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Alternative to epoxy or CA on a rosewood fretless fingerboard

Randy S

Randy S

Jul 7, 2008
321
23
Western WA
#1
I have a de-fretted bass with a Rosewood fingerboard. I have the neck off to remove the dots, and install some side marker dots. Have previously had a bad experience with CA as a coating. And I'm not sure I want to go the epoxy route, either.

What works for a hard finish other than these?

Thanks in advance to all my good friends here.
 
#3
Mylar. Very tough. Easy to apply, very inexpensive, looks good, feels good. You can buy clear 3 mil(?) with adhesive on one side. Just stick it down like contact paper, and trim the edges with a blade.
 
#6
Randy S said:
Got any sources for the Mylar? Sounds interesting.
Click to expand...
I got it years ago locally in Santa Monica California. It was a plastics oriented store. I don't remember the name. I bought a few feet of it and coated five boards and still have enough left for one more. I imagine an Internet search might yield something. The stuff I got was three mil thick, with adhesive on one side.

Found it. http://santamonicaplastics.com/

Maybe they would ship it to you or maybe depending on where you live you might find it locally. good luck
 
#7
jbybj said:
I got it years ago locally in Santa Monica California. It was a plastics oriented store. I don't remember the name. I bought a few feet of it and coated five boards and still have enough left for one more. I imagine an Internet search might yield something. The stuff I got was three mil thick, with adhesive on one side.
Click to expand...

Okay, I'm curious. You've done this and it actually works, and withstands the abrasion? Three mil Mylar with adhesive backing is basically clear packaging tape. In fact, that's exactly what the 3M Scotch Heavy Duty Packaging Tape is that I use here in the shop for sealing boxes. I admit that I've never tried sticking a layer of it on the fingerboard of a fretless bass, but I can't imagine it lasting more than a few songs before it would wear through and shred.

Tell us more about this????
 
#8
Bruce Johnson said:
Okay, I'm curious. You've done this and it actually works, and withstands the abrasion? Three mil Mylar with adhesive backing is basically clear packaging tape. In fact, that's exactly what the 3M Scotch Heavy Duty Packaging Tape is that I use here in the shop for sealing boxes. I admit that I've never tried sticking a layer of it on the fingerboard of a fretless bass, but I can't imagine it lasting more than a few songs before it would wear through and shred.

Tell us more about this????
Click to expand...
Yes, I would also like to hear more, especially about durability and if there's a particular grade of Mylar that should be used.
I have never heard of a stick on Mylar material as a fretless surface, but it does sound interesting.
This is my own bass, and this is the second sanding of the fingerboard. The idea of a few mils of thickness won't hurt, since I have to also make a new nut.
I am holding off on going any farther for now.
 
#9
Yes, I have Mylar on 4 or 5 fretless boards at the moment. I found an old thread but the pictures lost their links.
I did not come up with this myself, I read about it here on TB, and found a few references elsewhere in the interwebs. I can't speak to the finer points of packing tape formulations, but the Mylar I obtained seemed more robust than any packing tape I've ever used, and the adhesive was stronger as well. I was skeptical at first, but I was refinishing a Wishbass, and wanted to keep it easy, inexpensive and clean. The Mylar feels great under your fingers, and offers very good protection. I can't identify any notable difference in tone, unlike the one board I had epoxied. The epoxy sounded different, even if only a little bit.

As for durability, it seems pretty solid. My longest application is about four years now. The bass has not been put through rigorous playtime, maybe 20 hours, with Nickel rounds. The Mylar shows some dulling of the shiny finish under the strings, but no real change in the surface, as in dents, pitting, or grooves. The reason I was willing to take the chance in the first place was because of how easily you can reverse the application. I haven't done it yet, but all you have to deal with is some "goo-be-gone" to remove the adhesive. Even if you managed to chew up the Mylar, which seems unlikely to me, you could always reapply. The only drawback that comes to mind is the challenge of making it neat and trimmed at the edges. I used a razor blade, followed by a little sanding, (just the edges). Some edges are practically seamless, some, not so perfect. Here is a quote from a previous post.

"Rediscovered the Mylar option while searching for info. Found some 2 mil self adhesive Mylar locally. Tried it on 861. Love it.
Mylar vs. Epoxy:
Look and feel, 70% as cool.
Protection, we'll see, supposed to be 100% of Epoxy.
Price in materials per bass, Mylar, about a dollar.
Time to install, less than 20 minutes.
Probability of getting it right the first time, 90-99%
Skill level required, that of an average 8 year old, with good coordination."

I also really liked that the application was Non-toxic.
My company is moving from Burbank to Hollywood early next year. Bruce, if you find yourself visiting your old haunts and give me a days notice, you could always come by and lay your hands on a Mylar coated board. Maybe when you get a hankering for the Tally Rand? or maybe nothing draws you back to Burbank………..
 
#11
Thanks,

I've got it to a good surface, sanded with a radiused sanding block.

Sent a message to the company linked above, and also looking for a closer source.
And it's not my only bass, so I can take whatever time it takes.
Not exactly sure if I'll do the Mylar thing, but it is interesting.
I do like the idea that it is easily replaced.
 
#12
Bruce Johnson said:
...Three mil Mylar with adhesive backing is basically clear packaging tape...
Click to expand...

I don't know about this. Back in the day we used a 1" wide strip of Mylar to make punch tapes for CNC machines and that stuff was TOUGH. It was impossible to tear by hand and would withstand thousands of passes through a reader head with no sign of wear. We had tapes that ran 60~80 times per shift, three shifts a day, seven days a week, sometimes for years, and we never wore one out, not even the drive holes deformed. Granted, the Mylar we used was somewhat thicker, but it was also super limp and much more flexi than the 3M packing tape I use.
 
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#14
fhm555 said:


I don't know about this. Back in the day we used a 1" wide strip of Mylar to make punch tapes for CNC machines and that stuff was TOUGH. It was impossible to tear by hand and would withstand thousands of passes through a reader head with no sign of wear. We had tapes that ran 60~80 times per shift, three shifts a day, seven days a week, sometimes for years, and we never wore one out, not even the drive holes deformed. Granted, the Mylar we used was somewhat thicker, but it was also super limp and much more flexi than the 3M packing tape I use.
Click to expand...

This sounds like what I have stuck to my boards.
 
#16
Randy S said:
...I am looking for a source that will deal in the small quantity I need. I don't want to buy a whole roll for over 150.00...
Click to expand...

Sounds like an eBay,TB, Reverb business opportunity to me. Revolutionary new fretless fingerboard covering. Depending on the size of the roll of course.
 
#19
Was curious- saw green tabletops for drafting in the late 60's.
Saw some (I thought) mylar lams on ebay that were silver and some gold- not that I'd want that for a fingerboard,
but it that can be done, there should be other colors avail?
 

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