Why No Translucent Finish On Fretboards???

[Clef_de_fa]

If the bass is fretted, don't you have to be playing with fingers of steel for the strings to be touching the fingerboard and not just the frets?

look at every vintage Fender or Musicman with a maple fretboard. They are all dirty because the finish have been destroyed by the strings, sweat and maybe the skin

 

[StuartV]

look at every vintage Fender or Musicman with a maple fretboard. They are all dirty because the finish have been destroyed by the strings, sweat and maybe the skin

Dirty? Sure. I have almost all maple boards. Because of sweat and maybe skin? Sure. That doesn't mean the strings were rubbing on the finish, though.

If the strings were rubbing on the finish, then, yeah, the finish is going to wear away.

If it's just dirt from fingers, sweat, etc., it will clean off and shouldn't damage the finish - as long as it's not left on there too long.

I have not personally seen a maple board (or any other kind of board, actually), where the finish between the frets was worn down by strings (on a fretted bass).

So, to bring it full circle, I think a maple board with some kind of finish on it would actually hold up better than unfinished maple. Unfinished maple boards seem to let the sweat, body oils, etc. get into the wood and can permanently discolor it. A good finish will actually protect the wood from that. In which case, I don't see how it could be a problem for the finish to have a color in it versus being clear.

 

[Jaco Taco]

I have several basses with translucent finishes. They've all held up very well including my 78 Fender Jazz. My two main Brubaker sixes are orange and black over Birdseye Maple. Anyone who can do a competent durable finish on a bass should be able to do this.

I'd love to see pictures of those!

 

[Jaco Taco]

See: Brubaker Basses

Now we're talking! Thanks for posting these!

 

[Jaco Taco]

Ritter does it:

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Super cool and super wild! Thanks for posting these!!!

 

[jim777]

Ritter does it:

I would dip into the retirement fund for that one, and would play out more often just to show it off!

 

[Showdown]

With all the maple fretboard that the finish went away by playing it ( strings rubbing again the finish on the maple fretboard ) and it starts to attrack dirt and then the maple look all dirty and very aweful ...

if you put a finish on your fretboard ... I bet that one day it will look awful.

I remember seeing basses and guitars like that and always wondered how it happens. I have played maple fingerboards for many years without getting a mark on them. On the several I've had the strings sit on the frets and never get close to touching the fingerboard. Maybe you need really worn frets or something.

 

[Showdown]

I have not personally seen a maple board (or any other kind of board, actually), where the finish between the frets was worn down by strings (on a fretted bass).

I have. Several times, at least on guitars. I seem to remember Keith Richards with one, and way back in the day (1979) I played in a band with a guy that had one.

But as I said in my previous post I have no idea how it happens since the strings shouldn't touch the fingerboard.

Here are a couple:

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Maybe it is easier on a guitar, since the strings are smaller and more flexible, although it hasn't happened on my maple fingerboard Strat that I've had for 15 years.

 

[Rip Topaz]

I would dip into the retirement fund for that one, and would play out more often just to show it off!

Seriously. That's one of my favorite Ritters I've seen. WAY out of my budget but I love looking at them.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

I remember seeing basses and guitars like that and always wondered how it happens. I have played maple fingerboards for many years without getting a mark on them. On the several I've had the strings sit on the frets and never get close to touching the fingerboard. Maybe you need really worn frets or something.

Maybe it isn't because of the string or some kind of chemical reaction of the nitro finish in the fretboard, rust/dirt and the sweat ?

 

[Brad Johnson]

If the bass is fretted, don't you have to be playing with fingers of steel for the strings to be touching the fingerboard and not just the frets?

Strings don't have to touch the fingerboard to cause wear. Fingers along with sweat can cause dirt/wear

 

[Jaco Taco]

Strings don't have to touch the fingerboard to cause wear. Fingers along with sweat can cause dirt/wear

I would assume that a fretboard with some kind of finish on it would better protect the wood underneath it from wear than a fretboard without any finish.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I would assume that a fretboard with some kind of finish on it would better protect the wood underneath it from wear than a fretboard without any finish.

Exactly. As long as it's a durable one.

 

[casper_morgan]

Ritter does it:

Bill Cosby called... he wants his bass back