Fretless Acoustic Neck Needs a Finish

[Blackmag+c]

Ok so I just got an acoustic fretless bass and the fretboard needs a finish because its unfinished

Im thinking something nitro?
Its rosewood.

[Chasarms]

Rosewood is typically left unfinished. There is no need to finish it.

Nitro would wear off in weeks if not days. They only finish capable of holding up to the strings is epoxy, and even then it should be a very high grade.

[Blackmag+c]

won't the fretboard just get eaten up if left unfinished?

[Benjamin Strange]

It all depends on what kind of strings you use, your technique, and your particular piece of rosewood. Generally acoustic bass guitars don't have any finish on the board, as the bronze wound strings typically used don't wear down the board that much.

[XylemBassGuitar]

Blackmag+c,

Benjamin is right.

Roundwound strings will wear the fretboard faster than flatwound strings (though I'm not sure that anyone makes bronze flatwounds).

If you have a very percussive style where you slap and pop really hard, the strings will wear the fretboard faster.

There is a wide variation in rosewood quality. If you spent a decent amount on the bass, the rosewood is probably pretty good and should stand up to wear very well.

If you bought the bass new and the fretboard was unfinished, you shouldn't have to do anything to the fretboard. Any wear you get on the fretboard should be negligible. If you're really worried, just keep an eye on the fretboard, checking occasionally for small divits left by the windings of the strings.

Chasarms is absolutely right about the nitrocellulose, it will wear away really fast.

[Blackmag+c]

what do you suggest if it starts to wear?

[anonymous1225111]

CA glue... Works wonders and you can have your whole board done in a couple of hours...

[XylemBassGuitar]

I've never thought to use cyanoacrylate glue before. That might work, but I have no experience using it as a finish. Interesting...

Blackmag+C, what you need to worry about more here is if the fretboard wears fast. Anything, on a guitar or bass wears slowly and needs replacement eventually. Over a long period of time you have to refret well-used guitars and basses, re-string them, replace pots and electronics and if a guitar/bass gets enough use you'll eventually have to replace the fretboard even on a fretted instrument.

So, don't worry about slow wear, that's normal for any instrument.

But, if the board does wear quickly you could consider coating it with a high-grade epoxy, or even CA glue like CaseyTinsey recommends. I would only coat it yourself if you have experience working with with finish coats and epoxy/CA glue and are confident in your ability to keep the coating as flat and straight as the fretboard. Any irregularities in the fretboard coat could cause buzz, especially if your action is low.

Let me know how it turns out.

[edpal]

Regarding the epoxy coatings(I've done this 4 times). Clean the neck as thoroughly as possible to remove all possible oils, 99% rubbing alcohol is good. Saturate and dry off immediatly with clean/dry paper towels several times to strip out as much of the natural oil from the surface too. I personally use engine starting fluid( petroleum ether - flammable and yes, could knock you out), looking for one's that DO NOT indicate they have a lubricant in them. Use an epoxy with the longest set time, preferably 24 hr. It will generally be the hardest & strongest when fully cured(3-4 days). Run masking tape down the edge of the neck, end and nut(3M blue is really nice). Then mix the epoxy well(don't worry about bubbles)and brush it on. Use a piece of plastic like a really thin credit card(you'll want to have several ready, as they get messy on one swipe) that you can flex and use like a squeegee to pull almost every bit of the epoxy back off, pulling down the length in smooth strokes - if it still looks wet you have plenty left on there....you really can't take too much off. Pull the tape off the edge and after an hour of so you can take a clean rag with rubbing alcohol on it and wipe off any that crept over. Sand with 400(start)-600(fine tune)-2000(where auto paint is sold) grit, going first gently across the fretboard to knock offf any lines left from the squeegee swipes, then lengthwise to clean up properly. The tape along the edge is a good idea if filling the fret grooves with a liquid/paste or epoxy and sawdust filler. Just my $0.02 And yes, file the nut down after removing the frets or your intonation setup will be terrible, especially in 0-5th position, due to string bend.