Silly fretboard question - Why arent they painted?

[lz4005]

When you clear a maple board you shoot it after the frets are in. Then you scrape/buff the clear off the frets.

With paint, from what I've read, you have to do the paint before you put in the frets. Then frets, then clear. That makes it a lot more difficult to get a clean finish. Also makes a refret more difficult.

I don't know what Dean is doing to be able to make those neon Zones so cheap. I really want a green one just so I can be as obnoxious as possible.

 

[Deleted member 264575]

"There's enough stuff about Rick basses to fill a book. Someone should write one." - @PaulBoyer.
And a great book it is, Thanks Paul!

Painted ladies;

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Brian May's hand-made guitar has a painted oak fingerboard, and it held up for 40 years or so before recent restoration. My Steinberger XP-2 bass had a hard rock maple body with some kind of 2-part epoxy based paint that was incredibly tough. Seems like its eminently do-able, though you might not want to use roundwounds on it if you really dig in while fingering. Seems like jumbo frets would keep the strings up off the fingerboard most of the time anyway. I think i read an interview with Larry Graham where he said he has to have his white painted fingerboard re-done every few years, sounds about like how long a fretless epoxy fingerboard coat would last.

 

[bholder]

When you clear a maple board you shoot it after the frets are in. Then you scrape/buff the clear off the frets.

With paint, from what I've read, you have to do the paint before you put in the frets. Then frets, then clear. That makes it a lot more difficult to get a clean finish. Also makes a refret more difficult.

I don't know what Dean is doing to be able to make those neon Zones so cheap. I really want a green one just so I can be as obnoxious as possible.

Get a green and a pink and swap parts to make 2 real eye-shockers!

 

[Double E]

Anyone remember this guy?

 

[hdracer]

When you clear a maple board you shoot it after the frets are in. Then you scrape/buff the clear off the frets.

With paint, from what I've read, you have to do the paint before you put in the frets. Then frets, then clear. That makes it a lot more difficult to get a clean finish. Also makes a refret more difficult.

I don't know what Dean is doing to be able to make those neon Zones so cheap. I really want a green one just so I can be as obnoxious as possible.

I don't know how you would crown and dress the frets without messing up the paint.
I would paint the whole thing and use a razor knife to remove the paint from the frets the same as a clear.

 

[Deleted member 264575]

A fretboard made out of perspex, is another possible route for colour . This guy did that on his Moon Bass Alpha - build thread here.

 

[PokeyPrasch]

Always wondered the same.

Though Fieldy does have a painted fretboard model out now...
...and who doesn't want to sound like Fieldy?

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All joking aside, cool looking bass.

 

[Double E]

...and who doesn't want to sound like Fieldy?

Me...I doesn't!

 

[Johnny Crab]

And there's this guy who has a painted one:


The Fieldy with KORN one is here:
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[lz4005]

I don't know how you would crown and dress the frets without messing up the paint.

Lots of masking tape and careful filing. More time, more $$$.

 

[Pudge Fish]

Like this?

hell yea! Ritter did well here, but would anyone buy this to "really" play it?

 

[tomersg]

Anyone remember this guy?

View attachment 537413

no.. who is that guy?

 

[carsonchilders]

Look up Larry Graham's bass. It's a solid white jazz bass, including the fingerboard. Ibanez also has a signature instrument for some dude from Korn with a white painted fingerboard.

Yeah I think it's the same Larry Graham "Moon" bass that Pino plays when he does round wounds.

 

[kenneffdupriest]

Either in reality or a dream I saw Billy Sheehan playing a bass guitar with a reverse headstock, I think it was an Attitude bass, that had large day glow green, yellow and blue numbers on the 3,5,7,9 & 12th frets. Not sure if it was paint or stickers. Then again, cuda bena dream.

 

[BioWeapon]

hell yea! Ritter did well here, but would anyone buy this to "really" play it?

Considering Its a custom build... you would hope so.

 

[macrocheesium]

I've seen some nice stains. Carvin has done it in the past for guitars.

 

[awilkie84]

It would wear off and look like crap?

Only if you're digging in hard and pushing your strings into the board.

 

[Jake72]

Either in reality or a dream I saw Billy Sheehan playing a bass guitar with a reverse headstock, I think it was an Attitude bass, that had large day glow green, yellow and blue numbers on the 3,5,7,9 & 12th frets. Not sure if it was paint or stickers. Then again, cuda bena dream.

Eh, get a neon green beater bass and throw a set of these on there.... http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Markers-Sticker-Decals-Guitar/dp/B00PGQYNOM

 

[friendlybass]

Because as we all know, covering your wood with stuff ruins the feel.