When To Fret..

Building my first neck and am wondering what would be the next step...
1. Contour the back first ...or
2. Fret the finger board..then contour the back?

Seems that if I left the back flat it would help while fretting...but I don't think it would be good to put the heel of the neck in a vice (padded) once the frets are in and all the filing that goes on..could loosen them??

Building my first neck and am wondering what would be the next step...
1. Contour the back first ...or
2. Fret the finger board..then contour the back?

Seems that if I left the back flat it would help while fretting...but I don't think it would be good to put the heel of the neck in a vice (padded) once the frets are in and all the filing that goes on..could loosen them??

No right or wrong here. But I carve the back of the neck first. This allows me to make another QC check on the fretboard before installing the frets. This is helpful since the neck can move around after the carve. It also allows me to slide calipers along the neck to check thickness while carving...frets would be in the way.

No right or wrong here. But I carve the back of the neck first. This allows me to make another QC check on the fretboard before installing the frets. This is helpful since the neck can move around after the carve. It also allows me to slide calipers along the neck to check thickness while carving...frets would be in the way.

+1 but I go one step further by sealing and sanding the neck smooth before I fret it. I absolutely hate sanding between frets and doing this helps keep me sane.

... looks like contour is first...I was leaning that way, and some GREAT tips thanks!
...one question...sealing before fretting...do you mask off the fret grooves so sealer doesn't get into the fret grooves...or do you do a quick fret saw touch up to remove sealer and dust, etc. after...?

I do it before I cut the fret slots.

Before the days of the fret press when I used a hammer, I obtained a better seating of the frets when I installed them before carving. Now with the press, I do them after carving.

I fret mine before carving.

I cut the fret slots before carving or put the radius on the fret board. I don't go deep. I then radius, then carve back, recut fret slots and fret. I sand, seal coat, sand before fretting.

...and I have done it all backwards, which works too.