Regluing a Fingerboard | Full Fingerboard Removal and Reinstallation Process

How to reglue a fingerboard? Removing and re-gluing a fingerboard requires patience, precision, and careful preparation to ensure proper alignment and long-term stability. This process begins with safely removing the fingerboard using a combination of heat, steam, and a thin blade. Once separated, the neck and fingerboard are carefully cleaned, leveled, and straightened if needed, as was necessary for this particular warped fingerboard. After prepping the surfaces, the fingerboard is reattached using traditional hide glue and secured with strong rubber bands to maintain perfect alignment during drying. The final steps include cleaning up any excess glue, checking alignment, and reinstalling the nut.

• Remove fingerboard: Carefully separate the fingerboard from the neck using a combination of heat, steam, and a thin blade.
• Protect neck: Place a damp paper towel folded to cover just the neck, then set the fingerboard back on top and wrap the assembly with cellophane.
• Remove ebony shards: The next day, gently remove any loose ebony fragments from the neck surface.
• Clean old glue: Scrape off the softened glue from both the neck and fingerboard surfaces.
• Epoxy repair: Once fully dry, glue any loose ebony pieces back onto the fingerboard using clear epoxy.
• Level neck: The following day, check the neck for flatness side-to-side and carefully scrape down any high spots.
• Level fingerboard: Check and level the fingerboard as well, ensuring it is flat side-to-side.
• Straighten warped fingerboard: This particular fingerboard was heavily warped, so it was clamped to a steel plate and gradually heated with a heat gun, repeating the process until it stayed flat.
• Prepare glue and hydrate:Heat the hide glue and lightly moisten both the neck and fingerboard, wiping away any excess water.
• Align fingerboard: Mark the neck for proper fingerboard alignment before gluing.
• Wrap with rubber bands: Start wrapping strong chained rubber bands at the nut, making a few wraps while checking alignment side-to-side and at the nut mark.
• Continue wrapping: Work your way down, continuing to check alignment as you approach the heel of the neck.
• Secure heel area: Ensure alignment remains accurate at both the nut and heel before wrapping back up to the scroll.
• Clamp over body: Apply one clamp to secure the portion of the fingerboard that extends over the body.
• Clean excess glue: The next day, use a damp paper towel to remove any glue squeeze-out.
• Reattach nut: Glue the nut back into position as the final step.

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