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Possible fretboard for BE maple bass....

Thumpin_P

Thumpin_P

Nov 26, 2006
958
153
Limestone, TN
#1
Hey everybody,

I thought about using ebony, but my wife insists on using something more colorful. I will be using a natural finish, gold hardware and a rosewood cap on the headstock. I thought about cocobola, rosewood, padauk, walnut, my wife insists on curly redwood. My question is: what are the tonal characteristics of redwood; how easy is it to work with, how does it feel and finished or unfinished. Any help would be appreciated..

Thanks,

Thumpin_P:bassist:
 
#3
There are a variety of woods that go by teh name of redwood, but if you mean a Cupressaceae, Redwood works easily, but wear a dust mask, believe me. It dents easily and will wear relatively quickly unless finished with something durable (ie: I wouldn't use an oil finish unless its on something that won't be handled - I have a lovely decorative shelf I made from it, but I don't handle it often). I'd see about acrylizing it, or hardening with CA glue or epoxy.

Tonally, well, I personally believe that tone is in the pickups, strings and fingers, so I'm not touching that one... :D
 
#7
Thumpin_P said:
LOL!!!!

No, but she allots the money I can spend on it, so I tread softly.:hiding:
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat. :rolleyes:
Funny thing is she says very little beyond *we can't afford that right now/are you insane/ENOUGH* but every once in awhile a bass stands out sonically for her; that for me is a good sign, like a total non-musician telling you that you play well.
ON topic- yeah, redwood is soft, while bubinga is red & durable. Cocobolo is very pretty too.
 
#8
For a fretted board, redwood wouldn't work out very good. If you check out woods on the Janka scale, I am fairly sure that a value of 1600 or greater is what is suitable for a decent fretboard.
 
#11
When I hear Redwood, I think California Redwood, which makes great decks and could make a nice looking body but I would think it is too soft for a good FB.

I personally like a dark black ebony board to contrast against a light colored body. And ebony is what is usually used in the higher end instruments. And you can find figured 'ebonys' as well.

I also like bubinga, but after seeing another thread here in the LC of some figured wenge, I am on a mission to find a similar piece of flat sawn figured wenge to make FBs out of.

Oh ya, you might want to check some purple heart.
3613374326_37ca4d3a01.jpg

It is what I just used on my first build.

I just bought an ebony fb and a birdseye maple fb at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Make sure to also look through the "Newest Boards/Instrument woods".

I think the only real answer is to build more basses so you can have one of each.
 
#12
Thanks guys!

Now I have some ammo, she actually said I could choose what I wanted, as long as it wasn't black:bawl:

I had my heart set on ebony or wenge, but, as long as it plays well, looks good against the gold fretwire, and adds to the sound I want (all around phunk), then I will be happy. I am contemplating some bubinga pommele, which I think will look SWEET!! Either that or Cocobola with a nice grain to it.
Any other suggestions will be helpful. BTW, bassteban,

I LAUGHED MY ASS OFF!!! Thank you, I think that was the final bullet that pushed my wife over the edge of "her way"

Keep 'em Comin'

Thumpin_P:bassist:
 
#16
You may be able to use redwood, and have it durable as well. Larry at Gallery Hardwoods can acrylicize wood and make it extremely tough. I have seen some of the things he has done in the past and it is pretty remakable. The process replaces water in the wood with acrylic at the molecular level, but it would alter the tonal characteristics of redwood significantly in the process, but on a fretboard, that may not be a bad thing. If it was a really cool figured redwood, it would maintain the visual appeal though.
 
#17
Bloodwood, Padauk would make a nice hard FB and also, if you like an olive drab type color, then Ipe' would make a nice hard FB.

If you want domestic, then White Oak, Red Oak, Hickory, Red Elm, Hard Maple, Desert Ironwood, and Texas Mesquite are some examples of FB wood. BTW, Mesquite is a very stable wood while Red Oak is the least stable of all the "hard" hardwoods.
 

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