STA-1M Maple fretboard begins.

[ozzbike]

I watched Gavin Turners build of his great Blue ash body strat and thought wow I have no hope of doing that. So I bought one and will try something that I may be able to get done this time.

It is the ash body strat kit with maple neck and maple fretboard. I also bought a white pearloid pickguard and gold hardware and bits upgrade kit.

This will be a first for me. I have not made a kit where I had to cut the headstock yet. Nervous does not cover it yet.

Sadly I have to do a few things today and then back to work tomorrow....so it may be early next week before this one gets attacked.

But she is here. (Insert wild grin.)

[ozzbike]

The extras are here too.

[ozzbike]

I really have two main questions guys:-

1. What do I use to cut the headstock within pricing barriers and the fact that I live in a unit with only a small courtyard? I was thinking a hand held powered (not battery as I wont use it that much) jigsaw. I have a dremel style kit with heaps of attachments for the fine work.

2. How do you finish a maple fretboard with the frets already in it? Do you just lacquer over the frets and all? Or can I tape off the fretboard as I have done with rosewood and stain and finish the neck.....then I have to finish the fretboard with something long lasting....as this may go to a family member whose maintenance desire may be less than mine.....e.g. tru oil or just dingo wax will need upkeep. I am thinking something like a polyurethane or spray acrylic. Ideas? Which way is the grain running on a maple fretboard? So if I wish to sand do I go across between the frets or down the neck from headstock to the 21st fret?

[pablopepper]

A jigsaw will be fine Ozzy. Just remember to cut outside your line and work towards your final shape with files and sandpaper. Or if you're ever down this way, let me know and we can sort something out.

If you're going to spray, definitely mask off the fret board. Just wax on a maple board is fine and easy to maintain.

[ozzbike]

I have a bottle of colortone vintage amber. I was thinking of doing that on the neck and headstock....love the colour. I was just wondering what, if anything you put on the maple fretboard. I even wandered into a music store and looked at what Fender, Squier and co use on theirs.....looks like really thick layers of lacquer....felt plastic to play on. This is my first maple fretboard, so I don't know what is good and what to expect different from rosewood.

[bargeloobs]

I really have two main questions guys:-

1. What do I use to cut the headstock within pricing barriers and the fact that I live in a unit with only a small courtyard? I was thinking a hand held powered (not battery as I wont use it that much) jigsaw. I have a dremel style kit with heaps of attachments for the fine work.

2. How do you finish a maple fretboard with the frets already in it? Do you just lacquer over the frets and all? Or can I tape off the fretboard as I have done with rosewood and stain and finish the neck.....then I have to finish the fretboard with something long lasting....as this may go to a family member whose maintenance desire may be less than mine.....e.g. tru oil or just dingo wax will need upkeep. I am thinking something like a polyurethane or spray acrylic. Ideas? Which way is the grain running on a maple fretboard? So if I wish to sand do I go across between the frets or down the neck from headstock to the 21st fret?

Before I got my little bandsaw all I ever used for headstock shaping was a coping saw, rasp and a rolled up 80 grit shearers emery.
You don't need fancy power tools, just a bit of patience and elbow grease.

Personally I wouldn't be lacquering the top of the fingerboard at all. Just conditioning with Dr Ducks or Dingo Wax or something along those lines. I know it was the done thing to spray fingerboards back in the day, but unless you use some sort of bullet proof material (2 pack or something) it's gonna wear pretty quickly through regular playing and end up looking rubbish. I don't think poly or acrylic spray cans would cut it.

[BenWA]

i did my headstock with a coping saw and rasp too, then sandpaper to finish. draw the shape onto the headstock, then cut just outside of it, and finish it off with the paper

[ozzbike]

Well guys the coping saw may be the good place to start. Rasp....any particular one to start with....or just a wood rasp?

[ozzbike]

Ok...just ducks or wax. Thanks. I have both. Maybe rub and buff some wax and ducks all over to give that great feel.

[gavinturner]

Hey ozzie,

If you want to get that Fender vintage yellow neck look (including colouring the fretboard!) i can recommend dying the whole lot with dilute colortone Amber, then using naughty oil on the back of the neck and Dingotone guitar wax on the fretboard itself. Works a real treat, and the wax holds the colour in nicely on the fretboard.

For the headstock shaping, personally I would go the jigsaw then a dremel sanding drum or half round bastard file to clean it up. After the dremel/file, use some coarse sandpaper (eg 120) to finish shaping and clean off the burns from the dremel .

Good luck - you'll do great. It is more intimidating than actually difficult, especially the round fender shapes.

cheers,
Gav.