Whether to replace the fretboard on a vintage Gibson

[Capt. E]

Chris Thile and others have replaced the fretboard on their LL F-5's because the jig was wrong when the frets were cut. Does this problem also appear on A's, A-1's, A-2's etc? What years are most common? How do you tell? etc.
If I replaced the fretboard on my 1920 A-2 (assuming it needed doing), would it reduce its value or actually make it a better instrument?

OK 1 2 3 ... discuss

[Timbofood]

Always save the original no matter what.
As to the value, I don't see the "maintenance" in replacing the board being miserably detrimental. Especially if it improves playability.

[spufman]

If it plays in tune versus not in tune, then it is better no matter what, in my opinion. My 1918 A1 plays in tune, at least up to the 15th fret which is far as I can confidently go on it.

[Tobin]

If I replaced the fretboard on my 1920 A-2 (assuming it needed doing), would it reduce its value or actually make it a better instrument?

Are you talking about replacing it with the same small frets, on a flat board? Same specs as original, just "corrected" for intonation? Or upgrading to maybe a radiused board with larger frets?

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Unless the mandolin has a noticeably incorrect intonation not matter what you do to it, I'd say leave it alone. But if it does, then I'd do it without much regard to the hit on the value, if any, if it's a mandolin I plan on keeping. I honestly don't think there would be much hit to the value if you save the original fretboard, and hire a reputable luthier to do it.

[mandroid]

High wear users have their fingerboards replaced because the play for a Living

and the wear and tear on the fingerboard after a couple maintenance refrets,
is Kind of like buying a new set of tires for a Truck and replacing the brakes ..

One of my friends has an A4 it's fingerboard was not spot on so He had another one made.. .

Mine, another A4 seems fine.. maybe a planing and re fret in the future.

[Capt. E]

Good point that you should always keep the original. My A-2 is very close to collector condition and sounds pretty good to me up to the 15th. Accurate fretting is most important. I certainly do not have the fine ear and the professional need that CT has (very few of us do). I mostly play alone and in old time jams.
I like a flat fingerboard, but I would like somewhat heavier frets (not thick banjo frets, though) and will probably go there if I ever replace them. Most of all, I try and play often and she is opening up nicely. When I first got my A-2 the 10th fret and above was somewhat muted, but that has been changing recently (perhaps due somewhat to better fretting technique on my part).

[WW52]

Soon as I bought my A2 I realized the fret board had been replaced, but in my case it turned out to be for the best. The intonation was good and the board had a radius and slightly larger frets which made it easier to play compared to my other A2 at the time with its original flat fret board and thin frets. I think I'd consider replacing the fret board on a mandolin if the intonation was too far off or if I felt I just really needed it radiused.

[jim simpson]

I wonder how many times a fretboard could be planed for a re-fret without essentially raising the action?

[Pete Martin]

I've had the fretboard replaced on a few mandolins, none lost any value. I was very glad I had it done on all of them. My 1924 A2 really benefitted form doing this.

[Mandoplumb]

I wonder how many times a fretboard could be planed for a re-fret without essentially raising the action?

Seems to me each time would raise the action if not corrected, and would continue until the fretboard was thinned to the point of no longer usable.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

The current museum approach (e. g. in Nuremberg/Germany AFAIK) is to preserve as much original material as possible. For instance, worn-out original hammers of an old Mozart piano (in regular concert use) are rather not being equipped with new felt, while the original felt being stripped off. But a new hammer rail is implanted, the original kept in a display case. In that sense, from the cultural heritage preservation point of view, an original Gibson mandolin fretboard may be replaced with a new one, even if the original was more accurate. So repeated refretting and leveling of an original fretboard might do more damage to the value of a mandolin than removing the old fingerboard and keeping it in original shape.

[darrylicshon]

Nothing wrong with replacing the fretboard just remember to keep the original, and like Henry says after so many refrets and planing the fretboard would be losing value compared to replacing it and storing it for a later time to sell it with the mandolin, A refret by the wrong person could ruin a board

[JeffD]

You only lose value if you sell it.

[Mandoplumb]

You only lose value if you sell it.

Wholeheartally agree, weather you are talking house, car, or mandolin don't let "resell value" keep you from enjoying it now.

[Tobin]

Nothing wrong with replacing the fretboard just remember to keep the original

I know this seems to be the conventional wisdom, but does anybody really pay more for an old Gibson just because it has the original fretboard thrown in the case? If so, what would that price difference be? What do people do with the old fretboards, anyway? If they're worn out, it's not like they can be put back on and played in all their original glory. And we're not talking about museum pieces here, where the original fretboard is historically significant (Bill Monroe's fretboard notwithstanding).

I don't mean to sound snarky with these questions, and being married to an antique dealer I do understand and appreciate originality in antique items. But honestly, is there really any measurable collector value in retaining the old fretboard once it has outlived its usefulness?

[Vernon Hughes]

I replaced the board on my A-2 as the frets were wrong spaced and no amount of bridge adjusting would make it play in tune. What good is it if it's not playable? Mine is a beast now and plays fine and in tune. I did keep the new board as period correct as possible.