Bocote neck and fingerboard.

Sal_Paradise · #1 04-13-2006, 01:38 PM

Sorry if it's a recycled post, but I couldn't find anything.

So, who does 'em?

Who has 'em?

D. J. Baines · #2 04-13-2006, 01:48 PM

I don't know who does them, but they should.

Bocote will take an INSANE polish with no finish at all.

Juneau · #3 04-13-2006, 01:52 PM

Bocote is great for fingerboards. I've not seen it used in a neck.

Thats a Bocote board on a 7-string Pete Skjold is building.

**Rodent** · #4 04-13-2006, 01:53 PM

I have an interesting stock supply of Bocote that I'll begin experimenting with later this year, once it's had another few months to season further

my initial experience with this has been promising, and I see it useful as a potential fingerboard ... but that will have to be proven before committing it to anything more than just a prototype

all the best,

R

Sal_Paradise · #5 04-13-2006, 01:57 PM

Any solid bocote necks?

Juneau · #6 04-13-2006, 02:01 PM

I wouldnt think the grain would produce a good neck, stability-wise, but I could be wrong, I usually am hehe.

**Rodent** · #7 04-13-2006, 02:04 PM

based on the weight of the boards I have, I would think that the neck would make a solid oak neck feel light. I have no other fingerboard wood in my shop that outweighs the bocote. nothing even comes close

all the best,

R

Juneau · #8 04-13-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodent

based on the weight of the boards I have, I would think that the neck would make a solid oak neck feel light. I have no other fingerboard wood in my shop that outweighs the bocote. nothing even comes close

all the best,

R

Didnt think about that, but very true as well.

paintandsk8 · #9 04-13-2006, 03:14 PM

My fretless has a bocote fretboard. It makes a good fretted FB, but I probably wouldn't use it again for a fretless. I would never use this wood for a whole neck. It's heavy and very hard to work. Not to mention making your whole shop smell like pickles. I don't think it would feel very good in your hands unfinished either.

FBB Custom · #10 04-13-2006, 04:18 PM

Most bocote is very oily. It's dense, but most of what I have encountered is in the vicinity of rosewoods like cocobolo. I have used it for body tops and I believe but once as a fingerboard. It was a fretless, and it seemed durable and stable.

I think that it's probably more trouble than it's worth as a neck wood. Weight and cost are the major issues, plus it clogs adhesives like nobody's business.

**Rodent** · #11 04-13-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintandsk8

Not to mention making your whole shop smell like pickles.

ya know the first time I cut a slice off one of my billets I thought the cat has found its way into the garage and left me a present

come to find out it was just the bocote getting a little warm from the saw blade. I now warn my wife when I'll be sawing a "little cat pee" out in the shop

all the best,

R

**Rodent** · #12 04-13-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintandsk8

My fretless has a bocote fretboard. It makes a good fretted FB, but I probably wouldn't use it again for a fretless.

how is it sonically compared to rosewood or ebony? I've been considering it for an EUB project I have coming up later this year

all the best,

R

Sal_Paradise · #13 04-14-2006, 08:01 AM

Surely a 4-string bocote neck couldn't be any heavier than a 6-string maple neck.

paintandsk8 · #14 04-14-2006, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodent

how is it sonically compared to rosewood or ebony? I've been considering it for an EUB project I have coming up later this year

all the best,

R

My complaints don't stem from it's sonic characteristics. It sounds fine. I don't think I have enough experience with it to broadly define it's sound as compared to any other wood. The only reason I wouldn't use it again for fretless is due to feel. I just doens't feel slick and fast like ebony or rosweood, especially when it comes to bending notes. This is for an unfinished board of course.

wilser · #15 04-14-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintandsk8

My complaints don't stem from it's sonic characteristics. It sounds fine. I don't think I have enough experience with it to broadly define it's sound as compared to any other wood. The only reason I wouldn't use it again for fretless is due to feel. I just doens't feel slick and fast like ebony or rosweood, especially when it comes to bending notes. This is for an unfinished board of course.

yeah, I don't like any unfinished boards for fretless. Even ebony feels too 'coarse' for my taste. Stabilized or epoxied boards are the ticket for me.

paintandsk8 · #16 04-14-2006, 04:33 PM

Since I double on DB I'm naturally drawn to unfinished boards to eccentuate that round, thumpy, woody attack. If finished boards are your thing then the feel thing wouldn't really be an issue. Did I mention how incredibly hard this stuff is? I had a hard time making indentations with a center punch for my position markers. Eventually resorted to using a dremel with a pointed tip shaping bit.