Simple Trick for Repairing Cracks on a Guitar Fretboard

Here is a perfect beginner's guitar repair. In this video, StewMac tech Gene Imbody shows a simple method for fixing a fingerboard crack that runs the length of the fretboard. Check it out.
0:00 Why cracks happen
0:47 Prep work
2:21 Filling & scraping
7:35 Blending
9:30 Final clean up
Tools and supplies featured in this video include:
#10 Super Glue
www.stewmac.com/item/0010
The Glue Looper
www.stewmac.com/item/4885
Whip Tips
www.stewmac.com/item/7015
StewMac Brush-on Accelerator
www.stewmac.com/item/7013
StewMac Aerosol Accelerator
www.stewmac.com/item/7009
Micro Chisels
www.stewmac.com/item/1628
Micro-Mesh Touch Up Stick
www.stewmac.com/item/3707
3M Scotch-Brite Pads
www.stewmac.com/item/7450
ColorTone Lemon Oil
www.stewmac.com/item/3864
- - - - - - - - - - - -
StewMac has everything you need to repair, build or maintain your guitars.
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[@MTEMedia]

This had an added benefit of making the inlays, and the filler used around them, look nicer too. Thanks for this tip!

[@ReValveiT_01]

I love how they put the Gibson headstock shape on the dusty end of the fretboard.

[@Theblotchknows]

I could listen to this man talk about cracks all day...

[@rauschguitars]

Worth watching even if you don't do repairs, these skills come in handy when doing scratch builds as well.

[@jooger69]

I don't even have a guitar, let alone know how to play one, but it is still worth watching.

[@sluggo2005]

This gave me all the incentive I needed to try this on my Les Paul. Bought from StewMac and had excellent results. Thanks!

[@thefalcon666]

Never had that problem with the fretboard, but very informative. Not as bad as I thought to fix one if it occurs!

[@nonethek9608]

It's always funny to see the amount of precision and care you put in the repair in contrast of how scuffed was the original inlay work.

[@garywheeler1812]

Thank God for Super Glue! I use it in lots of auto and wood projects

[@gerritburgel3048]

True craftsmanship thanks!

[@donwold1622]

WOW! Super Pro-Tip! Thank you!

[@custombaby]

I've always repaired ebony with ebony sawdust plus superglue. You sand some ebony (or the board) to make a fine dust. Pack it into the cracks and hit it with super glue. Scrape and clean up as he did. I would think that it would be much faster, but maybe it doesn't get in as deep? Its just another method and its good to know multiple ways of doing things! Thanks!

[@guitartec]

Awesome, can't wait for the extra work to start rolling in. Thanks StewMac!

[@ThisLoveIsSweet]

Great video. Gene is the best 👍

[@theloothgroup]

Nice Technique Gene ! Thank You Stewmac !

[@stewmac]

Thanks Ian & Co.! 😊

[@seanrosedotcom]

Got an old bass with a cracked board and using this tips fixed it up so you can't even tell. Excellent video! Thanks!

[@susanroycroft89]

That's very interesting, Iv'e been playing guitars for 60 years here in NZ, & never seen fretboards cracked like you show, never mind at least I now know how to fix them, many thanks 😊😊😊

[@timvanboening9432]

Holy crap, did I enjoy this video. That fret board looks fantastic. Well done!

[@tyremanguitars]

this was everything it's cracked up to be and more! cracking video!

[@MAP448]

Great video, full of information & I just love all of the videos that Stew Mac shares. Thank you

[@stewmac]

Thanks for the comment, and for tuning in!

[@ROCKHITS572]

how cool is that what a great repair and advice on how to achieve the result simply ace 👍👍👍

[@knowyourenemy66]

Great video!

[@seanj3667]

"Don't tip the bottle over the guitar." Proceeds to tip the glue bottle over the guitar while putting glue onto blade.

[@stewmac]

Yep! You can do it...you just have to be aware. Putting drops on a razor blade is pretty safe if you're careful. Thanks!

[@antoine2333]

Hello, thank you for the tip, it might be useful one day or another !😀

[@mickeystanic4750]

Awesome job!

[@jsullivan2112]

Great video, that was pretty slick.

[@TBlanktim]

Love these videos. Thanks for doing them.

[@stewmac]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@GeorgeAmodei21]

So Glad I found this Channel! Thank you for taking thr time to making this Video George :)

[@stewmac]

So glad you found us! Thanks for tuning in!

[@Afurthyclays]

This is some great, valuable information! Thanks for sharing this with us. I only wish I had known about this a year ago. I had a brand new guitar with this problem, & had to return it. 🤷‍♂️ Well, NOW I know. 😃

[@MikeGervasi]

Not worth doing on something brand new, It should come perfect or it goes back.

[@Afurthyclays]

@@MikeGervasi Agreed. It was a gift, but it should not have gone out like that.

[@johnsmith-sm6mh]

Very cool

[@walterkersting9922]

I have a fingerboard split and I plan on using Elmer’s or tight bond; I’ve never fixed anything with super glue, but I will watch you work.

[@ernestoborrego5102]

Nice!

[@richardlynch5632]

Great stuff 😁👍 😎👍❤🖖

[@davidkastin4240]

Amazing results.

[@guitaring1979]

My luthier told me the frets have to be popped out to fix fretboard cracks - the heck with that at watching this informative video!

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

The though of a bottle of ca going over the guitar keeps me awake at night !

[@stewmac]

You could also use a pipette. Those are very clean and controllable you can hold it facing up until you get it exactly where you want it.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

@@stewmac Better idea. You can also pull and stretch the end of the pipet and cut off the very end that didnt stretch to get less glue coming out !

[@maryellenhikes5953]

🙂 Gene is a great teacher and person! I've learned much from him. 🎸🤘🏻

[@stevenlindstrom2109]

I'm curious if this same technique will work on a maple fretboard? ...Thanks, loved this demo and how thorough it was!

[@ch0g0nda1]

I love the little Gibson headstock at the end of the fingerboard, lol.

[@wbfaulk]

It's called an "ogee".

[@JonsterTheBondster]

You should work for Solar Guitars 😊👍 This is great stuff to know. Thanks.

[@susanroycroft89]

Hi there, very informative, but here in NEW ZEALAND, naphtha is pretty hard to get, & I do a few repairs on guitar's & such & I use meths, its cheap, a good solvent & readily available, thanks for tips, regards Don from Hamilton NZ on my Wife's tablet-SUSAN 😊😊😊

[@endbran]

Here in AUS its labelled as Shellite, I imagine it'll be the same for you in NZ. Should be easy to get at any hardware store 👍

[@dongonzulman6478]

Very nice! I wonder, is there a good way to get a scratch out of a modern fender laquered maple board?

[@eddyleger7662]

I have that model, but with super shallow bowl, same issue.

[@troyclayton]

I'm more of the mind to gather all required wood dust first, then making rapid fills (packing it into cracks after a first wicking of CA). Going back and forth, glueing/scraping seems to be a waste of time to me. No, I've never filled fretboard cracks, but I've made pounds of 'sawdust' into filler- and it pays the bills.

[@CapeFearLuthiery]

Do yourself a favor and get some syringe tips. They fit on the super glue bottle perfectly, and it's way more precise

[@CapeFearLuthiery]

Thile guy in the video is an amazing luthier though. Do what works best for you. But I live the syringe method

[@wbfaulk]

You mean like a needle that would go on a syringe?

[@eric_in_florida]

love when the rando commenters tell the experts what they should do.

[@CapeFearLuthiery]

@@eric_in_florida I was just trying to help. Most of us aren't used to applying super glue with a freaking razor blade....

[@CapeFearLuthiery]

@@wbfaulk yes. Get the dull tipped ones. They fit perfectly in cracks like the one in the video. Buy a bunch, they will get clogged.

[@MikeGervasi]

Do you need to recrown the frets after sanding them?

[@normbarrows]

A variation on sawdust and superglue. It's unfortunate that polishing the entire fretboard usually can't be avoided in this type of repair. I have a 69 Fender Villager 12 string acoustic bolt-on neck in need of this. Good to know, come restoration time for that guitar.

[@therockiesfan3]

Thank god. Just noticed this on my 2 week old guitar. Gonna take it in tomorrow cause I do NOT trust myself with a razor blade on the finger board lol

[@metalmayhem672]

Aren't you lowering the height of the wood in that spot by continually scraping it and removing material? So now there's a low spot in that section of the board? Wouldn't it have been more effective to have had rosewood flakes from another source and use that instead of scraping it from the board?

[@stewmac]

Great question! Although it does look like a lot, we are only removing about .003" of total material. That's the thickness of a yellow sticky note for reference. We scrape the board evenly across the radius to remove an equal amount everywhere as to not create a low spot. You can choose to use wood from another source, but you still need to level off the fill somehow, and light scraping is a good way to do that. Thanks!

[@avprod1]

Fun to see you working on an Ovation. I have an Ovation 12-string. The strain of 12 ball ends in line in the bridge over 50 years has split along the grain line of the 12 holes. I have an extra bridge from Ovation. I can either try and repair it or replace it. If I repair should I use wood glue or CA or epoxy? If I replace, can I use your heat lamp/skinny knife/ top protection approach to release the glue or did Kaman Aircraft use some space-age glue?

[@peachmelba1000]

If the bridge is already cracked, any repair will simply be cosmetic. Get the worn out bridge off with a bridge heating mat, pallette knives (round off the corners) and use extreme care not to rush the process. It should pop off. You shouldn't need to pry it free. If you get to the point that you can't get it off, take it to a luthier. It'll be worth it. If you get it off cleanly, the bridge footprint will need to be fully scraped/sanded, and you'll need to prep the replacement bridge in certain ways. Too wordy to type it all out, but I recommend the YT channel twoodford. He shows a lot of bridge replacements in great detail. Good luck!

[@stewmac]

Hi Scott! Any advice we (or anyone else) could give you without the ability to examine the guitar should be taken with a grain of salt. Bridge repair and replacement can be tricky, especially on an Ovation, and this is something that would need to be seen by someone with experience first hand. Standard techniques you see on our page and others are usually applicable, but there are nuances specific to each situation that can make or break a repair like that, and that can only be determined in person. Thanks!

[@avprod1]

@@peachmelba1000 so so helpful. Saved me Gobs of tears. Any idea if Ovation in the 1970s used glue that wouldn’t respond to heat to soften?

[@deandee8082]

I think I would drill tiny holes the size of the applicator tip and inject the glue in, maybe take a little sanding dust from elsewhere to make a filler with regular glue to catch the top 3-4mm then sand it all down, this job may be a job you want to remove those frets to get it all and get it right.. this is more of a quick fix id say.. very nice repair tho

[@ridiculous2ks671]

Would it be bad or harder to oil the fretboard after this?

[@truthisthevictory9278]

Hippy lemon oil smells great.

[@Gaoin86]

What about the frets with the inlays? Would you go the same way with the blade?

[@stewmac]

It's ok to scrape over the pearl in most cases as we did here. The small amount of dust that mixes in with the ebony and still turns out black. Thanks!

[@MiniShowProductions]

Not sure if anyone from stu mac will read this but i hope so! I have just bought the neck relief gauge, checked the stu mac site for any videos for demonstration but nothing to be found almost every other item in the shop has a video could stu mac please upload a video of the neck relief gauge being demonstrated

[@stewmac]

Thanks for the recommendation, a video would be good for that. The tool is simple to use though. Zero it out on a calibrated surface like a leveling beam or straight edge. Then check your neck. Every mark to the left of zero will represent .001" of relief, every mark to the right of zero is .001" of back bow. Thanks!

[@ramencurry6672]

If possible there should be a video about repairing cracks in roasted maple necks and roasted body Strats

[@MrMisterock]

I only have Nr 15.876 liquid glue. I don't know if it works.

[@Shpoonman]

Wouldn’t scraping the board with the clean blade take off layers of the board making that area lower than the others?

[@stewmac]

If you are overly aggressive you can. Here we are mostly removing dirt and grime, the amount of wood is trivial (less than the thickness of a sheet of paper) and we do it to the entire board evenly. Thanks!

[@jessegray6395]

Out of all the guitars i see on my bench, ovations are always in the worst of conditions. Something about that plastic back makes people think they're indestructible lol

[@jello714]

I wonder how many solar guitars needed this repair

[@biggstile]

What about a maple fingerboard?

[@stewmac]

Great question! Maple fretboards are generally finished, so they don't usually crack like this. This technique works best on unfinished dark hardwoods like ebony and rosewood. Thanks!

[@colintyler7119]

Love the way that stewmac replies to questions, not many bother 😊

[@scafatiguitars6894]

Hey that looks like Matt Walsh’s cousin 😅. Great video!

[@Afurthyclays]

Glad I'm not the only one that thought this! 🤣

[@pickledparsleyparty]

Everyone who bought a Solar last year is on their way.

[@myopicautisticmetal9035]

It appears that the fingerboard wood shrunk and the inlays split the fingerboard.

[@dylanlee4776]

as an experienced Tech ill just say the risk of turning the bottle upside down over the fingerboard is worth it to save a ton of time using that razor blade method. Just being realistic. A busy shop doesn't have time to take that much time for a little added safety.

[@stewmac]

Yep! That's mentioned at the 6:15 mark when we go back to using the bottle. Just a demo of the razor blade technique. Thanks!

[@dylanlee4776]

@@stewmac oh true I commented before I watched it all haha

[@FiddleSticks800]

It probably depends on the guitar. If it’s a very high value guitar I’m on my best behavior as I go into conservator mode.

[@dylanlee4776]

@@FiddleSticks800 yes of course

[@guyincognito1423]

Cant say I've ever seen a cracked fretboard before.

[@riplead]

I would have thought you could mix sawdust from the same wood with super glue and filled the cracks, and then sanded?

[@norbutvstheworld]

syringe and needle works the best

[@extansegura]

I have best results with epoxy mixed with fretboard dust, ebony fixes are practically invisible

[@stewmac]

That works great on ebony!

[@TracyLongo]

Good Vid, but.. frets need to be leveled after this..

[@AlexisGitarre]

just use a TOOTHPICK. Costs a fraction and you can even sand the tip sharper.

[@arturo4338]

Do not remove the glue with a knife, use acetone. Acetone dissolves glue without scratching.

[@mitcharney1]

Some of the cracks were still visible.

[@stewmac]

Yep...that's addressed at the end of the video. Thanks!

[@JohnDaubSuperfan369]

Your gunk fills in those cracks automatically, and if it doesn't you're simply not funkin' it up enough

[@SevanGuitars]

That thing needs a fret job bad.

[@zuperdee]

“Simple trick?!?” This is NO “simple trick!” Yes, it may be possible to do using ordinary household tools like razor blades, scrapers, and maybe sand paper, but it clearly takes VERY considerable skill and hard-won experience to do it as cleanly and as successfully as you did it here! How many guitars did you have to practice on before you had the confidence to do a high end guitar like this Ovation? If it’s more than one, then it is NOT what I’d call a “simple trick!”

[@stewmac]

I think you will be surprised. This really isn't *that* hard. The biggest risk is not getting too much glue on the fingerboard.

[@ridiculous2ks671]

I think you just need to try it instead of complaining about how "hard" it is before you've even made an attempt.

[@rkgaustin9043]

There is so much phrasing in this video I don't know what to say.

[@stewmac]

It was unintentional. 😎 (But we are Archer fans too.)

[@demelyanov]

Грандиозный колхоз. А ведь чудо-мастера увидят и решат что так можно делать. Таким способом скалопирование получается при том не равномерное. Ну и видны следы от трещин. Ну и камешек в огород отрицающих лимонное масло. Следить нужно за накладкой из эбони и пропитывать лимонным маслом, чтобы такого не случилось.

[@maximalder5190]

Что скажете по поводу натурального льняного?

[@demelyanov]

@@maximalder5190 льняное масло защищает от влаги, лимонное же увлажняет и не даёт расохнутся

[@JoeThornhill]

Why DO you guys always use lemon oil? I mean, aren't Lemons acidic? And don't carpenters just use simple wood or furniture oil stuff, like beeswax? Which you can get anywhere and probably cheaper.

[@flintdavis2]

Beeswax, maybe for guitar body, the fretboard needs the oil to absorb into the wood not just set on the surface.

[@JoeThornhill]

@@flintdavis2 That's what I meant, a replenish, not a finish. I was thinking of Howard's feed & wax that I've seen Will Gelvin use, Crimson guitars' fretboard restorative "Which has no petroleum byproducts in it", or even Pledge repairing oil or something.

[@stewmac]

This isn't food grade oil, it's made from mineral oil. Lots of options for oiling a fretboard and keeping it in good condition. Wax and silicone based furniture polishes tend to build up on the surface over time. Lemon oil is light, clean, and penetrates well. It helps to seal the wood and it doesn't build up on the playing surface. Thanks!

[@JoeThornhill]

@@stewmac I'm not talking about food grade or polishes, I'm basically talking about Moisturizer but for wood, and it doesn't build up if you wipe away the excess once it's tacky. But either way I'm from England, so I'll just buy Crimsons restorative since it comes with cleaner and I don't have to pay a fortune for shipping, nor do I have a shop in the same *county* to nip in and get lemon oil.

[@karlsmith7016]

I once accidentally cracked a finger

[@manuelpachuca4222]

♍️🤘📐

[@rocpile2517]

Fret doctor on rosewood instead of lemon oil

[@Scott_6666]

Why?

[@na1.5nsx5]

割と雑な手法ですね。

[@googledoesntneedtoknownone]

Obvious fret wear at about 2:24. This would effect play-ability, whereas the cracks are pretty much just cosmetic, yes, no? Also, I can't imagine a fret board cracking like that unless it was made of crummy, improperly cured wood. Never seen a cracked fret board like that in over 50 years, and I've dealt with some pretty cheaply made guitars. Shame on you, Ovation!

[@zzkankan9672]

雑な作業だなww

[@5barkerstreet]

supper glue lol what a joke

[@insidious.92]

Am I the only one who think that this looks wrong? 🤔

[@pallecla]

Yes

[@Afurthyclays]

I thought it looked better than a giant set of cracks staring at you, but that's just me. 🤷‍♂️

[@peachmelba1000]

​@@Afurthyclays It's the laziest, sloppiest possible way to do this repair.

[@peachmelba1000]

Nope. It's a good demo of a bad way to approach this kind of repair.

[@pallecla]

@@peachmelba1000 And how would you do it?

[@DR-lh9yy]

Watching all that wood needlessly being scraped off.

[@Afurthyclays]

A mere fraction of a millimeter.... It might look messy, but that guitar is in good hands. 😎

[@robozstarrr8930]

... save scrapings in a pill bottle . . . label appropriately . . . so not to get mixed up w/other good " stuff " !

[@stewmac]

Valid concern! We're only removing about .003" of wood here, about the thickness of a sticky note. It looks like much more from the dust it creates, but it amounts to very little actual material. Thanks!

[@DR-lh9yy]

@@stewmac Thanks. 🙏

[@flintdavis2]

@@stewmac because your stewMac , I think a wood filler product would be available. The scraping and superglue is for a last resort budget minded fix. Come on StewMac! Smh

[@park8023]

How to Drive a Luthier Crazy 👎

[@peachmelba1000]

Yes. This is a very sloppy way to do this repair, and kind of irresponsible to tell (possibly) inexperienced non luthiers that they can undertake it. I foresee at least a few people having big oopsies from this one.

[@jimdoner3443]

I used methods like this to fix missing wood from a finger board and a bridge , worked great and still holding after several years , guitars sound great, both Ebony

[@paulhopkins1905]

Oil the board when it needs it.... it literally never needs it

[@alfredocuomo1546]

Why Lemon oil, there are many different oils used on woods why this one?

[@stewmac]

Lemon oil is light, penetrates well, and doesn't build up and leave any residue that may become sticky over time. There are lots of good oils you can use, this is just one option. Thanks!

[@alfredocuomo1546]

@@stewmac No, Thank you for the response I really appreciate your feedback. I use to use Linseed oil but it's always good to know what works.

[@FoulBodyAutopsy]

I cracked up multiple times during this video.

[@MckinleyDjents]

Great video!