I honestly don't know if they are nitro safe....I only found them by a Google search.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
I honestly don't know if they are nitro safe....I only found them by a Google search.
I've been making S-style and T-style guitars for 40 years!!
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Roger
I think we have made a total of 3 or 4. With hard poly finishes on the fingerboard.
Have you ever done a hard poly finish on an ebony, rosewood, or morado fretless?
Of course. I only like ebony and morado for fretless....rosewood is too open grained.
The conversation I have with players is the following: If you want a more acoustic bass tone, go unfinished. If you want maximum sustain and "whah", go with the coated board.
Roger
Not really a huge deal to have them. I've been playing for over 20 years without luminlay or glowing side dots but it's a nice luxury to have if available but certainly not a dealbreaker. I have a couple Kiesel 5 stringers with the luminlay side dots but I'm laser focused on playing 4 string right now and my new to me NYC PJ is amazing. Can't wait for my Verdine White build!!
If the “poly” finish is polyurethane, my experience with that finish is that it is both the warmest and most durable synthetic coating on a fretless board, as well as being easily reworked when necessary. As Roger says, more sustain vs thud than a wood board; but if you are gigging the bass hard with round wounds, it can save a lot of fingerboard repair. Depends on how the bass is being used. Anyhow, the polyurethane is about as close to “wood” as you’re going to get with a coated board.
Regarding coatings on fretless basses, let me make a pre-emptive post that I do not believe "fingerboard" wear is a reason to coat a fretless fingerboard. I can count on my fingers the number of string wear repairs I have had to do on my uncoated fretless basses over 40 years. Get a coating if that is the sound you want....not because you are worried about fingerboard wear.
OK, well, I realize Roger is the expert here. I can only go with my own experiences. Guess we all have navels; just some have been more exhibited than others.
My first foray with an ebony uncoated board was my ‘76 bought new Alembic Series 1, where I was going for more of an upright sound. I used the D’Addario Half Rounds, which sacrificed some meat, but didn’t put a mark on the board for the 12 years or so I had the bass in that configuration.
Next up was a Warmoth Jazz neck with a nice thick beautiful ebony board on which I used Roundwounds, but did NOT coat the board, trying NOT to be Jaco. Gigged that board for 4 years, including a regular open mic blues gig with VERY loud multiple guitars. Two years of that produced ruts in the board at the Blues root positions, such that the notes wouldn’t intonate. I don’t think that was bad technique, more the reality of hearing intonation in heavy guitar wash.
My struggles with that repair included a stint with a Pedulla fretless with the polyester coating they use on the Buzz boards. That coating was too brittle for stainless roundwounds; and at Mike’s suggestion, I kept to nickel roundwounds, which produced some scratching, but nothing fatal.
Meanwhile, I put MinWax polyurethane on the Warmoth board; and as Roger stated accurately, that coating is softer, but in my use wears like absolute nails with Stainless roundwounds. It is a fact with polymers that they generally have wear and hardness values that are inverse to each other. Also, the softer coating has a warmer tonality to it. Yes, the various coatings have different tonalities that have pronounced effects on the tone. The choices are definitely subjective.
I will admit that my needs for a fretless these days are unfortunately rather more limited than that open mic gig I had once upon a time. I could probably use stainless roundwounds on a bare ebony board without doing too much damage; but that would be mostly due to low usage. Fingerboard rutting is well documented. I’m always surprised by discussions to the contrary on TB. It isn’t the sign of an inferior instrument or poor technique. It’s due to use.
I’ve discussed all this with Pat Wilkins, who has done some of my luthier work in the past. Pat came to similar conclusions. I was wrongly guessing that Roger might be in a similar zone. But, I will also say that Roger is accurate that the harder coatings produce more “mwah;” so, if that’s what a player is after, that’s the way to go. But, it is also just a bit more complicated than that. IME.
My first foray with an ebony uncoated board was my ‘76 bought new Alembic Series 1, where I was going for more of an upright sound. I used the D’Addario Half Rounds, which sacrificed some meat, but didn’t put a mark on the board for the 12 years or so I had the bass in that configuration.
Next up was a Warmoth Jazz neck with a nice thick beautiful ebony board on which I used Roundwounds, but did NOT coat the board, trying NOT to be Jaco. Gigged that board for 4 years, including a regular open mic blues gig with VERY loud multiple guitars. Two years of that produced ruts in the board at the Blues root positions, such that the notes wouldn’t intonate. I don’t think that was bad technique, more the reality of hearing intonation in heavy guitar wash.
My struggles with that repair included a stint with a Pedulla fretless with the polyester coating they use on the Buzz boards. That coating was too brittle for stainless roundwounds; and at Mike’s suggestion, I kept to nickel roundwounds, which produced some scratching, but nothing fatal.
Meanwhile, I put MinWax polyurethane on the Warmoth board; and as Roger stated accurately, that coating is softer, but in my use wears like absolute nails with Stainless roundwounds. It is a fact with polymers that they generally have wear and hardness values that are inverse to each other. Also, the softer coating has a warmer tonality to it. Yes, the various coatings have different tonalities that have pronounced effects on the tone. The choices are definitely subjective.
I will admit that my needs for a fretless these days are unfortunately rather more limited than that open mic gig I had once upon a time. I could probably use stainless roundwounds on a bare ebony board without doing too much damage; but that would be mostly due to low usage. Fingerboard rutting is well documented. I’m always surprised by discussions to the contrary on TB. It isn’t the sign of an inferior instrument or poor technique. It’s due to use.
I’ve discussed all this with Pat Wilkins, who has done some of my luthier work in the past. Pat came to similar conclusions. I was wrongly guessing that Roger might be in a similar zone. But, I will also say that Roger is accurate that the harder coatings produce more “mwah;” so, if that’s what a player is after, that’s the way to go. But, it is also just a bit more complicated than that. IME.
Hello Roger
I’ve installed luminlay (side and face dots, fretlines etc) on all kind of instruments with all kind of finishes, never had a problem. Using CA tend to melt a little the outside protective sleeve, though...
- Apr 20, 2009
- 2,620
- 4,666
- Disclosures
- Endorsements: your name could be here, Mr. Sadowsky!
CyanoAcrylate (technical name for various "superglues"). It can be hard on some plastics.
There I was, just minding my business, when somebody delivered this to my door. Swell.
My phone makes it look bluer than it is. Satin surf Green Verdine. Sounds so good too.
My phone makes it look bluer than it is. Satin surf Green Verdine. Sounds so good too.
Beautiful bass...Sadowsky’s are well worth the wait! You just joined a great family of players, first-class bass-build/support...and tonal satisfaction!!
Congrats!!!
