Anyone removed a fretboard?

axisus

I bought a headless guitar to mod a few years ago, what I didn't realise at the time was that the truss rod is broken. It needs a refret anyway, so I thought I'd try and remove the fretboard and either reuse it or install a new one. It's quite a nice bit of maple, but I do actually much prefer dark fretboards, so it may depend on how (if!) I can get it off well and also what I decide I want ultimately.

Anyone done this successfully?

octatonic

Do you know what glue was used?
If it is epoxy then you are going to struggle.
If it is hot hide glue then you just heat it with a hairdryer and use a seam separation knife to pry it apart a little at a time.
If it is titebond then you do the same as hot hide glue but it takes a lot longer.

Another way to do it is to use a heating blanket.

WezV

I heat with a normal household iron.  I use a seam seperation knife, but have also done it with a knackered metal ruler in the past.   I have some pics somewhere on photobucket of the headless one I did, so let me see if I can find them.

it takes a while to start but is fairly easy once you get going

mrkb

Does anyone know what sort of glue Fender Japan would have used in the 1990's?

WezV

here is one i did and actually stopped to take pics.  I didn't remove the frets, you can do it with or without them in.  i figured i would get better heat transfer on this board with them in

the tools


Just beginning - it takes about 10-20 minutes to get to this stage with a normal yellow glue like titebond.  note the foil in the background.  I use that to protect the iron from wood oils and finish, don't want those staining my work shirts




it then takes another 5 miinutes to get to this stage - wiggling the knife down every so often... i i keep a hammer near by to gently tap the blade down if needed

comes off pretty cleanly most of the time



i have done this loads of times on various guitars and have only  struggled when someone else has obviously already replaced the board badly and used an unsuitable glue.



If i was planning to re-use the board i would clamp it to a flat board for a few days and then judge to see if it was viable.

axisus

Thanks people. Useful pictures!

axisus

Yay it worked! Pretty lousy mis-cut channel, real shoddy job.

WezV

Excellent

Andyjr1515

Well done - nice clean removal