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First time builder questions. (1) Do you concern yourself with inconsistencies in grain color? (Can someone tell me how to upload pics?) (2) Do you put any kind of finish on the fret board? I was thinking about Watco tung oil.

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.

Below the post box there is an upload box. You choose a file and then click add a file. Preview it to see if it's what you want. A file of of about 760K makes a nice size picture. If you don't have a program to shrink pictures go to shrinkpictures.com.

Some people like inconsistency and some don't. It can be a visual plus.

Most don't put much of anything on the fretboard. I put on a mixture of natural oils about once a year.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

What Ken said.

I use the fret board oil from LMI on my guitars when I restring them about once every 5 years......

Must be some pretty good strings you have there Hesh...mine only last about 2 years.

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"We might not be big but we sure are slow"

What I was thinking about is what might be put on the fret board to even out the grain color? Also, when do you glue on the bridge; before or after you put on the finish.

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.

I finally figured out how to do pictures.

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.

Mark--

Stew Mac has a stain you can use, but in looking at your photos, I'd be very tempted just to put a dash of oil on it when you are done. Its a good looking fretboard!

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Colors,_tints,_and_stains/Black_Fingerboard_Stain.html

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

That fret board is too pretty to dye - you don't like the look that you have?

I use Howard Feed-n-wax for fingerboards now, after recommendations from several people on the forum. I like it, and you can use it for many other things too. A 16 oz. bottle will last for years and years.

http://www.howardproducts.com/feednwax.htm

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Horton, MI

I use Linseed oil to hydrate the fretboard. It will darken the hue of the fretboard but not change the natural color. You do not want a finish on a fretboard as it will wear quickly. All you want on a fretboard is an oil to hydrate it if that.

I wipe on a moderate coat of boiled linseed oil and let it set for an 1/2 hour and wipe of the access. I do this again every day for 3 days right after the fretboard has been slotted and had side and position markers inlaid. being sure not to allow the oil to build up in the slots. When the guitar is complete and set-up I will remove the strings and give it a very very light wipe of linseed oil before shipping off to the client. I recommend that this be done once a year or once every other year depending on the wood and environment to keep the fretboard hydrated.

Fretboard - lemon oil.

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

lemon Oil works very well also

I do like the way it looks. I got a bridge from Grizzly and it has some kind of finish on it. I was thinking I would want to try to get the fret board to match as best I could but I was also thinking I should just go ahead and make a another on from scratch.

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.

This is where I was going this but when I was reading through what seemed like a ton of stuff, it seemed there was at least 37 different ways to do this "end game" type finishing. It seemed easiest to tape off and go.

I don't know any other builders in Columbus area? I have plowed through this first one with fear and trepidation and my local library card.

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.