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Fretboard woods
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Author:  jonbill [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 6:25 am ]
Post subject:  Fretboard woods
It seems that glued-on fretboards are made primarily from either rosewood or ebony. I'm wondering what the pros and cons of these are or is it just cosmetic. Are there are other suitable woods that can be used. Are there also different kinds of rosewood or ebony that have significantly different characteristics.

Are there books that discuss these issues and other questions I've asked so I don't keep bugging you guys with questions that are documented somewhere?

Thanks,

Jon.
Author:  Michael.N. [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 7:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
A fretboard has to withstand the wear caused by the strings. That's about it. It has to be hard. Virtually everything else is secondary.
Dark coloured woods tend to be used because it doesn't show the dirt and grime readily.
Traditionally Gut strung instruments were often of a fairly light coloured wood. Often Pear wood or of Boxwood. Then the Baroque came in and fancy exotic species were in demand. It's kind of been that way ever since, so it's Ebony or a Rosewood. It was not for tonal or wood stability reasons. They were seen as exotic and therefore expensive.
Throughout the 19th and 20 th century stained Beech was used on countless thousands of Guitars at the cheaper end of the market. But basically any hard, hardwood is suitable. A couple of 'odd' types that I've used have been Laburnum and Oak.
Author:  B. Howard [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 8:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
There are lots of Maple fretborads out there. They of course need a finish to keep them looking their best but quite common on electric guitars.
Author:  Rodger Knox [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Michael.N. wrote:
A fretboard has to withstand the wear caused by the strings. That's about it. It has to be hard. Virtually everything else is secondary.


It's also important to hold frets, but there's the option of glue if it doesn't. I've used cocobola, bloodwood, mesquite, maple, and ebony. Weight can be a concern, but since ebony is about as dense as anything, it's not usually a factor.
Attachment:
rk17.JPG
Author:  Alan Carruth [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
The hardest 'traditional' wood to find a good substitute for is ebony for fretboards. Nothing else is as hard, fine grained, and dark. It's not too difficult to get two out of three, though.

I've used persimmon, which is the North American member of the Ebony family, pretty frequently. It's not dark, and has to be stained, but otherwise it works well. One of the wood suppliers is working on a method of dying it black all the way through. I've used one of those, and it worked very well. He's having some quality control issues: some pieces don't dye as well, or the color rubs off on some people's hands, but hopefully he'll get that nailed fairly soon.
Author:  Stuart Gort [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Many woods are suitable. Google "Janka" to get a reference chart for various hardwoods. Purple Heart is about the softest wood I'd want to use for a fretboard...and many might say it's too soft...I wouldn't argue.

I'd look for woods that are harder than Purple Heart, not too splintery, dense, relatively pore free, and polish-able. Darker woods are easier to manage. Lighter woods may need a finish...which I personally don't like doing...or playing.

In addition to Ebony and Rosewood I've used Cocobolo, Maple, Bloodwood, Argentinian Ebony (beautiful light tan but won't absorb grime).
Author:  dzsmith [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
I like Mesquite. Hard and pretty.
Author:  ZekeM [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
My personal favorite fretboard is African black wood. It's hard as a rock which can add some difficulty in shaping but it doesn't wear very easily. It's dark colored but at the same time has some grain to it which makes it look fantastic. Plus it polishes out beautifully
Author:  martintaylor [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 6:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
I mainly use Australian woods. Mulga wood is excellent, Gidgee is even better. I have also used Jarrah and River Red Gum. All of them are hard, workable and finish beautifully.
Author:  wbergman [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Rodger, that neck is fabulous.
Author:  RusRob [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 1:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Just curious if anyone has tried to use Corian?

It seems to me that would be a perfect substitute for wood. It is hard and frets can be glued in with CA glue or Acetone. And it comes in almost any color you want.

It may be a bit heavy but would probably be comparable to Ebony.

Bob
Author:  bluescreek [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
martin used a product called Mycarta that is very much like corian , you will find that if it is non wood product ,many people consider it a lower end guitar. Martin has since switched from Mycarta to richlite a more guitar friendly product.
Author:  Clay S. [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Richlite is very similar to micarta. It is phenolic impregnated paper based product. It can be sawn and routed like wood but that creates a fine dust that seems to go everywhere - about like ebony, but maybe a little worse. It comes in different thicknesses and colors. I have some scraps that are black, blue and tan.
Author:  jonbill [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 8:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Thanks everyone for the good information.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Author:  Randolph [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Just curious. Anyone tried to use desert ironwood? Too heavy?
Author:  Kent Wilkinson [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
B. Howard wrote:
There are lots of Maple fretborads out there. They of course need a finish to keep them looking their best but quite common on electric guitars.


Does maple have to be finished on a fret board? Or can they be left unfinished?
Author:  Pmaj7 [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
I think getting dirty would be the problem. Has anyone ever used something like true oil on maple boards?
Author:  John Arnold [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Quote:
Anyone tried to use desert ironwood? Too heavy?

I have considered it, but it is a bit heavy, and clean pieces are expensive and hard to find. I also suspect it would be hard to glue because it has a waxy feel. It is a protected species, so the souce is mainly dead stumps with lots of voids and cracks and the yield is poor. A similar wood that is not quite as dense is Texas ebony (Ebenopsis ebano). It is also rare to find clean fingerboard-size pieces, but it does fit the three requirements that Alan outlined. It grows in the southern tip of Texas, and into Mexico.
Both woods are remarkably stable, considering their high density.
Here is an unusually large, clear piece of quartered Texas ebony. It is about 4-5" wide (3-4" without the sapwood) and about 40" long.

Image

Image
Author:  Rodger Knox [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
pat macaluso wrote:
I think getting dirty would be the problem. Has anyone ever used something like true oil on maple boards?


I've used shellac and TruOil on maple boards, I believe the one I posted above has a TruOil filish on the maple, bloodwood, and ebony. I can't say how durable it is, my guitars don't get much playing time. I've got several and don't play that much anymore.
Author:  dzsmith [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Rodger Knox wrote:
pat macaluso wrote:
I think getting dirty would be the problem. Has anyone ever used something like true oil on maple boards?


I've used shellac and TruOil on maple boards, I believe the one I posted above has a TruOil filish on the maple, bloodwood, and ebony. I can't say how durable it is, my guitars don't get much playing time. I've got several and don't play that much anymore.

I've used wipe-on poly on Pecan fret boards. Seems to be fine. I sprayed one with lacquer and it was a mess cleaning the frets.
Author:  John Arnold [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Quote:
.....it was a mess cleaning the frets.

Fender would just sand the tops of the frets, using a block.
Author:  DennisK [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
Nice hunk of Texas ebony, John! It is indeed hard to come by in guitar size, but not so much in smaller pieces. I used it on this harp ukulele, and like it.
Attachment:
Front.jpg

My piece had a waxy feel, much like desert ironwood. Seems to glue just fine though (hide glue). But it's really difficult to plane. Has to be freshly razor sharpened or the blade slides helplessly over the surface.

And here's the one good desert ironwood guitar FB blank I've run across, from Arizona Ironwood:
Attachment:
IronwoodFB.jpg

It's a little thin, but I always bind fingerboards anyway, so I can glue a layer of something else to the underside if necessary. Grain is a bit more wavy than I'd normally use for a fingerboard, but ironwood seems to be pretty similar to mesquite in terms of humidity movement (i.e. practically nothing), so I don't think it will be a problem even in extreme humidity situations.
Author:  Greg B [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 6:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard woods
pat macaluso wrote:
I think getting dirty would be the problem. Has anyone ever used something like true oil on maple boards?


FWIW, I used rock maple for a fingerboard once, and it finished with super ultra thin superglue, as much as I could get to soak in. After a year of playing everyday, was still clean. Perhaps I should say: the finger grime was not in the wood, and it was easily cleanable with rag.
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