How to use fretboard filler? When should I use a filler on my fretboard? What are the materials that I can use as a fretboard filler? Are there any concerns that I should watch out for if I use a filler on my fretboard? Guitar owners usually ask these questions if their fretboards are having problems, so now, if you are one of them, we will also help you with how to use a fretboard filler for your fretboard.
So, why would you need a fretboard filler? With due time, your fretboard can acquire some chips and dents, and it is not really a good sight to see. It is also uncomfortable to play the guitar when its fretboard has a chipped or dented part. Your fingers can also get hurt if you place them on the dented part, especially if it is really huge.
Fretboard chips can happen when you replace the frets of the guitars without proper tools or proper care. Even if you let a luthier do the replacement of the frets, if it is not done properly, it can still damage the fretboard, resulting in some chipped parts. Another thing is that when another hard material hits the fretboard, it can result in some chips or dents to your fretboard.
Dents in fretboards can also be a result of their age. Fretboards are usually made of hardwood like rosewood or maple, and they are hard enough to withstand the constant wear from the guitar strings, but if not taken care of properly, they can still get cracked or chipped, or even the inlays may come loose. Fortunately, there are still some ways you can do to solve this problem.
Filling A Fretboard
Small Chips And Dents
If the fretboard of your guitar has small chips only, then you can use some sawdust as filler. Scrape some dust from a rosewood if you have a rosewood fretboard, as it will be used as your fretboard filler. Clean where the chip is located using acetone, so the glue that you will put later can really stick.
As the smaller chips are usually found near the fret crown, place some Teflon in it before putting the glue to keep your fretboard clean. After you put the glue, you place the rosewood dust already. Make sure that it is scattered correctly in the chips, and brush out the extra dust. Put a small amount of glue again to make sure that the dust will not fall off.
After putting the glue, which will serve as its sealer, let it dry before doing anything. After it has dried, you can now remove the Teflon and start to level the fretboard.
Medium-Sized Chips
For medium-sized chips and dents, you can use rosewood slivers if you also have a rosewood fretboard. The slivers will be used as the filler strips for the fretboard. Place the slivers in the dented spot and put a substantial amount of glue into it to serve as its seal. After the glue has dried off, you can already sand it to make the slivers disappear.
Fixing Fretboard Chipped And Dented Parts Without Any Filling
To fix a dented part of your fretboard without using any filler, you will need to have a flat iron, tap water, and a clean microfiber towel.
The first thing is that you will need to soak the towel in the water just enough that you can squeeze some water out of it. The towel must be totally damp and not soaking wet. Next is to set the heat of the flat iron to 320 to 340 degrees Fahrenheit.
The next step is to place the towel over to the dented part of the fingerboard and iron it to steam it out. You can repeatedly steam it; just make sure you do not spend too long on it to avoid damaging the towel or possibly even the wood. If there are some improvements on the dent, but it still does not go away completely, you can still repeatedly place the flat iron on the towel that is placed above the fingerboard.
So, how important is filling the fretboard for your guitar? It is important as it does improve the guitar’s aesthetics while it also protects your fingers from getting hurt. It also adds comfortability to your playing, as you can feel that the fretboard is already levelled.
