Fretboard over top

[Dick Hutchings]

I've been thinking about this on and off since I just did a reset and getting close to finishing my own guitar. The dovetail is the one place I would like to use HHG but it requires moisture to release it. It's easy to induce steam into the dovetail but not so much under the fretboard. Heat alone won't do it so I'm considering using Titebond over the top of the guitar where it's very easy for future reset using heat alone. Tell me I'm wrong.

[Bob Gramann]

I use Titebond Original for my fretboard tongues. I used to use plain Elmer’s glue to make removal even easier but I had some cases where removal was too easy—the tongue released when I didn’t want to remove it. Titebond seems to be just right. I use HHG to hold the fretboard to the neck. The Titebond releases easier than the HHG, so I can remove the extension from the body without threatening the bond between the neck and the fingerboard.

[Dick Hutchings]

But, once you start seaming the dovetail free, the fretboard will start releasing, I think.

After re-reading Frank Fords post http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier ... etest.html, I see where it will release with heat and pressure. I now think, HHG for everything.

[Barry Daniels]

I do not think steaming the dovetail will release the fretboard sufficiently. That is too far for the steam to travel and is not the path of least resistant. It is easy enough to use a household iron and a putty knife to loosen it before doing the dovetail.

[Alan Carruth]

I use a small amount of HHG along the center line of the FB to hold the tongue down. It's usually easy to get it loose once you've released the tenon, either by loosening the bolt or steaming.