Fingerboards - what woods can be used?

[woodturner777]

Maybe if you had an assortment precut on your website you'd get a lot more hits on them.

Eg: body blanks and drop tops are bigger money and harder to sell, wheres if you had fingerboards blanks for sale on the site it is a cheaper and easier sale to the guys who are looking for something.

I checked your site when I first saw this post and there wasnt even a drop down menu for fingerboards and what is available.

I know that people can email if they really wanted - but if most people are like me, if they dont see it quickly, they'll go somewhere where they will see it quickly. So you won't get that email.

Just putting it out there. I wish I could afford to buy lots of your stock!

I am looking towards having fingerboards available on my site, it is managing to get the time as I am always working on orders for overseas, but as a lot of the members in this forum will tell you if they require some thing I am always willing to help and there is a few members who have been short of money who I have put stock away till they can pay it off as you have on your website not taking orders at the moment, I am taking orders but there is only one of me so customers just have to be patient. I could employ 2 people tomorrow to cut stock as I have that many enquire's and customers waiting but would you believe there is no goverment help for business like me that value add our fine timbers. but if I started up woodchipping or a pulp mill I would get all the money that I require.
Regards Bob

[woodturner777]

Tasmanian She Oak Fingerboard photos as promised.
regards Bob

[FenceFurniture]

Yes, very nice. Thanks for posting Bob.

[FenceFurniture]

By the way, Colen Clenton's principle timber for making his tools is She-Oak, and that's because it has the least movement (in expansion). I imagine that would be very relevant for a fretboard.

[Crafty Fox]

I've done 3 guitars with burl West Australian sheoak now for fretboards; beautiful stuff. Also used it as a drop-top on my LP Junior and for laminated necks on 1 Resonator and 3 LPs. Don't know about other varieties, but the WA sheoak is strong, stable, medium weight and has a magnificent appearance. Haven't tried Jarrah yet but wiil get around to it soon. Karri (WA) has also been used by local luthiers. I believe Scott Wise has used Karri. I was talking to a classical guitar builder recently who prefers to use Australian timbers. I hope to follow that path more as I gain confidence and experience.

[Crafty Fox]

I am looking towards having fingerboards available on my site, it is managing to get the time as I am always working on orders for overseas, but as a lot of the members in this forum will tell you if they require some thing I am always willing to help and there is a few members who have been short of money who I have put stock away till they can pay it off as you have on your website not taking orders at the moment, I am taking orders but there is only one of me so customers just have to be patient. I could employ 2 people tomorrow to cut stock as I have that many enquire's and customers waiting but would you believe there is no goverment help for business like me that value add our fine timbers. but if I started up woodchipping or a pulp mill I would get all the money that I require.
Regards Bob

If I lived near you in Tassie I'd gladly muck in as a volunteer but unfortunately I couldn't be much further away without the needing a passport! I would enjoy the experience.

[Koala-Man]

Wow that she-oak looks sensational. Nice pics, you guys.

Crafty, those guitars give me something to aspire to. Actually, at the moment I'm aspiring to be a otal beginner. One step at a time...

Thanks again all for the ideas.

[Ball Peen]

At the moment I have a lot of Solomon Blackwood (Queens Ebony ) and a big lump of figured Wandoo that I cut my fingerboards and head veneers from. In the past I've used Bubinga, Qld Walnut, Vic Blackwood and Qld Wattle (Blackwood ) very hard and beautiful. I cut these mainly for elect. double basses. I've only been making fretted instruments the last couple of years.

I might add I cut ( I don't harvest ) all my soild bodys, drop tops and acoustic parts. Mainly because I can. I'm a cheap bastard surrounded by beautiful suitable timber.

[Crafty Fox]

Wow that she-oak looks sensational. Nice pics, you guys.
. Actually, at the moment I'm aspiring to be a total beginner. One step at a time.

Better to be a total beginner than never starting at all. I wish I'd started earlier, but I have started. And loving it.

[demonx]

A she oak is being used on my electric guitar build with really dark blackwood body and I have to say the she oak looks magical.

Any photos of these together or how it turned out?

[woodturner777]

At the moment this is in Scotland been built - the build if you read the posts in the forum Les Paul is a part trade on a wood order.
Alan will be sending photos soon that I will post when the time comes.
regards Bob

Any photos of these together or how it turned out?

[Ball Peen]

Steve, of Fine Boxes, gave me lump of Sandlewood from west N.S.W. This is the first I've ever seen. It is hard enough and looks like a top grade of Cyprus but a little darker.

I'm thinking black fret markers, continous grain, finger board to/and headstock with black binding on fb and the headstock.

The grain goes from quatered to flat at the end . This will suit a mandolin . The flat going on the head.

[Paul B]

Have look at the desert Acacias. Gidgee and Western Myall as mentioned, Mulga etc, these also can have some pretty outrageous fiddleback figure. Do a search for ringed gidgee. Australia has heaps to offer for fingerboards.

[jeffhigh]

I just got some Ringed Gidgee boards from Loggerheads.
Seems very good quality. Dry, straight, and already sanded to 7mm thick and it is apparently much more stable than ebony.
At a good price too.

[Jef Long]

"I'm a cheap bastard surrounded by beautiful suitable timber."
*like that mr Peen..

spotted gum decking from bunnings works great, as does the merbau too..
if you dig thru the eucalypt decking you can find some outrageous flamey ones for $5 / metre