) That's what I'm thinking - but I have never done any luthier-type work before (not on inlays anyway). -Paul |
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Post by b4nj0 on Jul 6, 2017 10:26:31 GMT -5
If you can get a counter bore / spot face cutter, you could lift the finish locally and specifically from above the markers. You can grind down an ordinary HSS drill if you're up to it...You would need those holes as a guide for the lead on the counter bore, and I would do it by hand, not in a drill, because I used a very high quality German cutter to remove the finish for Telecaster string ferrules-using a bench press / radial drill-and it still ended in tears on a gold sparkle paint job.
e&oe...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2017 1:38:45 GMT -5
No, you were quite clear, I misunderstood. (or rather I couldn't see /read your post while I was replying.) Apology due! e&oe... b4nj0, No apologies necessary! Usually things are clear in my head - but I don't always spell them out in posts. If I catch myself when re-reading I will edit to add the missing information. Anyway - just looking for someone that has experience changing fret board markers on finished Fender maple neck. I don't think it will be difficult to remove the original dots. This is what I'm thinking... 1) Will carefully score the finish over the dots so that the finish will break along the edge of the dots. 2) Drill 3mm(ish) hole in the middle of the dots and pull/remove. 3) Clean and square bottom of inlay route with sharp 6mm brad point bit (turned by hand - not in a drill) 4) Fill bottom of route with superglue (if/as necessary) to prevent new markers from setting below the surface of the fret board. 5) Chamfer the edge of the new inlays that will be driven in to the route (to help guide them in). 6) Glue and set new markers in to routes; flush with the fret board - or as close to flush as possible [this is where it gets a little tricky - because there is a finish on the fret board and I think I need to get the new inlays flush with the actual fret board] [this is easy if you are willing to remove all of the finish - but I would like to leave as much finish in tact as I can - that may or may not be the way to go] 7) Sand/scrape/polish new inlays perfectly flush with fret board 8) Restore finish (obviously there is a fair bit of detail in this step) That's what I'm thinking - but I have never done any luthier-type work before (not on inlays anyway). -Paul seems legit. My Carvin is a convert left->right, so I never had any side dots, but as I age older I struggle to identify the frets without a proper side dot. So I always wanted to do this. If it turns out good for you, pls prepare some pics/video of the job. The nasty part is drilling for the dots. |
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Post by gitpiddler on Jul 7, 2017 9:29:35 GMT -5
paulkc- Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!I don't have any answers for you, never tried anything of the sort myself. But someone will be along to help. Welcome indeed. My telemonster needs side dots. Are you doing the same for the side dots? Try that first as that may be enough for visibility, etc. I've found that the best mess is the one you don't make, but I'm getting lazy in my old age. |
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Post by b4nj0 on Jul 7, 2017 11:19:22 GMT -5
@gd, make a little jig from a piece of extruded or formed angle (aluminium?) with a suitable hole drilled in it. That way you only need to mark the positions with a non-permanent marker. The lacquering or refinishing is the real deal breaker as the OP has noted.
I used cubic zirconia for the side dot markers on a Warmoth Tele neck a-la Danny Gatton. You can get the CZ stones on the 'Bay for 3 or 4 euros and the effect is great, especially in low stage lighting because they catch available light and glint.
e&oe...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2017 12:35:48 GMT -5
@gd, make a little jig from a piece of extruded or formed angle (aluminium?) with a suitable hole drilled in it. That way you only need to mark the positions with a non-permanent marker. The lacquering or refinishing is the real deal breaker as the OP has noted. I used cubic zirconia for the side dot markers on a Warmoth Tele neck a-la Danny Gatton. You can get the CZ stones on the 'Bay for 3 or 4 euros and the effect is great, especially in low stage lighting because they catch available light and glint. e&oe... great idea banjo! I won't be doing any lives soon (for the next decades to come), being busy bringing food on the family table, but who knows, what the (very distant) future will bring! About the OP's refinishing, I guess it's about time someone call CYN1! |
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Post by b4nj0 on Jul 7, 2017 12:37:08 GMT -5
True but I didn't want to volunteer him!
e&oe...
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