Returning the origional color to the fretboard?

f'nar f'nar · #1 02-06-2005, 12:36 AM

Ok, I've just defretted my bass (so far so good) and filled in the frets with some decent colored wood filler. Only problem is, that the rest of the fretboard has taken on a shade of the woodfiller (rather ugly i must say). Now, i know trhe polyurathane comes next, but i want to return the color first, will polyurathane do this? r do i need to do something else?

PilbaraBass · #2 02-06-2005, 08:10 PM

first off, what is the wood of your fretboard?

secondly, you really should have done your best to mask off the fretboard prior to applying the woodfiller.

finally, sanding is probably the only way you are going to get this thing cleaned up. Get yourself some products from stewmac.com and hope for the best.

no polyurethane will not do this.

question for you? why are you putting polyurethane on a fretless fingerboard? isn't poly a little soft for this purpose?

Gomex · #3 02-06-2005, 08:34 PM

Why does everyone want to put such hard finished on finger boards? I just put oil on mine, It's lasted 2 years so far with only little scratches in the wood, like the ones that happen in the first month or so, after that damage to the fingerboard is negligable, The finger board is ebony but I use round wounds so I dunno about softer finger boards but this has worked fine for me. Plus i think the tone is better than using polyurithane

PilbaraBass · #4 02-06-2005, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gomex

Why does everyone want to put such hard finished on finger boards? I just put oil on mine, It's lasted 2 years so far with only little scratches in the wood, like the ones that happen in the first month or so, after that damage to the fingerboard is negligable, The finger board is ebony but I use round wounds so I dunno about softer finger boards but this has worked fine for me. Plus i think the tone is better than using polyurithane

I agree with you on all points.

I have a naked purpleheart fingerboard that has sustained no damage with roundwound stings (I've had it for over 6 months now). And I agree, the tone is probably better than using a hard coating. Although, some folks like that more-defined, Jaco-like tone.

But if you feel you must coat, why poly? use something that will really last. From a maintainability standpoint, however, I'd go naked anyday.

f'nar f'nar · #5 02-06-2005, 11:25 PM

hey guys, look its my first time ive ever defretted my bass, so dont go telling me off for using poly or anything, I'm going with what I've read about everyone else doing.

I used my very old Ibanez GAXB for this, I can actually remember what wood the fretboard is. I was told at one point but i forgot and the site has no info sadly.

PilbaraBass · #6 02-07-2005, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f'nar f'nar

hey guys, look its my first time ive ever defretted my bass, so dont go telling me off for using poly or anything, I'm going with what I've read about everyone else doing.

I used my very old Ibanez GAXB for this, I can actually remember what wood the fretboard is. I was told at one point but i forgot and the site has no info sadly.

we're not trying to tell you off...we're just trying to help you get a good result.

The more info that you can provide, the more help others can provide you. Digital photographs would be very very helpful, if you can swing getting one or two posted.

PilbaraBass · #7 02-07-2005, 12:52 AM

I did a little online looking, Ibanez GAXB-150 basses come with rosewood boards. After a good sanding with a very fine grit paper (I'm still suggesting you look at stewmac.com) on a proper radiused sand block. Then you have one of two options...

1) clean it with a tack rag and then apply a few thin coats of some really hard finish (need help from the wood gurus here).

2) clean it with a tack rag and then apply some lemon oil.

Read the thread on defretting, there's heaps of suggestions there.