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Post subject: Do Hand-Rolled Fingerboards Really Matter?
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:55 am
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Recently at a major chain I found a "Player" Strat that I really liked. The salesperson let me noodle a while and answered my questions, but then tried (gently) to steer me toward an American Standard, which of course cost more money. One of his selling points was that the MIA Strat had a hand-rolled fingerboard. I will admit the neck had a nice smooth feel to it, but it didn't seem noticably better than the MIM I had just played.

It was hard to make a direct comparison, because the MIM had a rosewood fingerboard, and the American was maple.

Does a hand-rolled chamfer really make all that much difference, or is it just a way to sell a more expensive guitar?

:roll:


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:34 am
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"Hand Rolling" is pretty much a term for compression. They use a smooth cylindrical object to compress the edge of the fingerboard. This makes the fingerboard a little more comfortable and it compresses the grain so it is less likely to chip. In my opinion this alone is not worth the extra money but there is much more to the American Standard that make it worth more $$.


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:40 am
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No, it's a better feel, like a since year played strat.

The price diff is that Fender can produce in Ensenada cheaper as in Corona.

I own a MIN Classic Player 60 with rosewood fretboard and yes here it's also hand-rolled. This guitar feels good and has good sound.

Check it out.

cheers :D


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:18 am
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I think it makes a deference also the finish on the back of neck is not the same as MIM and it has a different truss rod in it . The American also has 22 frets not 21. If you look at the specs on the MIM Std and the Amer. Std. you will see a bunch of things that are different there is a section on the spec. page that say Unique to and they list them for the Amer. Std. meaning the only time you get is on the Amer. one. I have both Amer. and MIM guitars they are both great in there own way and I would not have bought either if I did not like how they feel to play. But it is not just one is cheaper then the other because of were it is made there are more things to it then that.

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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:12 pm
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In a direct answer to your question, they make no difference to me. As a matter of fact, if you made me choose, I think I'd go with the unrolled.

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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:02 pm
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Kind of off topic, but related.
My MIM Strat doesn't have the rolled frets.
Kind of annoying. Whats the best way to fix this?
I've thought of using a dremel with a thin grinding wheel on it and doing it under a magnifying glass or something like that, but lack the dremel.
I would really like to shave them down on the sides, but don't want to mar the finish.

Any suggestions besides taking it to a guitar tech and paying him $40 (or whatever he would charge)?

Thanks


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:47 pm
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Hello Code Monk,

Keep the dremel locked up.

Get yourself a nice singlecut
finishing file, Industrial supply
type stores is where you'll find them.

You may want to practice on something
to develop some file handling skills,
Go slow and you will do a good job
Still not sure
better safe than sorry,
seek out a guitar tech.

Best of luck

Cheers.


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:51 pm
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I've not done it, but I've heard the best way to roll the fretboard edges is NOT to sand or file or dremel, but to get a big, heavy, honking socket out of your tool box and just roll it against the edge.

That will compress (as aznedvin mentioned in a post above) the sharp edge into a very small radius roll over.

Go light with the pressure at first, until you learn how much to press to roll the edges.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:24 pm
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Hello All,

Just to be clear
I was speaking of
rolled frets not the fretboard.

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:07 pm
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Okay, good.

But what are rolled frets? I take it that means that the edges are kind of sharp or sticking out a little too far. Then you are correct that a hand file is the way to go.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:10 pm
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I can feel the diff and I like it. I would pay extra to have it done if it was offered but since its already on my Am Std, Im happy.


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:18 pm
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And yeah just to be clear...
What orvilleowner's last post describes is the problem I want to alleviate.


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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:07 am
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CodeMonk wrote:
And yeah just to be clear...
What orvilleowner's last post describes is the problem I want to alleviate.


Mr Bill, as always, knows his stuff on this. You'll find this file from Stewart MacDonald is the tool for the job, and (for once) not too costly:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... _File.html

But before (and after) doing that, just see if a polish up with grade 0000 wire wool (from a hardware store) calms your fret ends down sufficiently for you. You can polish 'em nicely and take off any rough edges. If you are going to go at those frets at all much, then you will want to mask the fingerboard first. Or buy one of these guards, also from StewMac:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... uards.html

Good grief, I recommend Steward MacDonald so often you'd think I was on a retainer (now, that's an idea)...

- C


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Post subject: Re: Do Hand-Rolled Fingerboards Really Matter?
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:23 am
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69smokey69 wrote:
Does a hand-rolled chamfer really make all that much difference, or is it just a way to sell a more expensive guitar?

Hand-rolled fingerboard edges do make a difference at some level or
Fender wouldn't mention it...
It sounds like the salesman should have talked about more than just
hand-rolled fingerboard edges... Its not nothing but mia for more money.
Personally I am paying more money for the MiA & believe it is worth every penny & then some.
Also my mia strat will be worth more than a MiM in the future imho.

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:32 pm
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Ceri wrote:
CodeMonk wrote:
And yeah just to be clear...
What orvilleowner's last post describes is the problem I want to alleviate.


Mr Bill, as always, knows his stuff on this. You'll find this file from Stewart MacDonald is the tool for the job, and (for once) not too costly:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... _File.html

But before (and after) doing that, just see if a polish up with grade 0000 wire wool (from a hardware store) calms your fret ends down sufficiently for you. You can polish 'em nicely and take off any rough edges. If you are going to go at those frets at all much, then you will want to mask the fingerboard first. Or buy one of these guards, also from StewMac:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... uards.html

Good grief, I recommend Steward MacDonald so often you'd think I was on a retainer (now, that's an idea)...

- C


Yeah while stewmac does have a lot of really cool stuff, they are a bit costly.

Thanks for the help


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