What's On Your Workbench?

[Jisch]

Cherry lover here too - it smells nice when you're working it too.

 

[charlie monroe]

To me, the primary characteristics to look for in a fingerboard wood are:

1. Janka hardness,
2. closed grain, and
3. appearance

A quick Google search indicates that cherry has a lower Janka than hard maple or rosewood or ebony, making it somewhat more susceptible to damage from pressing down strings. This is less of a concern for a fretted instrument than for a fretless. Cherry is otherwise very similar to maple - closed grain, workability, density, etc. I think it would be fine for a fretted instrument.

How does it compare to Walnut?

Doesn’t Gretsch now offer a walnut fretted board on some of their models?

 

[ctmullins]

How does it compare to Walnut?

Doesn’t Gretsch now offer a walnut fretted board on some of their models?

Looks like Janka is about the same. Walnut has a bit more porous grain though.

 

[dwizum]

I would happily use it for a fretboard on a fretted bass. And maybe fretless too if you knew you were going to avoid roundwounds and had a reasonably gentle touch. It would probably need a finish, like maple does, to avoid getting discoloration from wear. But if you give it a thin satin finish and buff it, the finish can stay invisible and just gives the look of highly polished wood with a lot of depth.

 

[tubedude]

I torched, wire brushed and oiled this combo I made 8 years ago using the Japanese method (surisumi?). A couple more blond knobs and fini.

 

[TerribleTim68]

You mean Shou Sugi Ban
http://shousugiban.com/

 

[dwizum]

I think the one potential negative of cherry for instruments is it commonly has little bark inclusions and other defects in what looks like a perfect clean board. I like this kind of character in an instrument but other people may not.

 

[JIO]

Scarab Deluxe Bass

 

[JIO]

I think the one potential negative of cherry for instruments is it commonly has little bark inclusions and other defects in what looks like a perfect clean board. I like this kind of character in an instrument but other people may not. View attachment 3629761 View attachment 3629762 View attachment 3629763

Wabi-sabi - Wikipedia

 

[Ripthorn]

I love gummy cherry, it's so awesome for some different character, like ambrosia maple is.

 

[Dadagoboi]

OXbird setup. Honduras, Maple, Ebony, Nitro, and Nickel.

 

[washjayb]

To me, the primary characteristics to look for in a fingerboard wood are:

1. Janka hardness,
2. closed grain, and
3. appearance

A quick Google search indicates that cherry has a lower Janka than hard maple or rosewood or ebony, making it somewhat more susceptible to damage from pressing down strings. This is less of a concern for a fretted instrument than for a fretless. Cherry is otherwise very similar to maple - closed grain, workability, density, etc. I think it would be fine for a fretted instrument.

I've not had any issues with cherry in any use in guitar/bass. Not sure if I've done a cherry fretboard, but I have done multiple necks and some bodies, for sure.

I think the one potential negative of cherry for instruments is it commonly has little bark inclusions and other defects in what looks like a perfect clean board. I like this kind of character in an instrument but other people may not. View attachment 3629761 View attachment 3629762 View attachment 3629763

Was mainly concerned about durability, so this is reassuring. I have a ~3/4" board with interesting figure that I'm thinking of using as a fretboard.

Inclusions are a bonus in my book. But.. Planning on using a burl top... Not sure I want to add to the complexity of a finish.

 

[Five String]

I think the one potential negative of cherry for instruments is it commonly has little bark inclusions and other defects in what looks like a perfect clean board. I like this kind of character in an instrument but other people may not. View attachment 3629761 View attachment 3629762 View attachment 3629763

They look cool. Do you fill the cracks with expoxy or something or just put the finish on?

 

[Basshappi]

Just did a project for a friend for which I made plaques out of cherry. They had inclusions and areas of flame and looked fantastic.
I was thinking how cool it would be to make a guitar or bass body out of it.

 

[dwizum]

They look cool. Do you fill the cracks with expoxy or something or just put the finish on?

I just put the finish on. This guitar is finished with satin poly and buffed with wax. The smaller spots in the photos are 100% solid with no voids, just the discoloration. The one larger spot on the edge has a void but don't see that as a problem really. If there had been a void on the neck I probably would have filled it.

 

[MPU]

While waiting for the 21st day (this is like burning ice, I really, really want to start!) I made spool clamps for the gluing of the top.

 

[TerribleTim68]

While waiting for the 21st day (this is like burning ice, I really, really want to start!) I made spool clamps for the gluing of the top.

Oh, I thought they were barbells for mice.

 

[Slidlow]

Have this on my bench right now. In the process of recovering a Fender Super Twin. All these little jobs keep coming up and I am having a hard time getting to work on my six string.

 

[Scoops]

View attachment 3634093 While waiting for the 21st day (this is like burning ice, I really, really want to start!) I made spool clamps for the gluing of the top.

Yes, I did the same thing last year

 

[Doner Designs]