fretboard neck finish

[Jean-Philippe Regnard]

Hi everybody,
I have two unfinished necks; one maple neck with rosewood fretboard and one maple neck with maple fretboard.
First, I made some research on the internet to get some information on the neck finishing and for the fretboard this is not clear. For the neck, it’s pretty well documented. To resume, there is three way: use nitrocellulose (as Fendre), use polyurethane lacquer or use oil (tru-oil, Danish oil).
However, concerning the fretboard, it’s isn’t clear. What I found is that for the rosewood fretboard, the is no treatment. Only citrus oil, just to preserve the wood. For the maple fretrboard, there is a lot of things. True or not, I don’t really know.
- First, the sweaty hands can change the color of fretboard in the long run. So laquer is recommended. For oil finish, some people says that oil doen’t protect from moisture od change of color. However, it’s possible to finish maple neck with oil. So I don’t understand why not fretboard.
- Then, for laquer application on fretboard, what is the process? How many coats and should i sand between layers?
- If it’s possible to finish fretboard with oil, How many coats and should i sand between layers?
Thank you a lot for your answers.

[Brian Evans]

the one maple fretboard I've done, I finished the fretboard (along with the rest of the neck) before fretting, with lacquer. Normal process, around 10 - 12 coats, dry for several weeks, wetsand and polish. Fretted normally, used tape to protect when finishing the frets. I also use an oil of some type, usually a citrus oil polish for furniture, on rosewood or other similar fretboards.

[Bryan Bear]

I'm not super knowledgeable about all the oil finish options and their differences but I think some of the (seemingly) conflicting information you are getting may be from lumping all oil finishes together. Some oil finishes are film building finishes and cure/harden on the wood surface while others just penetrate the wood without building any surface. I suspect you are seeing reference to using Non-film building oils on rosewood fretboards and discussions on options of film building oil finishes on maple. A non-film building oil will not protect a maple fretboard from discoloration but rosewood is dark and doesn't end up looking grimy like maple does. The back of a maple neck would be finished with a film-building oil (if an oil finish was used).

[Peter Wilcox]

Here are some threads from the archives/library here that you can peruse, and make up your own mind.

https://www.mimf.com/library/Removing_n ... -2007.html

https://www.mimf.com//phpbb/viewtopic.p ... 99&p=35505

https://www.mimf.com//phpbb/viewtopic.p ... 49&p=28339

[Gordon Bellerose]

I have successfully used a product called Osmo Poly-X Oil.
It is a high solids oil that can be wiped, brushed, or sprayed.
It comes in gloss or satin.
It permeates the wood, and dries clear. It leaves a nice clean waterproof finish that does not flake, chip, or crack like a finish that lays on the surface.

David King told me about it initially, and I am quite pleased with the results. Be warned, it is expensive.

[Barry Daniels]

I have used Minwax wipe-on Poly to finish fretboards. I just applied 2 to 3 coats so the finish was quite thin.

[Mark Wybierala]

Everybody develops an opinion about this sooner or later. I don't like finished fretboards. ...but I do like the look of a maple neck on a Fender. Maple necks are slightly more dangerous to do fretwork on and you need to be careful. Fender traditionally applies lacquer to their necks after they've been fretted on their American made instruments. They perform a rather quick process of removing the lacquer from the fret crowns using some sort of fret top scraper tool and if you look closely it's not very refined -- but you need to look closely and it works. I've done this myself and its easy to do. I made a little brass tool with three grooves for different size crowns. A bone nut blank with a groove works also. Rickenbacker is the only major manufacturer that applies a heavy finish to rosewood (that I'm familiar with) and its a two-part catalyzed finish. I would suggest that Ric owners send their instruments to Ric for a refret.

The major problem I see with a finished fretboard is the complication of future fretwork servicing/refrets. Not that it can't be done but rather that its going to be more complicated. My instruments are hopefully going to last a long time. I hope that they're loved and valued enough to be maintained. Among my peers I know there are lots of people who do great fretwork but only half of them are up to the task of doing a refret on a finished maple neck. And then you need to be able to pull off the clients choice of either returning the neck to a like-new condition or be able to preserve the look of a well worn performance veteran -- its complicated. Rosewood and the like don't require a finish so I figure why make things complicated.

Your timing for this question is good as I've recently employed persimmon as a fretboard material. Its a light color and has open grain. I've decided to leave it to a destiny of getting all dirty from skin crud as a badge of being played and enjoyed.

[Steve Sawyer]

I finished a Tele with a rosewood fretboard about two years ago. Have been playing it almost daily.

I finished the fretboard with some Howard's Feed-n-Wax. It appears to be a simple formulation of carnauba wax dissolved into mineral oils. Might be more complicated than that, but that seems to be the essential elements, and I'm sure you could whip up a batch yourself, but it isn't expensive. I'm sure a bottle will probably last a lifetime if all you use it for is fretboards. Looks wonderful and seems to protect the FB from dirt and grime. Wipe on, wipe off and buff.

If you want to DIY, it's just like making a finish for cutting boards using carnauba instead of beeswax. Heat the mineral oil in a double boiler, and melt the wax in the mineral oil. Let cool. If it's too runny, repeat the process and add some more wax. You want it to be the consistency of soft peanut butter.