#3rd Custom GR-1SF ‘Annylonation’.

[Simon Barden]

There's simply no need for it. Guitars with rosewood and ebony fretboards have been going without any protective coating on them for hundreds of years.

As with most things, you can go against the grain if you want. Rickenbacker are probably the most well-known company for often lacquering over rosewood/bubinga fingerboards. But Gibson, Fender, PRS, Yamaha. Martin etc. don't do it.

If you want to lacquer it for feel, then go ahead, but you don't need to do it for protection. A rub with lemon oil every 6 months puts back moisture lost and helps clean the board.

JimC and I will be treating out manufactured 'rosewood' boards with a thin epoxy stabiliser as the wood fibres aren't stuck together very well and bits fall off them; so they'll feel more like a lacquered board after that. But it's not something I'd do otherwise.

[DarkMark]

Since I’ve put a coat on I think I’ll leave it rather than make a mess of it taking it off.

[Sonic Mountain]

Won't hurt anything. Quite common on maple necks for it to be sealed and it's something I've done on my last few builds. Saves taping, protects the board. I guess with a lot of playing there is potential to wear through.. but I guess by that stage its genuine relic'ing.



On a side note I'm on a few Hagstrom pages and there is at least one guy who goes right off the deep end regarding the use of lemon oil as its 'too acidic' in his opinion and encourages cracking. He recommends parrafin Oil, which is amusing as a lot of 'Lemon Oil's' sold for guitars are mostly paraffin with a small amount of lemon oil or even none, just the smell added... anyway not really relevant, just saw him pop up again this morning carrying on about it. The last time I kept asking for some empirical data and all he had was anecdotes and the phrase 'go and talk to a luthier'... OK buddy.

[DarkMark]

Lol, ok.
Yep, the fretboard will stay as it is. I did think it would make it easier during the upcoming steps, not that it’s essential by any means. Neck stained and wiped back with a bit of metho to match the body. Next will be a couple of clear coats, scrape neck purfling, some more clear coats, glue neck on and finish clear coating with the neck attached...and make a truss rod cover so I can clear coat it at the same time.

[DarkMark]

I’ll leave these here and come back and see how I feel about them. I’m moving house in February/March so I’d like to get to a stage where I don’t need certain tools anymore and I can pack a few things away in boxes.

[kuanjb]

Hmmmm. Bit too subtle for me. I think it needs to be darker.
Didn't mention it earlier but I think maybe layered curved over straight might look nice to kind of match the tail piece. And in black or at least dark stained wood.

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[DarkMark]

I think once it’s glossed it will stand out a little more. Everything is sanded and a bit flat looking at the moment. I understand what you are saying, but I think I’d like to keep it on the subtle side.

[Simon Barden]

I still prefer the straighter sided one, rather than the scalloped one, but both work using the same veneer as the headstock.

Is there anything on the back of the cover for reinforcement? I have a mandolin that had a similar style all-wood truss rod cover and that split right down the middle and I now need to knock another one up.

Once you've got a hole in and a screw holding it down, the pressure of the screw will work on any weakness in the grain. I'd consider either sticking a thin sheet of plastic to the rear to help hold it together, or else some more veneer at right-angles and then thinning it down.

[DarkMark]

Well that’s something to think about. My first truss rod cover is still going strong-made from a single piece of pine. I’ll be gentle and take my chances.
Now that I’ve made the covers I think I’m leaning towards the curves.

[blinddrew]

I think I might prefer an option somewhere in between.


I'll get my coat...