# How to remove the dots Inlays?



## quazar (Apr 6, 2011)

Hey guys I want to remove the dots inlays of my seven rosewood fretboard guitar. I dont like them, I want my guitar like a violin without visual distractions. How I can put them out (if is possible, without destroy them in case that I change my mind and decide go back) and how should I refill the holes?

Thank you.


----------



## SirMyghin (Apr 6, 2011)

Well, seeing as they are not digital information deleting them may be a little difficult. If you heat them up a bit you might be able to loosen the glue and take em out. No clue how you want to fill the holes, dot inlays of the fretboard wood (closest match you will get) would be my suggestion.


----------



## quazar (Apr 6, 2011)

SirMyghin said:


> Well, seeing as they are not digital information deleting them may be a little difficult. If you heat them up a bit you might be able to loosen the glue and take em out. No clue how you want to fill the holes, dot inlays of the fretboard wood (closest match you will get) would be my suggestion.



hehe maybe delete is not the term but you understand my point. If I heat them up with a solder iron I will kill the dots inlays? I dont know how to fill the holes but your suggestion is a good one. Thank you.

Has anyone ever done this in his guitars?


----------



## CooleyJr (Apr 6, 2011)

If you DO want to take them out, you might actually have to destroy them. Either way you can always get new ones, but take a drill, and a small drill bit, drill a very small hole in them, then take a small screw, screw it in about 1/8 inch, and pull them out. Whatever fretwood wood you have, find a block of it, sand it down and collect the dust. Then mix it with a clear epoxy and fill the holes and sand.


----------



## Kamin (Apr 6, 2011)

I think even with filling and such you will be able to tell the dots were there.


----------



## CooleyJr (Apr 6, 2011)

Kamin said:


> I think even with filling and such you will be able to tell the dots were there.



Yeah but it would be a lot less noticeable than white dots.


----------



## TresGatos (Apr 6, 2011)

Replacing white dots with black then going back if ever you wish is easy (because removing plastic from wood is easy if you don't mind scrapping the plastic), but replacing white dots with wood then going back would require more care since you'll be re-drilling your holes in wood that's been glued to whatever wood you're filling the dot areas with.


----------



## SirMyghin (Apr 6, 2011)

CooleyJr said:


> If you DO want to take them out, you might actually have to destroy them. Either way you can always get new ones, but take a drill, and a small drill bit, drill a very small hole in them, then take a small screw, screw it in about 1/8 inch, and pull them out. Whatever fretwood wood you have, find a block of it, sand it down and collect the dust. Then mix it with a clear epoxy and fill the holes and sand.




That is a good way to get them out indeed. You don't want to put a soldering iron right on the inlays, I was thinking a less direct application, but then you have to worry about the fretboard too... I would go this route. If they are shell you are going to have a lot more fun getting them out than plastic. 

You could use black plastic dots then ebonize your board, that would be pretty discreet.


----------



## quazar (Apr 6, 2011)

Thank you for the information



TresGatos said:


> Replacing white dots with black then going back if ever you wish is easy (because removing plastic from wood is easy if you don't mind scrapping the plastic), but replacing white dots with wood then going back would require more care since you'll be re-drilling your holes in wood that's been glued to whatever wood you're filling the dot areas with.


 
I will go this way. I accept the fact of destroy them. I dont think that I will want to go back but if how I can re drill the holes perfectly again? what tools I will need?



SirMyghin said:


> You could use black plastic dots then ebonize your board, that would be pretty discreet.


 
How I can ebonize a rosewood fretboard? What product I need to use and how much darker the fretboard will be? after applying the product when I play my fingers dont will be black everytime right?

Thank you


----------



## SirMyghin (Apr 6, 2011)

^ Use 'Ebony stain' . Not something I like personally, but others do. It will penetrate the wood , you wipe it off and you shouldn't get any on your hands.


----------



## Dead Undead (Apr 6, 2011)

It would probably be just as easy to replace the whole fretboard...


----------



## quazar (Apr 6, 2011)

SirMyghin said:


> ^ Use 'Ebony stain' . Not something I like personally, but others do. It will penetrate the wood , you wipe it off and you shouldn't get any on your hands.


 
Thanks man I will check it. 



Dead Undead said:


> It would probably be just as easy to replace the whole fretboard...


 
Are you jocking? replace an entire fretboard for the inlay thing? No way. The dots are small btw.


----------



## CooleyJr (Apr 6, 2011)

Dead Undead said:


> It would probably be just as easy to replace the whole fretboard...



Hah... no, it wouldn't. Removing a fretboard requires a fretboard removal tool ($30-40) LOTS of time, and then putting the new fretboard on, then putting the frets in and doing all the fret work. Taking inlays out is taking inlays out and filling the holes.


----------



## TRENCHLORD (Apr 6, 2011)

Not trying to be argumenative, but I never thought small dots look bad at all. I definitely prefer the blank ebony look over goofy inlay designs though. Of coarse I was one of those black t-shirt everyday guys in school and a few years after.


----------



## quazar (Apr 6, 2011)

Yeah, removing the entire fretboard is not an option for my situation, it depends of what inlays do you have but mine are small dots.

Hey *SirMyghin* I need to add: why you dont like to ebonize fretboards? plus do you recommend a specific brand for the stain? I cheked the stewmac one but has some contradictory reviews!


----------



## Miek (Apr 7, 2011)

He doesn't like to do it because he's a big jerk.


----------



## SirMyghin (Apr 7, 2011)

quazar said:


> Hey *SirMyghin* I need to add: why you dont like to ebonize fretboards? plus do you recommend a specific brand for the stain? I cheked the stewmac one but has some contradictory reviews!



Because I like wood to be left as it is, and don't mind rosewood at all. I also don't like when ebony is stained black, I really like the character be it streaks, mineral lines, etc to be prominent. My bass has some yellow/brown mineral streaks on it, looks great. 

No clue on a brand, never done it myself. Others here have though, they should know.


----------



## stevo1 (Apr 9, 2011)

quazar said:


> Yeah, removing the entire fretboard is not an option for my situation, it depends of what inlays do you have but mine are small dots.
> 
> Hey *SirMyghin* do you recommend a specific brand for the stain? I cheked the stewmac one but has some contradictory reviews!



i've used the stewmac stain, it works fine for what i used it for. I did have to sand the sides of the fretboard to remove any finishes on the sides, then the stain penetrated after that. it works great, its easy to use. but it does need a good lemon oil after use ( it gets rid of this slight reddish tint that shows in the light, and it gets rid of any residue of the dye remaining on the wood.) if you dont lemon oil it, it does leave your fingers black just a tad if done wrong.


----------



## Dead Undead (Apr 10, 2011)

CooleyJr said:


> Hah... no, it wouldn't. Removing a fretboard requires a fretboard removal tool ($30-40) LOTS of time, and then putting the new fretboard on, then putting the frets in and doing all the fret work. Taking inlays out is taking inlays out and filling the holes.



I should've said that it might look better. Even if you fill the holes you'll be able to tell they were there.


----------



## crystalmt (Apr 14, 2011)

You might think about asking these folks Bryan England's Custom Inlay. I don't know if they will recommend a method, but they do amazing work on fretboards. They replaced the dot inlays on a Gibson guitar of mine with block inlays and the work was perfect.


----------



## BlackMastodon (Apr 14, 2011)

crystalmt said:


> You might think about asking these folks Bryan England's Custom Inlay. I don't know if they will recommend a method, but they do amazing work on fretboards. They replaced the dot inlays on a Gibson guitar of mine with block inlays and the work was perfect.


Going from dots to blocks is one thing, but going from dots to none is completely different. Might be worth a shot but either way you're in for a bumpy ride on this.


----------

