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 Post subject: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 12:03 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:10 pm
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First name: Chris
Last Name: Reed
City: Stowmarket
State: Suffolk
Zip/Postal Code: IP14 2EX
Country: UK
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Aesthetic advice please!

I have an interesting looking piece of oak which I'm thinking of using as a fretboard on a mahogany neck, for a tenor guitar. It's light though, like a maple fretboard. How do you all think it might work to the eye? (I'm happy it will work mechanically, including humidity expansion, though I guess it will show finger-wear dirt in time).

The mahogany may end up a shade or two browner, and the nut which separates headstock from fretboard, visually, will be a very dark brown. And if it helps, this goes on a black body with cedar top, so the top is a similar shade to the fretboard.

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 Post subject: Re: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:38 am 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:49 pm
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First name: Fred
City: Winnipeg
Country: Canada
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Status: Amateur
I like it.


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 Post subject: Re: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 11:01 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:17 pm
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City: Escondido
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To my eye it is too close to the mahogany, but not a match. I think I would either fume the oak to significantly darken the color or choose something else.


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 Post subject: Re: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 12:42 am 
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Location: Seattle WA
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Yeah, color is too close.

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 Post subject: Re: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:07 am 
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Koa
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First name: Richard
Last Name: Hutchings
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I like it and would do as you said and darken the mahogany to somewhat match the body. Let the oak stand out in contrast.

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 Post subject: Re: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 4:41 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:14 pm
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First name: Heath
Last Name: Blair
City: Visalia
State: California
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Status: Amateur
What are you going to bind the body with?

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 Post subject: Re: Fretboard colour
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 4:58 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:46 pm
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First name: Mark
Last Name: McLean
City: Sydney
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Zip/Postal Code: 2145
Country: Australia
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Status: Amateur
+1 for the opinion that they are too close in colour to each other. I think it is better to have some contrast. I also don't tend to like light coloured fingerboards, and find them hard to keep clean - but that is just a personal preference. So, my $0.02 worth of opinion would be to keep the mahogany colour and darken the oak.


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