Making thinner historic necks - yourself

[ashbass]

I got a brilliant 2006 R8 a few weeks ago and all was luvy-duvy except the neck wasn't all that comfortable to play on. The thickness (front to back) wasn't a problem, but the width of the fretboard was. It was uncomfortable doing wide vibratos (with BB King hand fluttering) and full barre chords felt odd. You can see below how much the index finger rests/pushes against the lower edge of the fretboard/binding.

So I got some sandpaper (gasp!) and took off some of the binding. Viola, I'm in the groove. The difference in feel is amazing. Everthing is easier to do and there's an illusion in my hands that the neck is even thinner front to back (impossible I know).

Here is an exaggeration of the fretboard before and after:

I started with a sharp angle that only cut into the top half of the binding and took away as much as I felt I could. Then I went back and evened the binding up so that the bottom half was smooth with the neck wood. Careful going and many stops along the way ensured that I didnt' sand into the neck itself.

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[Rock Johnson]

I do the same thing with the binding on the top edge of the guitar where my forearm hits it. I just use a file to round that edge off a bit, makes the guitar way more comfy and "broken-in."

[idlewild south]

How did BB manage all those years with stock guitars?

[GuitarDean]

BB has got more talent than us that's how. Sanding down edges is risky business though folks, be aware that accidents do happen and using a sanding block to make a uniform, consistent path would be advised. Having a full-blown wood shop means I would be comfortable and familiar with with doing this kinda work, but please don't just get any old sandpaper and whack away. Sanding away too much might also expose fret edges.

Ash, what was the grit of the paper that you used, and was it slightly wetted or dry? Also did you use a sanding block or bare hand? How uniform was the end result?

[ashbass]

Originally Posted by GuitarDean

BB has got more talent than us that's how. Sanding down edges is risky business though folks, be aware that accidents do happen and using a sanding block to make a uniform, consistent path would be advised. Having a full-blown wood shop means I would be comfortable and familiar with with doing this kinda work, but please don't just get any old sandpaper and whack away. Sanding away too much might also expose fret edges.

Ash, what was the grit of the paper that you used, and was it slightly wetted or dry? Also did you use a sanding block or bare hand? How uniform was the end result?

Very risky. I've done the R8 and now my R4 (the photos above). I didn't deal with each fret individually. Both times I used an 8 x 1.5 x .5 inch piece of wood and wrapped 150 grit dry sandpaper around it and then sanded length-wise up and down the neck. This helped keep the rounding effect consistent.Tempting as it was, I only kept the paper on the board for one or two passes at a time. Then I'd check how it was going by looking and playing. I did the initial passes on roughly one third of the neck at a time. Like frets 1-5ish and then 6ish-16ish and then 3-9ish. baby steps are the only way to be safe. Then I used 0000 steel wool to smooth it up, and finally some mequiars #9.

I did not touch the fret ends at all. I didn't sand into the fretboard either. There is still a little wall of the original height binding all around. I would have liked to keep the nibs but they went away and I'll take that loss for the gain in feel any day.

On the r4 the 4-7 fret area felt thicker than the rest of the neck and I kept retouching there on the underside to even out the feel. I eventually overboarded and took off some neck finish around fret 5. Oh well. I got it feeling good and that little bit of wood isn't seen anyway. remember, baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.

[ashbass]

Originally Posted by idlewild south

How did BB manage all those years with stock guitars?

How about:

He rounded them himself while sitting on the front porch on warm summer nights while curtis loew played the dobro and sang funny little songs about BB being a wuss.

He played the hell out of them and they wore down naturally.

He can palm a basketball so the fingerboard width isn't an issue.

He is still living the blues and the suffering of his index finger against that binding reminds him nightly of where he came from. You ever look at his expression when he's fluttering off one of those vibratos?

No...what guitardean said.

[idlewild south]

Hopefully you knew I was kidding.I have a Lucille and the neck is bigger than my R7 which is a Louisville Slugger in and of itself.Add the heavy strings and its a workout;but man it sounds good!Glad yours is better for you now.

[ashbass]

Originally Posted by idlewild south

Hopefully you knew I was kidding.I have a Lucille and the neck is bigger than my R7 which is a Louisville Slugger in and of itself.Add the heavy strings and its a workout;but man it sounds good!Glad yours is better for you now.

Yes, I got the joke intended. NP. Just sending some back as well.

[idlewild south]

Cool beans,amigo.

[FrankiePRS]

Great thread - thanks for the info!!

[GuitarGal]

Great thread~

[lexluthier]

Hey, if any of you guys get a chance to check out real bursts, look at how the binding was dressed on those. They angled/rolled the top part of the binding AFTER the guitar was finished, you can see where the finish is scraped away and is kind of rough. They must have used either a scraper or a file, not very smooth actually. Where the player has played it usually has smoothed out over the years, but on the upper bout where there is no playing wear, you can still see the exactly the way it left Gibson. Also, there are hardly any binding 'nibs' on vintage Gibsons. This is something Gibson has forgotten, and most of the replicas don't get it right either.

[ReverendJWblues]

I once used an exacto knife on my custom at 90 degrees and scraped very lightly. but I wouldnt recomend without a little practice. Although it was pretty simple just took a while to get what I wanted.
JW

[diceman]

Resurrection!!

This was a cool thread - in particular, that photo that Lex posted near the end. I'd noticed that my R8 doesn't have much in the way of binding nibs - about like what is pictured above - and didn't realize that "thats how it was done" back in the day (great closeup!). The Gibsons that I've played usually have big ol' binding nibs!

[Mike60]

...I roll all mine as soon as I get them except for the older ones...

[diceman]

You just do it with an emory board? I think I read a post of yours several months ago about that... You and Bobbo, back and forth talking about it.

I've thought about it. I like the rolled feel on my '69 a lot - very comfortable.

[Mike60]

Originally Posted by diceman

I like the rolled feel on my '69 a lot - very comfortable.

......you got it...one of the easiest mods to do on any guitar...

[diceman]

I've gotta toss that idea around a little bit... But its in the back of my mind!

[Roman Rist]

I'll have a pictorial on the subject very soon.

[diceman]

Originally Posted by RFR

I'll have a pictorial on the subject very soon.

Sweet.

I just did some very light work with an emory board, just to round off the corners a little bit. I'm not going to get too aggressive with it, but I like the difference.

[Mike60]

Originally Posted by RFR

I'll have a pictorial on the subject very soon.

...I'll look forward to seeing it.

[pinefd]

Originally Posted by Mike60

...I'll look forward to seeing it.

Me too! I just love the feel of a neck with a rolled binding, but I've never had the nerve to do it myself (except to guitars I've made myself).

Lookin' forward to that Roman!

[Texas07R8]

hmmmm, I'm gonna look into this when I get home tomorrow, my 07R8 has a full neck too and I do believe this will work for me too, but first I gotta see and play with my newest baby, an all original 87 Les Paul Custom Lite. She's got the factory 59 Re-Issue pickups with a factory coil tap switch. This guitar has the beveled back and thinner body and a sweet ebony fretboard.

The guitar arrived earlier this week, good thing the wife was home to sign for it while I've been out of state all week on business. I'm flying home tomorrow afternoon and I can't frikkin' wait. I could be playing it right now! AARRGGHHH

[pit_s_xroad]

Hi there...

I just recently scrapped mine with a sharp knife then sanded it with very fine sandpaper and polished it with a fingernail-polisher... I did it not that extreme as on the pic of this vintage LP up there in this thread... It gives a great playing feel to the neck...

I'd put some pics here, but my crappy camera doesnt allow me great close-up shots...

I did this in fact to all my guitars Strat, Lesters, ES335 except the Clapton-Strats... they have already a slight rolled edge...

PIT...

[dkirwan]

That's something I love about my custom authentic 02 R8. They rolled the binding ever so slightly...and that guitar has felt like an old friend since day one!!