The Easy Way To Glue On A Fretboard... And Look Cool Doing It!

[@xyzcreate]

That teaser you gave us at the very end of the video got me so excited! I can't wait for that video!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend though there will not be a video about that... we hit a few snags and didn't record it all maybe something with the new neck

[@bassoneman]

Thank you great help. Me being a newbie at this. I also found that round tooth picks measure 1/16" inches.. I don't have dot material on hand. But tooth picks are at my local grocery store.. Now I need to find a video on how to trim the fret board once it is glued down.. this Fret board is a replacement not a new neck

[@tiki_trash]

I've learned a lot from this channel and I want to thank you for taking the time to make these videos and if I ever get to the point where I can build a guitar neck, I'll know how to look cool doing it. I've been thinking of trying my hand at making a body and buying a neck, though. This video will definitely set the record for salty comments.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend you can do it and when you do send pics

[@robinfhild]

@@TexasToastGuitars I've made quite a few guitars now, but because I don't get to do it full time it's always nice to come back here for a refresher! Thanks for making the effort.

[@spannerman4886]

Always generous with your time and sharing your knowledge. Thanks Matt👍🏼👍🏼. Here's an extra couple of thumbs up!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks brotherman

[@strawman3059]

Glad I found this channel i'm planning my first build and your content is golden!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@randytapson9504]

Never thought of using side dot material. Brilliant!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks Randy

[@maxmustardman298]

I just took the nut out of cheap strat copy neck, and discovered two staples under it. I wondered what the hell is going on, and then it dawned on me that they used staples to keep the board in place when gluing it. Man your method is so much better.

[@jcrm05]

Just what I was looking for! Thanks!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Perfect! Thanks for watching my friend

[@johnniemnemonic73]

That’s the way aha aha I like it aha aha Nice work, especially right at the end, pure pro 🤘😁

[@TexasToastGuitars]

This poor guitar has a really sad life story

[@bevo65]

I can only imagine how much fun one of your classes must be. 😄

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I try to be fun... sometimes I pull it off

[@pops71]

Super sweet registration method. I always used a pneumatic headless pin gun in fret slot or inlay recess.of the 12th fret. Slow cure epoxy from LMII so no worries about open working time.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Sounds like you have a great system keep using that

[@davidneilson3508]

Awesome how to video as always. Thank you for taking the time to make all these cool videos, myself and many others really appreciate the work that goes into them. 👍👍😊🍻

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@courtneyboyd3749]

Hey I got a fingerboard that’s only square on one side but I already cut the fret slots it’s difficult wondering if I can get the alignment without the fingerboard being square and going off the fret slots

[@alexnuhn7973]

I like the colour of fret dots you have there. Where can i get those?

[@aevoguitars2576]

We used to put the fret slots in after the fretboard was glued on.No worries about lineing up the fretboard

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Many ways to skin a cat that's for sure

[@ahmadhasan5684]

Hello Do you accept orders for the Kramer model neck guitar

[@augustinechinnappanmuthria7042]

Super super super lovely tips

[@axelnoi]

I took your school the other day and used the weenie roller to spread the glue. Man I love that tool

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It works great, right

[@DavidRavenMoon]

I use wire brad nails. I pull them out from the fretboard after the glue dries. The plastic dots are a good idea. I’ve been using that thin “magic tape” to cover my truss rod when I glue. I leave the tape on. 😁

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It is not unheard of for me to forget to peel the tape

[@DavidRavenMoon]

Texas Toast Guitars I’ve done it for years. Hasn’t hurt anything. I figure it stops glue from oozing in.

[@thomashall2418]

Thank you Matt for sharing your knowledge. Sure is appreciated

[@TexasToastGuitars]

My pleasure Thomas

[@74dartman13]

Great tips! I'll have to remember to make that sound when I squirt the glue on. Gonna try my first neck this winter. Thanks!👍😎🎸🎶

[@TexasToastGuitars]

You would be surprised at how many people don't know to do that

[@74dartman13]

@@TexasToastGuitars yup!😂

[@Terry3Gs]

Awesome as always !! :)

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks Terry

[@neiljohn622]

Nice tip, thanks mate 👍

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@neiljohn622]

@@TexasToastGuitars my pleasure, my favourite KZbin channel! Keep it up keeping it real. Big love and hope you all have a good Xmas from Wales.

[@6174ever]

Great information. I hope to use it someday

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@theshotgunscientists]

I actually had a similar idea on my own my first time re-glueing a fretboard back onto a bass. The difference being I used brad nails as locator pins and didn’t put them in the fret slots. I put them in the neck beside the truss rod cavity on the top left and bottom right, then lined the fretboard up to it and pressed down, leaving an impression on the underside of the board. Then I drilled very shallow holes where the impressions were and glued and clamped. Looking bad I wish I would have revised my thinking and used toothpicks after I made the impression with the brad nails in case I ever need to pull the board off again.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Many ways to skin a cat my friend

[@MixingGBP]

9:15 I always resist the urge to instantly clean off the wet glue. I wait 10 or 20 minutes then it scrapes off really easily. It does not adhere to the wood or go into the wood fibers.

[@rodneybrummett5862]

Funny shit. Getting ready to glue a fretboard on and thought I'd take a break and watch a video or two. Turned my phone on and there you were. I've used tacks before but this looks better and easier. Keep on keeping on.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks Rodney

[@garym5701]

I hear the salt thing all the time too. It may help to keep things from shifting, but it won’t really help to index. So for me, it’s a non-starter. Having said that, if you use hot hide glue to attach fretboards, adding a pinch of salt to your glue will extend the open working time before it begins to gel. 👍

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I was thinking about a video where I do all these techniques people say I should use

[@garym5701]

Texas Toast Guitars you should use some of that big-assed kosher salt. Lol. Show how it leaves gaps in the glue lines.

[@MJ-nb1qn]

As a woodworker, (not a luthier yet) the “salt trick” doesn’t work for sour apples. So forget it for keeping anything in place. Of course I could have been doing it wrong! You guys make me want to quite the furniture build, and make guitars! Cool Show!

[@LiloUkulele]

In general, hide glue, like epoxy needs a low pressure bond. If you squeeze it too hard, all the glue will extrude out. PVA requires the clamps and cauls and 150-250psi of bond line pressure. Urea crystals are recommended as an additive to hide glue, to extend gel time. I've read that this is what makes "liquid hide glue" not gel at all at room temp. I can't speak to this from experience, as I've never used the crystals, and don't care for the store bought liquid hide glue. I've read that old timers used to pi$$ in their glue pot to extend gel time. Maybe the smell just made glue ups seem to take longer... Also pre- warming the surfaces to be glued, will give you a little more time to get your ducks in a row.

[@RaySchwanenberger]

I’m curious as to why you removed the tape over the truss rod? I would think leaving it on would keep glue squeeze out from getting into the pocket and possibly adhering to the rod and gluing it in place. Also, would you ever use hide glue to allow the fret board to be removed to replace/repair the truss rod? Thank you for doing these videos.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Hi Ray You certainly don't have to remove the tape, we just do You certainly could use hide glue, we just don't

[@luisdeleon2142]

Hola amigo. Me gustan tus videos. Si no te molesta te doy un consejo. En vez de acrílico para centrar el diapasón, puedes usar clavos más largos, pero puestos desde arriba del mismo, así cuando la cola se seca, los puedes sacar facilmente y además puedes poner toda la presión que tu quieras a tus prensas. Saludos desde Argentina. Hi friend. I like your videos. If you don't mind I give you some advice. Instead of acrylic to center the fingerboard, you can use a little large nails but placed from above the fingerboard, so when the glue dries, you can easily remove them and you can also put all the pressure you want on your clamps. Greetings from Argentina.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I'm sorry but I'll need to get a translator

[@lonniezamarripa959]

👍🤚🏽👌Really enjoyed that!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@bahed1]

I did the salt trick a couple of times. Use very little! I put too much the second time and the joint failed. It was only test scrap, fortunately!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I hear ya The notion of salting a glue joint seems like a bad move

[@markgrimm3564]

where did ya say ya got the plastic rods or pins

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Stewmac

[@scaira60]

Hey Matt do yiu have a vid that shows you making a les paul style neck with dimentions ect?? Thanks Brother

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I haven't Scott, we don't build very many Les Paul guitars these days

[@r.llynch4124]

vac bag would work great too.

[@kurtrichardson5964]

Hey, my man I tried salt it does stop it from shifting around but the spots you put the salt in doesn't stick the salt Drys the glue and it pops loose

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I always kinda wondered if it would thanks for doing a little testing my friend

[@thecarolinahoosier3596]

Another great tip, Matt. And best of all, the plastic won't make potential future fretboard removal as difficult as using steel or brass pins would!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@michaeladamcaira9174]

Very nice

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks amigo

[@BranzellGuitars]

The problem with gluing boards on without a filler strip is you can wind up with nasty cracks down the center of the board. Dry areas vs wet areas and glue doing it's thing while it cures. Always use a filler strips over any rod. 45 years of building is a great teacher...........

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I have never had any issues, of course, I haven't been building guitars professionally for 45 years. I got to hand it to you... this is a tough industry to work in for close to 5 decades. Kudos.

[@Ibaneddie76]

Cool video as always, is there a reason why you don't use a visible center line instead of having to use clamps and caliper to line up your fingerboards? I use cut in half round toothpicks instead of side dot material because I'm that cheap! You got that side dot material from Stewmac so you probably use $42.50 per neck in side dot material😜

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching this is a very old video and we no longer use this technique. These days we cut the fret slots after the board is glued on

[@juliansuarez3849]

Cool tip Matt! Reverse headstock is awesome men. Never cut your hair!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Oh man I'm sick of my hair

[@juliansuarez3849]

Texas Toast Guitars 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@pskemster]

Any thoughts if the fretboard already has been fretted?

[@cafenoirfilm]

Staples... By holding the gun a little proud of the surface of the neck, making sure not to be under any frets. That results in a staple not being fully emerged in the neck. Then cut the bridge between the two points giving you two index pins. Do this on both ends of the neck. Place your fretted fretboard and when right push Down to indent the position of the staple pins in the board. Then drill a little deeper with appropriate drill bit. Works lika a charm with a bit of practice, and what I used before I learned this.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Like Johan said you can make little barbs that hold it on there. You can also make the neck very differently and use spot glued blocks. That is a story for another video

[@richardcramp2850]

Salt goes on Frys didnt work as well ,, And it dried before i could clamp it, use little staples if you dont have side dot stuff, thanks Matt .

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks my friend, I think I should do a video about all the things people say I should try

[@richardcramp2850]

@@TexasToastGuitars like guitar techniqes you should avoid or something like that right. have a great day bother.

[@kirkscobey3031]

Great video as always but one question! How could you possible be any cooler??

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I could be WAY cooler, I am pretty square, ask Mrs. Toast

[@amitsapir2]

Matt, what's the wattge of a drill press a luthier needs?and how big the throat should be? (I think that's how it is called)

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Hi Amit, I can tell you that the power isn't the most important part for us, it is the distance from the post to the center of the bit. As you said the throat. We are rarely wanting for more power.

[@amitsapir2]

@@TexasToastGuitars so what minimum power and throat should i be looking for? thanks!

[@michaelailer5623]

Having a physical index point makes Assembly easier. I worked as a Tool and Die Machinist many years ago. Line up pins and key slots made bringing pieces together quicker. Going through fret slot ingenious. I would think going through position markers and cap hole with whatever inlay being done. Great video as I always.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

We don't like face dots

[@michaelailer5623]

@@TexasToastGuitars I know, wondered how you got fretboard on square without a register point. Now I know! Merry Christmas!

[@johnmiller9219]

always have the clamps ready to go and adjusted accordingly before squeezing glue.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

always

[@YeOldeGuitarDude]

Adding Kosher salt does help adhesion, but not without a good amount pressure as it has to deform both pieces of wood around the granules to work... and some wood is softer than others. It tends to cause PVA glue to clump and it sure feels like it accelerates the set time. Only use it if you aren't really going to be fiddling with the position of the pieces you're trying to glue together and clamp hard and fast. The index pin method is far superior.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks Kirk, we aren't going to change anything anytime soon

[@wilsonreid3277]

I have been using a similar technique for some years now, but use very fine 1 mm pins

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Nice 👍

[@alectronicmail]

I subscribed! Happy Meal for me! 🤙

[@GosselinCreative]

So you use calipers rather than using a center line to line everything up? Side-dot material indexing pin idea is ingenious. Are you using Stew Mac Hot Rod truss rods or another brand? Good stuff, Matt.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Sometimes I use a center line, kinda depends on what we are doing you know...POU. We do not use the hot rod truss rod

[@Aslan737]

is it OK using toothpick?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It's okay be me

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@TexasToastGuitars]

You're welcome Walter

[@ThePercolators2014]

How thick do you typically go with your fretboards, they look pretty thick, like 3/8"?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Depends on the body the neck is going in... this one started out at 5/16 or standard for set necks before radiusing

[@josephcaswell5729]

So getting to feel like a real Christmas, other than it's a present I bought myself.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It's going to be cool man

[@johnrice8718]

Thooth plcks that are tapered will also work in a pinch

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Sounds like it would work to me John

[@johnrice8718]

No salt l like low sodium guitars

[@SuperDrumwolf]

hmmm. I always thought the sound you have to make while gluing was pfffft, not bffffft? I guess I learned something new from ya'll (again).

[@TexasToastGuitars]

What would you do without me

[@100amps]

I like it! Makes me wonder if you could also use uncooked spaghettini. Would be super cheap if you did a lot of fretboard glue-ups. Might be too big though. Haven’t measured it lately. 😎

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I don't know? Give it a shot my friend

[@spikechampkart55]

Would be organic, LOL

[@dappawap]

I tried the table salt trick and it did not help at all!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

While I have never tried the "Salt Trick" I'm not surprised it didn't work

[@evilutionltd]

I use cocktail sticks in exactly the same way. I think you might call them toothpicks in America.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

We use those now too

[@mikemcilroy4995]

I just make the noise all the time so I never forget to make it during a glue up...plus it usually keeps others away so it's useful when not doing a glue up

[@TexasToastGuitars]

You got to live how you want to live brotherman

[@nowthatsbetter8997]

Registration pins are the gold standard.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

agreed

[@thesunsetmarquez8880]

If the owner of that fine neck is a lefty, then aren't the side dots on the wrong side?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Two different necks

[@thesunsetmarquez8880]

@@TexasToastGuitars Gotcha. Thanks for the reply.

[@garykrank7729]

Like downtown baby lol

[@miguelmuniz2421]

Maybe toothpicks might work as well for the pins

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Those work great

[@LiloUkulele]

A high quality instrument might need some future neck work. Hide glue is preferred by many luthiers over synthetic glues for its reversibility, creep-resistance and tendency to pull joints closed as it cures.Removing a fretboard glued down with hide glue is a lot easier than PVA. Sure, it smells and it needs a carefully heat controlled pot, but the bond is ridiculously strong and long lasting, and more importantly, is reversible with heat and moisture. Hide glue is what historic wood instruments are repaired with. No one would ever repair a Strad or Guarneri with anything other than hot hide glue.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for taking the time to write this Michael. First of all, I urge you to use whatever glue you desire. I think it is important to remember that violins are actually designed to be pulled apart at the glue joint as a part of regular maintenance. In order for an acoustic instrument to sound good it has to be fairly fragile. I think that the best acoustic instruments sound as good as they do because they are almost ready to fall apart. Solid body electric guitars are a bit different. But again... I urge you to use whatever glue you like.

[@cmguitar50]

Nice! Table salt is great on a rare steak, not glue!

[@lloydpittonet]

I see cats doing them with steel pins, and I always thought: what if you have to pull the 'board? I don't do a lot of design work that takes into consideration repairs (I just hope that it won't need it) but that seems like a job for something that you don't want to surprise someone with later. The plastic rod makes much more sense in the long run.

[@lloydpittonet]

Also, I tried salt, and I felt kinda dumb using it. Yes it grits it up, and melts into the glue so there's no pooty in there after, but I felt like I was cooking not building.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

We used a bunch of different techniques and landed on this one. I really like it

[@markheefner8245]

A little disappointed that when you pulled the tape off of the truss rod channel you only said reveal once. I was really hoping for "Reveal! Reveal! Reveal!"

[@Kamile0n]

I was waiting for the chant too!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I didn't even realize I goofed that up until I was editing

[@okiwatashi2349]

I hope it worked out ok, you didn’t make the noise with the second lot of glue!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

HAHAHA I think it was okay

[@kmichaelp4508]

Hey! You know you can use salt....yeeeeaaahhhh buddy

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It's so easy even I can do it

[@yosemitesam4549]

algorithm comment... good stuff.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks for watching my friend

[@adammoran7849]

Shimmy, shimmy, shake sounds better than squishy squishy whatever-the-hell. P.S.. You definately look cool glueing the fretboard

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Thanks Adam

[@donvanco3078]

Salt works - but there's nothing like having a physical register point for the work.

[@donvanco3078]

And what the hell was that at the end? You sacrificing pointy guitars??

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Yeah, I don't see us changing our plastic pin thing anytime soon

[@TexasToastGuitars]

The guitar at the end is the one we are building the neck for

[@steveredenbaugh9058]

Knowing where your Nut is gonna go... Good point of Aim is Essential.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Oh man, don't get me started. The older I get the worse my vison gets

[@jerrybrazier3282]

I think the Les Paul will be cool I like different

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I think so too

[@jerrybrazier3282]

I was right my guitars are stripped with walnut and red oak telecaster

[@ritchtaylor3831]

As a member of Local 717, I'm very disappointed to not see you use your wienie roller to spread the glue.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

That would have been a great tool to use

[@jakefromstatefarm9721]

when you added additional glue to the neck you neglected to make the glue squirting sound.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It's like I said, people often forget :)

[@Leadguitarman1]

Tapered toothpicks and you don’t have to drill the holes bigger in the fret board.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Lots of ways to skin a cat, seems like a good way to go brotherman

[@MrNep2une]

Salt is a bad idea for fretboards. It's probably a good idea for most other purposes but not ideal for this application. Maybe used a but too much but all it did was destroy the glue. I learned it the hard way.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

you could always use locating pins

[@simontwycross3449]

I have a question... Are you the reincarnation of celebrity art genius Bob Ross? There was a moment when you were brushing on the glue where you sounded just like him!

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Not as far as I know, my hair is REALLY straight

[@100amps]

I agree. Those first few brush strokes of glue really looked like a forest at sunrise with a lake in the foreground.

[@Bob_at_OZDiggzguitars]

"Slippery When Wet" is a great term for gluing a fretboard..."Slip Sliding Away"? Indexing saves the day again! "Live how you wanna live"

[@TexasToastGuitars]

HAHAHAHA the pins help

[@LazyCat010]

Squishy, squishy shifting?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Silly words are what I bring to the party

[@callejarvholm]

The american messurments are so complicated 😂 1/16 to 5/64 lol

[@TexasToastGuitars]

We use lots of measurements in the shop and regularly switch from fractions to metric and back to decimals

[@unclejack123]

SlippySlide: the phenomenon that occurs (frequently) when attempting to glue & clamp two pieces of flat wood together. .................... just sayin' ................... ;-p

[@TexasToastGuitars]

You got that right brotherman

[@SloverOfTeuth]

You wanted "Slip slip slidin' " ...

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I probably did

[@PostalPaulyShredz]

What's going on at the end of the video here Matt? A snapped neck??

[@TexasToastGuitars]

This is the guitar we are building the neck for. It was all kinds of wrecked and neck through. The customer decided he wanted us to do it like this

[@twothreebravo]

It's not shimmy shimmy shakin'...it's slip slidin' away

[@TexasToastGuitars]

That it is brotherman

[@edadpops1709]

ah you have heat 😏

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Well, not in the morning

[@TomL-]

Who's drinking the tangerine beer?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Mac, Bret and Chris had that

[@michaeladamcaira9174]

Who the hell would put salt on wood glue and waste a half hour ,it works but no thanks,wood glue ,locater pins and brains and clamps,very simple

[@TexasToastGuitars]

I still haven't tried the salt thing

[@scottestes7768]

Wtf was that at the end???? Flying v torture?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

That was the poor guitar that we are making the new neck for. It is a really sad story

[@dillardfilth]

Friends don't let friends construct fretboards without zero frets 😓

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Sorry you don't like it

[@dillardfilth]

Nah, I'm no snob. Just watched your zero fret video and went in for the bad joke

[@garykrank7729]

Man u funny. Lol

[@bumschkinn]

At the risk of sounding like an idiot.... i dont u derstand the concearn of even outside spacing before index pins..? I mean cuz its all getting trimmed off anyways ...?

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Yep trim them off

[@seanwilliams3377]

Well, as long as I look cool doing it then,,,,,OK

[@TexasToastGuitars]

Joe Jackson said... You gotta look sharp

[@nechastivi3187]

5/64, that hurts me as European

[@TexasToastGuitars]

It hurts you?

[@nechastivi3187]

@@TexasToastGuitars Ofc my friend that you need to use those measurements over our mm.

[@wesurbanski6815]

Thought this was a pro shop? Y'all don't even own a caul? Get a job bro.

[@TexasToastGuitars]

You are right... we own lots of cauls