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Maple Fingerboard?
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=50964		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  sdsollod [ Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Maple Fingerboard?
I love the look of this maple guitar in this link. It is constructed entirely of maple (except for the top). I'm thinking about building a guitar in approximately this fashion, but in an OM shape.

https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/instr ... pruce.html

I have some highly figured maple that I have already used to build a 000 12 fret with leopard wood binding, leopard for the center of the 3-piece back, cherry neck, and cocobolo bridge and fingerboard. It is hung up, waiting for the finish to cure. When its done I'll post photos.

This time I want to use maple for the neck, binding (w/ black purfling), fingerboard, and bridge. I'm quite certain that the maple I have is soft maple. It worked fine for the back and sides of the last one, however, I'm wondering about the fingerboard... Should I source some "Hard" maple for the fingerboard? What does Fender use for thier fingerboards? As long as the frets stay in the board...

Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions?
Author:  John Arnold [ Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Get some hard maple (sugar maple) for the fingerboard. That is what Fender uses, and it will hold frets better and wear better than soft maple.
If you are so inclined, you can use birdseye. That figure does not occur in soft maple.
Author:  Haans [ Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
The box is probably red maple, so you will want to use red for the neck to match the color. Another reason is you just don't want to carve sugar maple. It'll wear you out. Use sugar for the fretboard. How to keep it from discoloring is another story...
Author:  Woodie G [ Mon Sep 10, 2018 6:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Edit
Author:  ernie [ Tue Sep 11, 2018 7:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Mya moe uses e . hard rock maple on their ukes . Plan to use some e. maple from vt circa 1960.
Author:  jfmckenna [ Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
+1 on the sugar maple. I think my 3rd or 4th guitar was an all maple guitar with a mahogany top. Maple fretboard and bridge. It was an interesting looking guitar. I liked it. My nephew has that one. You definitely will want to finish the maple fretbaord (nd bridge).

I learned something today, I didn't know that birdseye only shows up in hard maple.
Author:  Bri [ Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
I saw that dream guitar at the VIGF, it was a real eye catcher.

B
Author:  banjopicks [ Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Man I'm liking that!!! What kind of finish? I imaging lacquer wouldn't hold up. Polyurethane?
Author:  ernie [ Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Fender guitars used a lot of rift. and non, and quartersawn e , hard rock maple for fretboards. They eventually get grungy and need cleaning, I would use Poly, .Am sure the repair folks could tell you what they refinish the maple FB with e. g. josh white who occassionaly posts on the OLF
Author:  Pmaj7 [ Thu Sep 13, 2018 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Has anyone put finish on the fretboard before Freting? It seems like it would look cleaner.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Author:  jfmckenna [ Thu Sep 13, 2018 11:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
I always finish the fretboard first. Makes it a lot easier to clean up glue squeeze out.
Author:  SteveSmith [ Thu Sep 13, 2018 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
jfmckenna wrote:
I always finish the fretboard first. Makes it a lot easier to clean up glue squeeze out.

Yep, me too
Author:  Woodie G [ Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
We fret after assembly, so the board stays unfinished until the neck is on, then level, seal with epoxy, and three coats lacquer, fret, trim/level/crown then final three coats.
Author:  Pmaj7 [ Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Woodie G wrote:
We fret after assembly, so the board stays unfinished until the neck is on, then level, seal with epoxy, and three coats lacquer, fret, trim/level/crown then final three coats.


Do you wipe the lacquer off the Frets after each of the last three coats, or scrape it off after it's dry?
Author:  Woodie G [ Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Maple Fingerboard?
Gets cleaned off with final crown and polish, just like Telecaster.
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