# Maple fretboard with no finish?



## Bearitone (Oct 1, 2015)

Are there any kinds of maple that don't need a llaquer laquer finish on the fretboard. I love the look of maple but hate that glossy laquer. 

Any product ion guitars like this? If not, is it okay to give a maple fretboard a matte finish?


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## eddiewarlock (Oct 1, 2015)

It is ok to use a matte or satin finish to maple. I believe roasted maple doesn't need any finish.


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## Bearitone (Oct 1, 2015)

eddiewarlock said:


> It is ok to use a matte or satin finish to maple. I believe roasted maple doesn't need any finish.



Well at least the satin finish is an option then.
Roasted maple looks awful to me though.
Does really hard maple still need finish? Like the really dense and heavy stuff I mean. 

I'd love something with the feel of ebony but color of maple


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 1, 2015)

Maple doesn't need a finish, structurally. Maple is just really easy to stain with dirt and grime. If you oil and clean it religiously, it'll be fine, but it's just not worth the effort when a thin satin finish isn't really noticeable. 

Go play a recent Ibanez Prestige or Fender American Deluxe Satin to see how "unfinished" it feels.


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## Bearitone (Oct 1, 2015)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Maple doesn't need a finish, structurally. Maple is just really easy to stain with dirt and grime. If you oil and clean it religiously, it'll be fine, but it's just not worth the effort when a thin satin finish isn't really noticeable.
> 
> Go play a recent Ibanez Prestige or Fender American Deluxe Satin to see how "unfinished" it feels.



If the fretboard finish wears down and as to be refinished would you have to remove all the frets?

Also, would you know off hand (if not I'll just shoot an email to Jackson) if the dinky pro guitars like this:
Jackson Pro Series DK2M Dinky Electric Guitar (Matte Army Drab)
have a satin finish fretboard?


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## Floppystrings (Oct 1, 2015)

I think most people that play unfinished necks don't really know they are finished with some type of oil/wax.

Usually you can tell if a neck is really unfinished by the stains it has, and it doesn't look pretty.


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## Bearitone (Oct 1, 2015)

I'm fine with "finished" as long as its not that shiny laquer and doesn't change the color of the maple


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## HaMMerHeD (Oct 1, 2015)

Maple will look like .... on the quick if you don't put a finish on it. A light oil coat (Tru-Oil or Tung oil), or a thin satin lacquer will give it the unfinished feel, but with some actual protection.


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## Dusty Chalk (Oct 1, 2015)

If the fretboard is matte, it'll become glossy eventually, with wear.

I'm not saying this disparagingly -- it actually looks kind of cool -- all the wear is strongest in the center.


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## downburst82 (Oct 2, 2015)

I left the neck on one of my Tele partscasters totally raw and as said it been totally structurally fine...and it looks pretty grimy/well played (especially for only two years of minimal play) which was fine because thats what I wanted for the atheistic of the guitar. As for actually doing something.. I had another neck I gave a couple of really thin coats of a watco satin spray lacquer (if I remember correctly). It left it looking/feeling fairly natural but protected it from getting that grim look. (although I only used that neck for about a month so I dont know how it would have faired in the long run)


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## Knarbens (Oct 2, 2015)

MaxOfMetal said:


> ... If you oil and clean it religiously ...



As far as I know common fretboard oils such as lemon oil aren't meant to be used on maple fretboards.


If there's some Tru or Tung Oil on the fretboard I doubt it'll turn glossy with wear.

An alternative could be a Satinwood fretboard. I once read it's sort of a "light alternative to ebony" ... never used it though!


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 2, 2015)

kindsage said:


> If the fretboard finish wears down and as to be refinished would you have to remove all the frets?



Not necessarily, but it takes decades to wear through fretboard finishes, unless the guitar in question has stainless steel frets, you'll likely need a refret around then anyway.




Floppystrings said:


> I think most people that play unfinished necks don't really know they are finished with some type of oil/wax.
> 
> Usually you can tell if a neck is really unfinished by the stains it has, and it doesn't look pretty.



  



kindsage said:


> I'm fine with "finished" as long as its not that shiny laquer and doesn't change the color of the maple



Finishes don't change the color of the wood, at least immediately. Over time, exposure to light can do it, but the modern, stable finishes used to day are much more resistant. 



Knarbens said:


> As far as I know common fretboard oils such as lemon oil aren't meant to be used on maple fretboards.



That's because 99% of maple boards have impermeable finishes. Lemon oil (which isn't lemon, but mineral oil mixed with naphtha), and mineral oil are good for exposed maple.


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## Deegatron (Oct 2, 2015)

FYI, tung oil (at least the stuff I get) is an amber color and will effect the look of the maple. it will darken the wood somewhat. similar to a vintage amber finish.


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## Bearitone (Oct 2, 2015)

Deegatron said:


> FYI, tung oil (at least the stuff I get) is an amber color and will effect the look of the maple. it will darken the wood somewhat. similar to a vintage amber finish.



Yeah that amber look is gross to me. I guess I'll stick with a modern satin finish


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## HaMMerHeD (Oct 2, 2015)

This is tru-oil under lacquer. It exaggerates the slight figure, but doesn't make it sickeningly yellow. I chose to polish it to a high gloss, but it could have been wet-sanded to ~1200-1500 grit and it would have been a nice, soft satin.


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## Bearitone (Oct 3, 2015)

HaMMerHeD said:


> This is tru-oil under lacquer. It exaggerates the slight figure, but doesn't make it sickeningly yellow. I chose to polish it to a high gloss, but it could have been wet-sanded to ~1200-1500 grit and it would have been a nice, soft satin.



Nice, are you doing the fretboard like this too?
Also you said this is tru-oil under lacquer, so did you oil it first then apply lacquer?


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## HaMMerHeD (Oct 3, 2015)

Yes and yes. Importantly, I used 1 light coat of tru-oil. If you do several coats, the yellowing will be more pronounced. I just wanted to make the slight figure pop. I damped a paper towel with it, then rubbed it into the bare wood. I quickly rubbed off the excess and let it dry for a day. Then I sprayed 3 coats of clear gloss lacquer from a rattle can, let it dry for a day, then buffed it and banged in the frets.


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