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Maple unfinished vs high gloss

stuntbass77

stuntbass77

Nov 6, 2007
1,806
1,208
#1
It's there any difference in sound between unfinished/or light oil vs hi gloss finish on a fretboard. I have heard some say a lot of the sound comes from the hi gloss finish on most maple boards. All the maple boards I have owned have had a thick finish on the fretboard.
 
#2
I like the thick finish. I'm not sure if it contributes to the overall sound, though.

I have heard from different people that maple fretboards aren't as durable as rosewood, so maybe the thick finish helps in that department.
 
#5
I would not go unfinished ... if you want an unfinished look and feel give it a couple of coats of lemon oil.

You can also use lemon oil on rosewood ...

I believe that a gloss finish on a bass will make it brighter.

Unfinished or oil finished brings out mids.
 
#7
When I play, my strings touch the frets, not the wood of the fretboard. So, I don't see where it would make any different (to me, anyway).

Also, Ernie Ball specifically recommends to NOT use lemon oil on their maple fretboards. Their boards are unfinished (at least, the non-Classic models). If the board is "finished", then there's no need to oil it at all. Just clean it occasionally.

Ernie Ball does recommend to use orange oil on their maple boards. And they recommend Murphy's Oil Soap for cleaning them. Murphy's has orange oil in it, if I recall correctly. So, for an unfinished maple board, Murphy's is your one stop shop for cleaning and conditioning your unfinished maple fret or finger board.

Lemon oil IS recommended for rosewood.
 
#8
AaronVonRock said:
I like the thick finish. I'm not sure if it contributes to the overall sound, though.
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I love the thick finish...

One one of my warmoths that has the vintage tint across the board I said give to 'Johnny the new guy' and make it thick.
 
#9
I like a matte finish...feels smooth but keeps things clean. I had a Gibson Tobias Renegade once which sounded good but the super dirty unfinished (or not very finished) maple neck/fretboard drove me nuts.!
 
#10
Fretboard? I don't see it making a difference but it will eventually crack and wear, plus if the gloss goes over the side it will get ruined if/when the frets sprout through. On the back of the neck? World of difference. I recently took the finish off my P Standard and did it with tung oil. The neck feels amazing. I will probably be doing it to all my other glossy Fender necks.
 
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#11
Unfinished maple will quickly get dirty from the oils on your fingers. Reportedly, Leo Fender changed the fingerboards on his guitars and basses to rosewood after seeing some well-used Fenders on television: the finish had worn through and there were black marks on the fingerboard, especially at the positions of the most-played notes.

I like the gloss, but the best maple neck I've played was a Tribute L2000 with a satin finish on the fingerboard and neck.

WildWillies4.jpg
 
#12
DiabolusInMusic said:
I recently took the finish off my P Standard and did it with tung oil. The neck feels amazing. I will probably be doing it to all my other glossy Fender necks.
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trek_cringe_04.jpg
 
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#14
I think the primary reason for the thick glossy finish on the maple fretboard is to protect the wood and aid in cleaning. Remember while your strings may not touch the fretboard, your fingers are. You have oils and minute detritus on your hands that will shed onto the fingerboard and darken it. On a rosewood/ebony board that doesn't matter so much because it is a darker wood and it will blend in. On maple it will look quite bad rather fast. Putting a nice finish on there aids cleaning and stops the staining that would happen to the light wood from your finger oils and minutia.

EDIT: Shoulda' read the complete thread first, I'm repeating what others just said. :banghead:
 
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#15
sissy kathy said:
You have oils and minute detritus on your hands that will shed onto the fingerboard and darken it.
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You would be surprised how much metal dust gets in the wood, too. This is particularly true if you have a heavy hand, and do a lot of bending, or vibrato.

While I haven't experimented with bass, and while I admittedly never paid very close attention, there has never been a noticeable difference in tone on my guitars when the fretboards were finished, versus unfinished (same guitar, and neck). Hell, I can't even really tell the difference between nitro vs. poly on the body. With so many other variables affecting tone, I would have to think that fretboard finish would be negligible, at best. That is probably why I have never heard anyone debating how it affects tone, prior to now. This is not to mention what happens on an unfinished board when it gets filthy with sweat, keratin, metal, and whatever other contaminants are present. Does that significantly alter the tone?

I think the best thing to do is to go with what feels the best. Save for spectral analysis, I don't think anyone is going to notice a tonal difference.
 
#16
StuartV said:
Also, Ernie Ball specifically recommends to NOT use lemon oil on their maple fretboards. Their boards are unfinished (at least, the non-Classic models). If the board is "finished", then there's no need to oil it at all. Just clean it occasionally.

Ernie Ball does recommend to use orange oil on their maple boards. And they recommend Murphy's Oil Soap for cleaning them. Murphy's has orange oil in it, if I recall correctly. So, for an unfinished maple board, Murphy's is your one stop shop for cleaning and conditioning your unfinished maple fret or finger board.
Click to expand...
I used lemon oil on my EB Sterling maple and it seeped into the wood. I do the best I can with a toothbrush and whitening toothpaste however it never really came out. I will try Murphy's, should have thought of that a long time ago, although it does seem kinda greasy. We use it on the hardwood floors in the hose.

I am buying a maple coated neck for my Fender Mexie Jazz. It has a lined fretless neck currently, rosewood, so I will record a few riffs before and after, however the strings should change...well maybe I'll keep them on for a test. Will post results
 
#17
DiabolusInMusic said:
Fretboard? I don't see it making a difference but it will eventually crack and wear, plus if the gloss goes over the side it will get ruined if/when the frets sprout through. On the back of the neck? World of difference. I recently took the finish off my P Standard and did it with tung oil. The neck feels amazing. I will probably be doing it to all my other glossy Fender necks.
Click to expand...

+1. I have previously stripped off the back of the neck finish on three of my basses and redid it with tung oil, and it was incredible. Now I just play EBMM basses with oil/wax finished necks from the factory, and they play like a dream.
 
#19
From what I understand Maple needs a finish. Others like rosewood, wenge, pau ferro (I think) can stay un finished because of the type of wood. I know Warmoth will sell an unfinished Maple neck, but if you don't put finish on it (including fretboard) you void the warranty on it.

+1 on the satin finish. I like a nice thin slick satin finish on the neck. My old Fender Jazz had a gloss poly finish, not thick but noticable and glossy. I sanded it back so it was more satin, and a lot more smooth.
 

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