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Thanks, Robert. I can't report on the durability-- I finished that only last night! I have roundwounds on it, so we'll see!
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Fretless fingerboard coatings
- Thread starter Rowka
- Start date
Although I will say that if there are any problems with it not holding up, it should be easy to fix-- just drizzle some more CA on any bad spots and buff it up again.
Wow!To close the loop, I ended up with CA.
Polished like glass. Four months of playing with rounds and no visible wear.
If you go the epoxy route, I would use the pour method rather than the brush method. Better to level and radius a single uniform coating than multiple layers, as witness lines will be evident if you cut through a layer that has a high spot. Just make sure that the fingerboard dam is sound and doesn't have any weak spots - the epoxy will find a way to drip.
Lonnybass
Lonnybass
I tried the dam and pour method a few years ago with disastrous results-- I wrapped the entire neck in tape (except the fingerboard), but the epoxy always found an opening and would drip onto the backside of the neck. I found the superglue technique to be much easier. In future I think I'll use thick CA, however.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I've used the best masking tape I could find and epoxy would still run under it. I think the trick would be to brush a thin coat of epoxy onto the board around your dam line and let it dry so it seals off the line for your final thick pour.
I think the 5-minute epoxy is a thicker consistency, maybe using it for your dam line might be a good idea...
Yes
Applied the CA and glitter-dots before fretting.
It ended up being this orange RowkASAT.
Last edited:
Hopkins
Commercial User
We do a lot of potting in our LED and electrical assembly, and using the pour method with dams is our only option on some products.
Masking tape (or the like) will never hold up, but what we have had good success with is thicker tapes, like those used for body side moldings on cars, or VHB from 3M. Both sides are sticky, so you have to handle it properly, but the closed-cel foam nature of the tape along with the evenly coated adhesive make a very good bond to the surface (with a little burnishing) and golds up well to both the weight of the epoxy and is resistant to leaks if well applied. It's a bit of a bitch to peel off on certain materials, but if you're going to file/sand the edges of the board after anyways, you can go at it with a knife or take it off with a router bit.
That said, we also use a lot of CA and I buy Loctite brand in big bottles, so that's what I'm going to use on a couple of fretless necks I need to do in January.
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Masking tape (or the like) will never hold up, but what we have had good success with is thicker tapes, like those used for body side moldings on cars, or VHB from 3M. Both sides are sticky, so you have to handle it properly, but the closed-cel foam nature of the tape along with the evenly coated adhesive make a very good bond to the surface (with a little burnishing) and golds up well to both the weight of the epoxy and is resistant to leaks if well applied. It's a bit of a bitch to peel off on certain materials, but if you're going to file/sand the edges of the board after anyways, you can go at it with a knife or take it off with a router bit.
That said, we also use a lot of CA and I buy Loctite brand in big bottles, so that's what I'm going to use on a couple of fretless necks I need to do in January.
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Zombie thread...
For those that applied CA (superglue) to their fretless bass fingerboards, how did it effect the tone?
I've heard that some highly coated boards are very bright with a bit of a "clicky" attack and not as much swell/bloom. Did any of you notice this with CA (superglue)?
For those that applied CA (superglue) to their fretless bass fingerboards, how did it effect the tone?
I've heard that some highly coated boards are very bright with a bit of a "clicky" attack and not as much swell/bloom. Did any of you notice this with CA (superglue)?
I have built mostly fretless instruments all have been with uncoated finger boards. The one I just built (in my avatar) I coated the fingerboard with CA glue. I use round wound strings on that bass, so I have two variables - the strings and the CA coated board that make it different than other basses. It's definitely brighter, but I can still dig a good mwah out of it when needed. I really have not noticed any clack when playing expressively on this bass. I guess if I play aggressively and move that left hand fast I can get a good vibration going as I move up the neck, but it's not hard to control, and I wouldn't call it clack. I think the difference between the CA board and a non-coated board has more to do with the tone of the note than clack. The notes are brighter and more defined, less muddy, that muddiness is part of the charm of fretless and you do lose a bit of that for sure (again this is combination of two things on this particular bass).
I always find it difficult to describe sound with words, I'm not sure this helps or not.
I always find it difficult to describe sound with words, I'm not sure this helps or not.
I second this my board is poly'd but it is brighter than some of my uncoated basses and some others I've heard. the mwah is great and playing expressively can still sound smooth and refined. Works great for stuff like tech death metal as it cuts and everyone loves a good fretless sound especially the guitar players
Even with an uncoated board fretless can be aggressive. I used to play in a punk/heavy rock band, when I pulled out the first fretless I made at practice I could see the eye rolls from my bandmates, but once we got playing it was all good. I play a lot of slap and even that sounds good, its all about adjusting your technique.
