black wanut fingerboard. yes??

[jordan_frerichs]

is black walnut a usable wood for a fingerboard? warmoth is saying it is not for some reason. my school has some huge slabs of walnut that i could make an entier bass out of one unbroken peice.

[THIRSTYGUMS]

Of course its suitable! why not? if i'm missing something someone tell me

[Jonsbasses]

Possible, but not the best choice. There are more inexpensive, more dense woods that would make a better choice. Basically, it just boils down to availability. Black Walnut is relatively uncommon in my area.

[Nelson Guitars]

Black walnut would not be my first choice for a fret board, but would be serviceable none the less. If you have a light enough touch anything will do. The problems with softer woods run from early wear to frets that loosen in the kerf. Hard close grained woods are preferred for this task, and I mean hard in the sense of "hard" not "hardwood". Balsa is a "hardwood".

Greg N

[FBB Custom]

I wouldn't use it, personally. Softer woods also compress around the fret tang under pressure. It's such a structurally/functionally important part of the bass. You can get jatoba or purpleheart for cheap, use some of that.

[jordan_frerichs]

ok. was looking for a nice alternative fingerboard. don't have the cash for ebony of rose wood. maple is awsome, just don't want to do all my fb in maple. what are some accetable fingerboard woods?

[SDB Guitars]

Originally Posted by jordan_frerichs

what are some acceptable fingerboard woods?

Jatoba and purpleheart have already been mentioned...

As an aside, rosewood isn't expensive, per se... at least the East Indian stuff isn't too bad... but here are a few alternatives (can't speak for cost on all of these, although I've used several bloodwood fingerboards, and haven't found it to be too spendy):

Pau Ferro
Wenge
Bloodwood
Cocobolo
Bocote

[black_labb]

fender had an elite range in the 80's where they replaced maple with walnut. they had some 1pc walnut necks. i wouldnt use it as its not that hard, but it can be used.

[eleonn]

iVe seen purpleheard used as fretboards a few times and I think that is a cheap wood there so you wouldnt have any problem getting a piece large enough for a fretboard.

[jordan_frerichs]

Originally Posted by SDB Guitars

Jatoba and purpleheart have already been mentioned...

As an aside, rosewood isn't expensive, per se... at least the East Indian stuff isn't too bad... but here are a few alternatives (can't speak for cost on all of these, although I've used several bloodwood fingerboards, and haven't found it to be too spendy):

Pau Ferro
Wenge
Bloodwood
Cocobolo
Bocote

big fan of the bloodwood

[SDB Guitars]

Originally Posted by jordan_frerichs

big fan of the bloodwood

Yeah, I have a ton of that stuff hanging around... well, not actuall a ton, but 2 or 3 good long boards at least 8" wide... Probably around 18 board feet... also 6 or 8 fingerboard blanks. So, one may notice a trend in my next several "stock" instruments...

[eleonn]

Funny that woods like bloodwood and purpleheart are exported from Perú and its close to a big ZERO the chances that I have to find those at Lima.

[tjclem]

Originally Posted by eleonn

Funny that woods like bloodwood and purpleheart are exported from Perú and its close to a big ZERO the chances that I have to find those at Lima.

Well that sucks.

I too am a big fan of Bloodwood. Swamp Ash bodies with hard Maple necks and bloodwood fingerboards are one of my favorite combos.

[jordan_frerichs]

Originally Posted by SDB Guitars

Yeah, I have a ton of that stuff hanging around... well, not actuall a ton, but 2 or 3 good long boards at least 8" wide... Probably around 18 board feet... also 6 or 8 fingerboard blanks. So, one may notice a trend in my next several "stock" instruments...

cool. i will be checking around ebay, but if i don't find something i like, would you be interested in selling a bloodwood board? think i might do a 32" scale with block inlays of pearl, abolone, black ebony, or some nice figured maple

[wilser]

Originally Posted by tjclem

Well that sucks.

I too am a big fan of Bloodwood. Swamp Ash bodies with hard Maple necks and bloodwood fingerboards are one of my favorite combos.

yummy!

[Nelson Guitars]

Originally Posted by eleonn

Funny that woods like bloodwood and purpleheart are exported from Perú and its close to a big ZERO the chances that I have to find those at Lima.

Grab your ax and head for the hills!

Greg N

[jazzhole251]

Are there any alternatives to ebony and rosewood that are local and more abundant, but still hard enough to be fretless?

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by Jonsbasses

Possible, but not the best choice. There are more inexpensive, more dense woods that would make a better choice. Basically, it just boils down to availability. Black Walnut is relatively uncommon in my area.

growing up in western PA...black walnut is everywhere there...it's not an availability thing...there are many much scarcer woods being employed for fingerboards.

for a good domestic wood fingerboard, look at what steve wishnevsky is doing (learn from wish? what???)...yes...use black locust...that stuff is TOUGH!

[pilotjones]

Originally Posted by jazzhole251

Are there any alternatives to ebony and rosewood that are local and more abundant, but still hard enough to be fretless?

There was thread a while back that dealt with trying to build using North American domestic woods only. Fretboards were discussed. A search on "domestic fretboard" or "domestic fingerboard" will hopefully turn it up.

[Jensby design]

try doing a search on"walnut fingerboard" I found it used on mandolins,banjos,dulcimers,& acoustic guitars.I have used it on 2 bass guitars,with no problems yet (2 years).All I can say is glue them down & finish the fingerboard.