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Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 1:51 pm
by jrc127
My neighbor has a nice Ibenez that looks like small dread. The black stain on the fretboard has worn of on the first three frets. There is no real damage to the wood, it needs to be restained. What do you folks recommend? I'm trying to attach a photo but have been unsuccesssf

cid:26E092EA-237A-4821-9AAE-3808DA9BB568

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:24 pm
by rcnewcomb
StewMac has black fingerboard dye.

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 7:06 pm
by bftobin
Fiebing's leather dye was the standard with Martin and Gibson for many years.

Brent

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2025 5:21 am
by tippie53
you can find it here cheaper than stew mc
https://www.amazon.com/Fiebings-Leather ... r=8-7&th=1

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:45 pm
by jrc127
Yes, Feibing's Leather Dye. I remember now that I used this product successfully years ago. Thanks all.

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2025 10:45 pm
by jrc127
Yes, Feibing's Leather Dye. I remember now that I used this product successfully years ago. Thanks all.

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2025 4:56 am
by tippie53
SM lowered the price thats the stuff

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 2:27 am
by BEJ
That dye is alcohol based so what do you use to seal it?

Bruce,

Re: Restore ebonized fretboard

Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 10:28 am
by rcnewcomb
How to apply:
  • Clean the wood with naphtha and sand to 600-grit.
  • Mask off the nut, binding and anything you don't want to stain.
  • Wear gloves. Apply with a brush or cloth.
  • Let the board dry overnight.
  • When dry, rub off excess pigment with a slightly damp cloth.
  • Let the board dry overnight again.
  • Rub with 0000 steel wool to burnish and remove any last pigment.