Finishing the fretboard???

[Bruce Dow]

We are getting very close.

(If only that fret file would come in the mail!!!)

But I am thinking about final finishing on the fretboard (and bridge)

They are rosewood.

There are some open pores in the grain.

Should I fill those?

Then ... what do I use to "oil" the fingerboard?

The Guitarmaking book recommends a mixture of "coconut oil, lemon oil, and eucalyptus oil". But I JUST ran out of eucalyptus oil (NOT!!!)

What do people use for that? Do we apply the same finish to the bridge?

Thanks.

[tippie53]

no finish on the fretboard or bridge. They get buffed .

[Bruce Dow]

cool.

Thanks.

[Ken Hundley]

It is surprising how well the wood its self will buff out. I have used fretboard oil to from either stewmac or LMII, cant remember where. I also have used Howards Restore-A-Finish on a couple of fretboards and bridges. It "oils" the wood, helps to keep it from drying, but doesn't really seal it. It returns a great luster to older wood. I have helped a couple of guys with some minor cosmetic work on some cheepos. Scratches in the fingerboard or bridge....when you rub out the scratches, there is often a difference in color, and Howards RAF helped to blend it in. I normally wouldn't use it, but these guys loved their cheapiesn this made them look better, they played and sounded great, and I thought...why not, worked on my kitchen table!

I am excited about my sister's Black Beauty...It will have a zebrawood fingerboard, which looks fantastic with a black neck, zebra body, and black top. Have had to do a lot of rework from finish issues and damage last year, but things are straightening out so I can get to my maca and mango projects. I am not sure if I will treat her fingerboard with anything, it buffed out so nice.

P4120062.JPG

[rgogo65]

Some interesting schools of thought regarding fretboards.
I've always thought that most of the stuff available just dried fretboards out. I could be wrong, but I don't like playing an "Oily" board. Lemon Oil NOT!
I came to the conclusion that if you protect the wood, it will never dry out..maybe, maybe not.
I've refinished over 200 electric necks for folks, somewhere around 80 rosewood boards, in the last 2 year and I've had no returns using Tru-oil.

Tru-Oil

Wipe it down with naphtha, apply ULTRA THIN coat with new $ store coffee filter making sure there's no excess along frets and on edges of board, no drips etc... allow to dry, wipe on another(New filter) and so on..I do 3 per day and allow to dry overnight...then smooth out with 3M 0000 imitation steel wool begining of each day.(No steel particles to deal with in the finish or anywhere else)...do 3 more and so on...for 3 days..

Your looking at 9 ultra thin coats (3 days) cured a full week and buffed with denim, no sanding of any kind. They can be any stage of gloss you wish, from satin or no gloss to high shine.
Extremely durable. My Son has been playing one for an average of 40 hours a week on the road and in and out of studio for three years and it is only now showing signs of needing a touch up.
Which is very simple with Tru-oil.
I do apply a coat of Renaissance Wax (Not any more Wax than Tru-oil is oil). This is how I do it...it works for me.

[kencierp]

I've been using the "great" -- Don Teeter's method for as long as I can remember -- hard paste wax

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/fretdressing.html

[deadedith]

Not any more Wax than Tru-oil is oil

I've heard something to that effect about tru-oil. Is it more of a varnish than an oil, or what?
Beautiful fretboard treatment for sure!
DaveB

[kencierp]

Tru-Oil is a varnish made from linseed oil -- I believe if you Google "Finewood Working - Tru Oil" there's a bunch of info about the product. Linseed oil, Tung oil etc. use oxygen to promote curing.

[Ben-Had]

I'm finishing my next guitar with Tru-oil. I want to see how it comes out. Should be done in a month or so.

Tim B

[Darryl Young]

Different thoughts on this but I imagine one would wear through a thin coat of varnish in a couple of years if played very much. Then it will probably look uneven. Maple tuens dark where your finger oils are getting on the raw wood so typically needs a finish of some kind.