Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Mando Q: saw off excess fretboard?

#1

I’ve got my eye on a used mandolin I think might be great. But, like a lot of mandolins, it has (what I can only describe as) decorative extra frets along the E-string side of the fretboard.

The mando I already have is like this, and I’m constantly clicking and clacking my pick on it. It’s my number one reason for wanting to upgrade my mando in the first place.

Question: if someone carefully sawed it off, would it be reasonable to think it wouldn’t affect the rest of the fretboard? Is this doable?

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#2

Yep, this is common and is called “scooping” the fingerboard—either taking the unwanted frets out of the fingerboard, or removing the fingerboard extension altogether like you’re thinking. If you find a good luthier, they should be able to do this no problem.

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#3

Sooo appreciated, thanks MM!

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#4

I like them scooped with a router as opposed to lopped off. Aesthetically mo betta IMHO.

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#5

I agree with the comments for scooping what is commonly called the “Florida extension”. One of my mandos was fretted initially, and had the frets removed/fingerboard scooped by the builder before I purchased. I was also at a camp with Alan Bibey this summer, and he went to the extent of having a replacement fingerboard with an unfretted extension made for his Loar. Scooping, unless the instrument is an heirloom, is faster and easier… :slight_smile:

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