Toner Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I was wondering if Gibson has a "Spec" for this. What I am referring to is how the fingerboard has been planed increasingly thinner from the 15th to 21st frets. On my '98 R7 it seems to be more than normal, resulting in higher action from the 15th to 22nd frets. I would think that .010 to .020 would be enough, but mine has .035 at the 22nd. I have the guitar set for low action with .010's and playing licks up the neck is a breeze untill I get to the 15th fret and I can tell my action is getting higher and playing is less of a breeze, but still playable, just not optimal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Has the guitar been re-fretted ? I measured mine, it's an un-bound neck. The fingerboard thickness is 1/8 of an inch, until you get to the top of the neck. Just in front of the pickup and it is 1/16 of an inch. The majority of guitars have this drop off. My guess is you neck maybe slightly bowed, unless you know for sure you fingerboard has been planed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 No re-fret, it's totally stock. The reason they do this is to continue the slight bow(Relief) in the neck that the string needs to vibrate without hitting the frets. A 16th of an inch is pretty thin for a fingerboard. The tang of the fret is about that long. Anyway, my R7 seems like it could use some more fingerboard thickness above the 15th fret. And I was wondering if its common to have so much fall away on Les Pauls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 The 1/16 of an inch I'm talking about is directly in front of the pickup. Directly after the last fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Here are my measurements: Fingerboard/Binding 6/64ths to 5/64ths, nut to end of board. How I check the fallaway is to press the 1st string down at the bridge PUP untill the string touches the 12th fret then measure the space between the string and the top of the 22nd fret. Mine is a little over 2/64ths, a 64th=.015". I think the finish thickness is why there's only a 1/64th differance measured from the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 In your first post your talking about the thickness of the fingerboard. Now it seems like you're talking about fret height. Maybe some frets need to be leveled. How about posting some pictures ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Fingerboard and frets. They can both effect fallaway. I've checked the crown height of the frets and they are all about the same height above the board. So, I think that it was the way the fingerboard was prep'd before fretting that is causing the fallaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I've checked the crown height of the frets and they are all about the same height above the board. All the frets will be the same height, did you try with a fret rocker ? http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Leveling/Fret_Rocker.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Here is a Picture of the fallaway that I am refering to. I am replacing the nut so the straightedge had room to lay flat against the frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Maybe you should lower the pickup. Looks like it's giving the ruler a little life =(. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 No offense but that looks like the ink-stamped ruler that I have in my desk drawer, and I can't really trust it for straight pencil lines on looseleaf. You need a machinist's ruler with a precision straightedge and etched markings. The picture does tend, however, to show that the last three or four frets are getting pretty low - has anyone done a level-and-crown on these frets and maybe got a little zealous? Falloff is supposed to be very subtle, in fact it's not usually done when sanding the board it's done after the frets are on there. When the frets are leveled, some techs use a layer or two of masking tape up around the 12th fret so the leveling tool takes nothing off the 13th and progressively more until it takes a few thousandths off the last fret - I'd expect it to be a lot less dramatic of a fall off than what's suggested by your picture. A partial refret might be in order, so save the money you would've spent on a Starret ruler and find a good tech instead. Unless you're the original owner in which case you might have a warranty issue - it isn't fret wear so much as it's the frets were not leveled properly in the first place - nobody wears out the highest frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Ruler is a Pickett. Checked againist my Starrett 6". Straight enough to show the fallaway. Guitars frets are untouched by anything but strings. Crown height is the same on all frets, so it must be the fingerboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Try calling 1-800-4-Gibson and double check with them on the relief. Maybe it's the picture but it doesn't look like the ruler is flush on the higher frets. If the ruler is flush that is a huge relief and I doubt adjusting the truss rod would compensate, but I could be wrong. Hopefully someone with a similar model can answer your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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