Replies

1. 
   Splintie | Mar 25, 2002 08:00am | #1

   I'm not sure i understand correctly, but are you saying the fretboard is made of bubinga?

   If that is the case, i doubt you'd want to lacquer it bec it would wear off in no time where your fingers press the strings, plus the oils from your skin can dissolve some lacquers, too.

   I've never had problems with bubinga being oily like rosewood. I can lacquer it with no prep other than blowing the dust off, but i think an oil finish might be more appropriate to your needs.

1. 
   young001 | Mar 25, 2002 03:56pm | #2

   Thanks for your response. Yes, the fingerboard itself would be lacquered. I wouldn't have thought of it myself but the Rickenbacker Company who uses bubinga on their fretboards always lacquer them, perhaps to keep that nice pink color longer. They must be adding a hardener of some sort if the oils from one's fingers would eat into the finish as you say. What are your thoughts on this?

   William

1. 
   TSimpson38 | Mar 25, 2002 05:08pm | #3

   I've never made a musical instrument, but I've used polyurethane on Bubinga for decorative boxes with great results.

   Tom

2. 
   PlaneWood | Mar 25, 2002 05:28pm | #4

   Many of the waxy exotic woods will take on a beautiful luster by just using 0000 steel wool.  Try that, then lastly try steel wooling in a good grade furniture paste wax, then buffing.  I think any finish that would build up layers (lacquer, varnish) would not be desirable for this application.   Also try rubbing in 1 or 2 coats of high gloss poly cut 50%, let it cure for a day, then steel wooling off all residue then buffing.  You will get better penetration if you do wash off the natural surface wax with acetone.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy
   PlaneWood

1. 
   young001 | Mar 25, 2002 11:11pm | #5

   Thanks for the advice. That's how I'm going to go about it, then. I'll let you know of my results. Cheers!

   William

1. 
   Splintie | Mar 25, 2002 11:51pm | #6

   Hmmm....well, where angels fear to tread...

   Bubinga, first of all, isn't waxy. Fine-grained and takes a nice polish bec of it, but not waxy. An oil of any sort will darken it more than a top-coat. If i absolutely had to topcoat it, i would use a lacquer, so that it would be easier to refinish it when i needed to do that, which you will. If the factory-made ones have a lacquer topcoat you like, it's probably some super-duper thang that would be hard to duplicate, but who knows? You could always ask what they use, or ship it to them and see if they'll do that part for you. It's amazing what people will do if you ask them nicely. Or just wax it, which will barely color it, but don't use steel wool bec steel wool leaves a grayish cast behind. Scrubbing in wax with wet-dry paper (320) will make the board very silky and fill the pores with the slurry, but you'll have to saw for the frets later, or nothing will glue to it. And you can't let it get wet then, so no playing those bar gigs! Use good quality paper like 3M bec the cheap w/d papers (i got some horrid stuff made in China) can also leave a gray cast.

   On the other hand, i hear great things are being done with toothpaste these days. :^)