Double Bass URB Inlays?

[tplyons]

I'm going to be learning how to do custom inlays for BG, was just wondering if it's possible to inlay the fingerboard or perhaps the top of a bass to give mine that little bit that screams me. Is it possible to do this without damaging tone, if I were to perhaps put a script L at the bottom of the fingerboard?

 

[Jeff Bollbach]

It is not gonna affect tone but you will have issues when it comes to dressing the board.

 

[olivier]

But it's gonna look so cool.
Actually Baroque instruments used to be richly decorated, and inlays in the FB with matching TP were common. See for example Invalid Link Removed or Invalid Link Removed. But back then they were playing on gut with rather high action so dressing the FB was not that big of an issue!

 

[Chasarms]

If you do the inlay in an area that gets played on a lot, the abalone or MOP or whatever you use is going to get chewed up by the strings and loose its luster.

If you use metal, I think it will make some rather strange noises, especially since it is an amplified EUB w/ a pickup.

Maybe do it really low down on the FB where it will see less action.

 

[tplyons]

Originally posted by Chasarms
Maybe do it really low down on the FB where it will see less action.

Exactly what I was thinking, end of the FB or maybe the tailpiece. Thanks!

 

[hughindigo]

The tailpiece would be my first choice for the already stated reason of problems with board dressing later on. Also, if for any reason you should screw up, a new tailpiece is alot cheaper (and easier to replace) than a new fingerboard

 

[toman]

I've played at least one of Golia's basses that have really cool wood inlay work on the backs. The one I remember had something like a large leaf inlayed in a contrasting wood, and it looked really nice. So yeah, it can be done, but for the reasons the other guys said I don't think i'd do an inlay on a fingerboard unless it was something really small like dots.