Silly fretboard question - Why arent they painted?

[GMC]

Silly fretboard question - Why aren't they painted?

Because it would color your sound.

Boogada Boogada Boogada, ha ha ha!

Laughing apart....if there is a noticeable difference in tone between lacquered and oiled body finishes...oiled being woodier and lacquered being harder sounding....then how much more of a difference for a lacquered or painted fret board? The fret board wood is probably the biggest contributor to a bass' inherent tonal stamp. So it will change the tone a bit.

 

[Jack MN]

If people wanted to buy basses with painted fretboards, I'm sure manufacturers would make more of them. It's probably just that people like the traditional look, or assume, perhaps incorrectly, that the paint would wear off.

 

[ChuckO]

I have a SX fretless jazz bass with the neck pained. Used automotive paint and clear coat. No issues with chipping or cracking.

 

[bholder]

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

I normally wouldn't consider staining birdseye, but wow.

 

[bholder]

This is Krylon on the fretboard, straight out of a rattlecan. It wears quite well IF it's allowed to dry rock-hard before playing on it. The flat paint is softer than the gloss, and wears with a cool brown undertone as time goes on. I've got a bass from around 2000 or 2001 that has hundreds of hours on the Krylon fretboard and it's held up remarkably well, but the pics aren't on this memory card as I sit here at work. But long story short, d.i.y. painted fretboards work just fine with prep, primer, and spraypaint.... even with big ol' honkin stainless .125s tuned to B with lots of bends thrown in frequently while playing.
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That sure makes a statement! Not sure I understand what it's saying, but it's saying it loud!

 

[Slevage]

It would wear off and look like crap?

The strings never touch the fingerboard--- unless it's fretless.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

The strings never touch the fingerboard--- unless it's fretless.

never saw an old fender with a maple fretboard ... they always have many parts where the finish got destroyed by the strings and it is all dirty ... maybe it is because they played way too hard but still

 

[StreetScenes]

I have done a few Maple is way easier because of the grain. Fender has a painted fret boards on some of the blocked and bound necks. They are painted block stencils and then cleared over.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I have always wanted a fender maple p neck either painted all black or all white with no fretboard dots.

Moon did one, as played by Larry Graham.

 

[Nivek91]

Westone also had a lot of guitar that features a painted fretboard.

 

[Slevage]

never saw an old fender with a maple fretboard ... they always have many parts where the finish got destroyed by the strings and it is all dirty ... maybe it is because they played way too hard but still

That's mojo from the player's fingers and chicken grease.

 

[iriegnome]

I don't even really care for painted basses let alone a painted neck, but hey, if you like it cool... Have at it. BTW - painted boards go back a long way. In the early 1960's they painted rosewood boards to give them the look of being more ebony. Also on DB's ebonite has been a painted wood for bridges, fretboards and all sorts of other parts

 

[Roadstar]

Dusty Hill has quite the collection of Bolin-made basses with paint on the fret board. There is a purple metal flake model that is to die for!

 

[Pudge Fish]

Dusty Hill has quite the collection of Bolin-made basses with paint on the fret board. There is a purple metal flake model that is to die for!

I want to respond... I simply don't know how...

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I have always wanted a fender maple p neck either painted all black or all white with no fretboard dots.

And black frets and black hardware with enclosed pickups? None more black?

 

[Jake72]

I want to respond... I simply don't know how...

It's got a built in fuzz/muff effect... gotta be awkward when it meows on stage though....

 

[Bassamatic]

Like this?

OMG I LOVE this! Where can I get one??

 

[Pudge Fish]

OMG I LOVE this! Where can I get one??

https://ritter-instruments.com/

 

[hdracer]

OMG I LOVE this! Where can I get one??

Jens Ritter built that. I'm sure he could build you one.
Just have a BIG stack of cash ready.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[negativefx]

Are you reading my mind? I've torn down my P-5er with a maple neck and painted the body. I'm wondering why I shouln't paint the board also! It IS gloss already, now that I think about it!

The Aerodyne has a rosewood freboard stained black. It looks sweet. But every time I clean it, the rag is pitch black. I'm worried that cleaning it too much will pull all the stain and I'll be left with a rosewood colored board again.