T
tom18222
yes
is there a way to change the inlays or do you need to get a whole new fret board, thansk
tom
tom
tom18222 said:is there a way to change the inlays or do you need to get a whole new fret board, thansk
tom
zook250 said:i recently just did the inlays on one of my spector basses. i ordered the inlay material in a 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch sheet of paua abalone. make sure that it is .050 thick. this is epoxy bonded and is very smooth and easy to cut. you will have to pull your frets, do this by heating each fret with the tip of a soldering iron, then pull them out with a pair of blunt edge pliers( im not sure the correct name). next cut out your inlay design on a piece of paper. i coat the back of the inlay material with liquid paper so that i can trace the inlay on to it and then see the design clearly(the liquid paper can be rubbed off after you cut the piece.) use a jewlers saw to cut your inlay. it is always good to have an asortment of files around to fine tune each piece,( i use standard files and they seem to work fine, get them at home depot or any other store).
the next step i use glue stick and then glue the inlay to the fret board. use a sharp scratch awl and trace the inlay on your fret board.remove the inlay. you can see the outline. take a piece of chalk and rub it into the scratch of the inlay, this will let you see the inlay very easily. next is routing the board. i use a dremel with the router base. you need two types of bits, one larger bit to hog out your desing , and one very small detail bit. some people go to thier dentist and ask for old used bits. these are also available at any hardware store. if you have inlays on the board already, route it out first. mine were just dots made of some kind of resin, you have to get rid of these first so that they dont contaminate the rest of the cut because you need the cut out material to mix with epoxy to maintain the proper color when putting in the inlay. once the orignial inlay is gone, cut out the rest, remember to save the dust in a container. then use the small bit to clean up the edges. try the piece frequently to get the tightest fit.
when all your inlays are cut, then its time to epoxy. only mix enough epoxy for one piece at a time. when you mix add in some of the dust to get the same color as your fret board. dont be afraid of getting any epoxy on your fret board, because it will all have to be sanded after it dries. i use 5 minute epoxy. use a fairly rough grade sand paper to get rid of the epoxy, use a block to get an even sanding, then use a lighter grade sand paper to polish up the inlay. that should be it.
i tried to refret but it is a little bit more difficult, i ended up having someone else do it for me
all in all it was very easy , i got a lot of info from various sites on the net.
this was my very first attemp and it turned out almost as good a factory inlays. ( spector crown inlay)
John Mayes said:...I would guess in the neighbirhood of $300-$500 starting out. You not just talking inlay, but also refretting, both which require some decent skill, and experience.
mixmkr said:A total refret shouldn't cost more than $300....
mixmkr said:oh...and Light.. have you ever had anyone wait (or kill some time somehow) while you did a refret?? In other words, get it done in one trip for the customer... say if they were coming from a decent distance away?? Make an appointment, come in the morn....pickup later that day?
What's the skinny on that policy with you and other luthiers you might know?
zook250 said:a refret job is a must after,
zook250 said:i think tom just asked a simple question and it got a bit off track. not trying to take bread out of your mouths or however the saying goes.