Finishing a Rosewood Fretboard Help!

[Chienmortbb]

Can't afford to order my ideal bass and a bad neck means I need to lose weight from the body and neck of the bass so I have gone for a kit that is close to my ideal layout and weight.

The neck is maple with a rosewood (or faux rosewood) fretboard and although fretted and level is not smooth. There are a few small but natural pits and the grain is quite pronounced when you rub a nail across the neck.

I am no luthier so I look online and there seems little info about rosewood finishing around. I think I need to grain fill and possibly stain to get a consistant colour but I am not sure whether the grain will take a stain or look odd or how to sand the whole neck ( including frets) afterwards.

Then do I put a protective finish on?

All help and comments appreciated (well most anyway).

[Beer of the Bass]

I think there's very little info about applying finish to rosewood fretboards because it is very rarely done. Usually rosewood fingerboards just get a wipe with a light oil (not a drying oil finish like Danish oil or True Oil) which darkens it slightly and makes it look a bit nicer. There are a few dedicated products for the job, though I use woodwind bore oil since I had bottle knocking about. Ideally it should be sanded to a smooth and level surface before the frets go in, with perhaps just a quick rub down with extra fine steel wool once the frets are done.
If it were my bass, I'd be inclined to fill the little check/crack in your second picture with CA glue, scraped level with the edge of a razor blade and spot-sanded if necessary, before oiling. It might take a couple of applications for a deeper dent. This has turned out to be barely visible on rosewood when I've tried it before. Any divots which appear to be just dents can be raised by putting a small scrap of damp cloth over them and swiftly touching a soldering iron to it to produce steam in the area.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Beer of the Bass

[Chienmortbb]

Thanks I will try those first then. For oil I have Dunlop Lemon Oil. Is that OK?

[Karl Derrick]

I don't use Lemon Oil myself.
Linseed oil I find best for Rosewood boards. Apply generously with a clean rag then wipe all of it off immediately, the wood will take up what it needs. You shouldn't feel any oil on the fretboard afterwards.



Karl

[Chienmortbb]

Thank you Karl. Is any brand better than the others? I usually use Rustins products and they do Raw and Boiled Linseed Oil.

[Beer of the Bass]

I used boiled linseed oil once, I found it overly thick, slow to dry and I didn't like the smell, though perhaps brands vary. Musicians forums are great at producing interminable multi-page debates on this sort of thing! I'd say that if you already have the Dunlop lemon oil to hand I'd just use that rather than buying anything else, it's made for the job and won't do any harm. AFAIK it's just a light mineral oil with some lemon scent.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Beer of the Bass

[HowieBass]

I've been using raw linseed oil (from a bottle that must be about 35 years old) and it's been fine.

[Chienmortbb]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1451228527' post='2938928']
I've been using raw linseed oil (from a bottle that must be about 35 years old) and it's been fine.
[/quote] I am in turm(oil) now. Sorry should have sent that one to the Xmas Cracker Companies.

Sounds like either oil would be good. I tried wetting the finger and it looked much more like a rosewood board. I suspect is has become dry and that has exagerated the grain.

If lemon oil is mixed with mineral oil, how would that mix with a vegetable oil like linseed?

Finally for now, what is the best finish for the maple on the back of the neck?

BTW I am so jealous that you have the Westone fretted/fretless and a WEM Westminster.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Chienmortbb

[gary mac]

I used Lemon Oil for years and never had any problems with it but for the last year or so, since my wife bought my a bottle, I've been using this. I'm really impressed with it, only a tiny amount is needed and it can be used not only for the fret board but the whole instrument, including strings and hardware.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dr-Ducks-String-Electric-Acoustic-guitars/dp/B00FA3GROU

[Karl Derrick]

I use raw Linseed oil.

K

[PlungerModerno]

Rosewood (or similar dense oily wood) fingerboards are almost always left unfinished. The well known example of finished rosewood is some rickenbacker basses and guitars.

Applying tru-oil, danish oil, boiled linseed oil and the like ('oils' that cure, however hard) will probably result in permanent changes to the fingerboard (both in feel and look) - just like applying any varnish or sealant.
Non curing - or most pure - oils can also change the look and feel - permanently! Some will bring out the grain and wood figuring more than others, some will darken the wood more than others etc. The non curing oil can evaporate over time - I've found a small amount of raw linseed oil really makes rosewood fingerboards look lovely - and seems to be temporary (doesn't leave a sticky mess, doesn't seal the fingerboard (you can still see and feel the pores). It does seem to permanently tweak the colour of the fingerboard however - only slightly in my experience.

[Grangur]

I use boiled linseed oil and have never yet had any problem with it being too thick or sticky. All you need to do is wipe it off and not leave it thick on the surface.

[Grangur]

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1451236211' post='2938988']
Rosewood (or similar dense oily wood) fingerboards are almost always left unfinished. The well known example of finished rosewood is some rickenbacker basses and guitars.

Applying tru-oil, danish oil, boiled linseed oil and the like ('oils' that cure, however hard) will probably result in permanent changes to the fingerboard (both in feel and look) - just like applying any varnish or sealant.
Non curing - or most pure - oils can also change the look and feel - permanently! Some will bring out the grain and wood figuring more than others, some will darken the wood more than others etc. The non curing oil can evaporate over time - I've found a small amount of raw linseed oil really makes rosewood fingerboards look lovely - and seems to be temporary (doesn't leave a sticky mess, doesn't seal the fingerboard (you can still see and feel the pores). It does seem to permanently tweak the colour of the fingerboard however - only slightly in my experience.
[/quote] Agreed

[Manton Customs]

All the above answers are good ones. It might be something which gets too much thought (if that's possible) and there are an awful lot of opinions expressed as fact on the subject at various forums (I'm not referring to the good people here ). The reality is that it really doesn't matter too much as long as it's something safe (no silicone, no water). So seeing as you've got Lemon Oil, go with that. All the other products mentioned basically serve the same purpose.

For the neck itself, you'll want to get your self a wiping varnish of some sort, unless you want a lacquer finish which is not so beginner friendly. Various options for the wiping varnish would be Danish Oil, Tru Oil, Liberon Finishing Oil, Tung Oil and probably quite a few others, but they are the ones I have used. You'll notice some of those names don't sound like a wiping varnish at all as they are given names with the word "oil" in. They are not really true oil finishes, but a varnish made up from oil, thinners and a resin such as polyurethane. If you want a gloss, you'd be best looking at Liberon or Tru.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Manton Customs

[Chienmortbb]

As a semi-retired electronics engineer, I often give advice in Amps And Cabs but I am overwhelmed by the help and support here thank you everyone.

As I have it I will start with the Lemon Oil and as I do not like a gloss neck I will leave the Tru Oil alone. I had a bad experience with Liberon stains once and no help from the company. So I tend to steer clear of them now.

Having read up on a few of them now I will try Danish Oil for the back of the neck. Thanks.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Chienmortbb

[Twincam]

I find boiled linseed oil is very good for rosewood in fact after one or a few coatings it can harden the finish and prevent marks. This does not mean you need to marinate the fret board, just a good coating well rubbed in then rubbed off right away.

For little chips etc on a rosewood board use rosewood dust mixed with glue then sanded etc.

WARNING ROSEWOOD DUST IS TOXIC

Edited December 28, 2015 by Twincam

[3below]

Crack / chips in the fretboard can be filled and hidden by compressing rosewood sawdust into the damaged area and then dropping a little superglue onto the dust. Allow to dry and sand smooth. It is surprising what can be hidden. Plenty of information on this method can be found on Internet. I was pleased with the results I got using this method in a recent diy refret.

[url="http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Learn_About_Repair_Tools_and_Repair_Techniques/Cleaning_up_after_sloppy_fretwork_fixing_chips_in_the_fingerboard.html"]http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Learn_About_Repair_Tools_and_Repair_Techniques/Cleaning_up_after_sloppy_fretwork_fixing_chips_in_the_fingerboard.html[/url]