I got a chance to shape the fretboards. This is not as easy as you might think. There is a lot of end grain to deal with.
Tracing the Shape
Rough Sawn
Profiled with the Router and Filed to Final Shape
None are identical in grain nor shape… just one factor that makes each instrument unique.
Next comes some binding and inlayed fret markers.
Wow… bindings for the fretboards and bodies have arrived. The celluloid nitrate bindings require hazmat fees just to ship them.
These bindings are the same style used on Bill Monroe’s mandolin and the others signed by Lloyd Loar back in July 1923.
Celluloid Nitrate Ivory Grained Bindings
An ebony billet turned into several fretboards. When working with solid wood, always make more than you need… you know what happens otherwise.
I cut the blanks from a billet I acquired from a woodworker in the state of Washington. He has had it on hand for many years. Thanks for keeping this ebony safe and allowing me to take it to its next form.
Ebony Fretboard Blanks
Fretted Ebony Fretboards
Here, a blank is ready to be sawed to maximum width.
And here is a blank with the taper cut.
Tapered Ebony F-5 Fretboard
Finally, several blanks are tapered and ready for final shaping.
1923 Replica F-5 Ebony Fretboards ready for shaping.
Next is shaping and dishing the fretboards before binding.
More easy items arrive. Here are the “PAT’D JAN 19 – 21″ ebony bridges.
PAT'D JAN 18 -21 Ebony Bridges
Finally. I have a Les Paul body and neck all glued up from the same billet going on eBay. This old growth mahogany was recovered from the Belize River, Belize. It is too bad we do not have pieces large enough for 1 or probably even 2 piece bodies or 1 piece necks. What is good is the fact that we have this wood available at all. There is only a small amount left and if the price it brings isn’t right, I’ll be keeping it for my own customers.
I am starting the bidding at the price of the billet, $120. For all the labor it took to cut out the knots, checking and just bad parts, I hope I get a modest return. Of course… I could just keep it an put some ’59 Les Paul copies together…. cool!
There is a link to our eBay auctions in the store section of the site: store.
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