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superchicken_VI · January 26th, 2009, 10:00 AM

I'm getting set to order a fretless neck for my old bass. It's a black P-bass copy with a tortoise guard, and it currently has a maple fingerboard. The neck source has both a maple and rosewood fingerboard choice for their fretless necks. I never see maple fretless boards, and was curious what your opinions were on this. Since the body is black, I'm inclined toward the maple. However, is there some other factor I'm not considering?

Telenator · January 26th, 2009, 10:17 AM

Rosewood is actually harder than maple and requires no finish. It looks great for years and requires little maintenance.

Maple on the other hand should have a finish on it, which is not good for a fretless application.

Maple will turn gray after a while and start to look pretty funky.

superchicken_VI · January 26th, 2009, 12:54 PM

All righty...We'll try rosewood. If I hate it, everyone can be on the lookout for it in the classifieds.

superchicken_VI · January 28th, 2009, 03:37 PM

Well, two thumbs up for Rondo.

I ordered an SX rosewood-boarded lined fretless neck on Monday. It arrived today. The neck looks better than I had expected, and although it was listed as not including a nut, it had a nut installed. After a bit of sanding to fit the neck pocket on my bass, a little bit of drilling, and a heavy pick for a shim, she's off and running. Very nice neck for that little bit of money, and great service getting it out the door the same day as ordered.

Most recommended for those of you with an extra P-bass lying around that you don't know what to do with!

robt57 · January 28th, 2009, 03:41 PM

Yea, an oily wood over one that need a finish I'd say. But maybe Ebony or Pau Ferro would last longer, especially with round wound string use.

Or anything with a Janka well over 2k. Bubinga WOOD be good perhaps...

superchicken_VI · January 28th, 2009, 04:51 PM

I do think that I'm going to strip the face of the headstock and paint it black to match the body. Leave the rest in their finish, though. I think I really like this...

fenderslaper · January 28th, 2009, 08:07 PM

Black with matching headstock. I love it! That's going to be a great looking bass. I did a 3 color burst p-bass with tort a few years ago (still have it) but was able to score a fretless '71 Fender neck with rosewood. Have fun! I pulled mine out of the case last week after a couple of years of not playing it. It's now on a stand in my office so I will play it more often.
Ken

Anchoret · January 28th, 2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telenator

Maple will turn gray after a while and start to look pretty funky.

This is why Fender personally stopped production of all-maple necks-- which didn't resume until after he sold the company. He saw some ratty ones played on TV and was appalled at how he thought it reflected on him.

He originally planned for the maple necks to be cheap, disposable and user-replaceable with new ones bought from the factory when the frets wore out...but people didn't throw them out and replace them as he intended.

JPark · January 28th, 2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anchoret

This is why Fender personally stopped production of all-maple necks-- which didn't resume until after he sold the company. He saw some ratty ones played on TV and was appalled at how he thought it reflected on him.

He originally planned for the maple necks to be cheap, disposable and user-replaceable with new ones bought from the factory when the frets wore out...but people didn't throw them out and replace them as he intended.

Well, you learn something new everyday!

SixString821 · January 28th, 2009, 11:05 PM

pics please?

Anchoret · January 29th, 2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPark

Well, you learn something new everyday!

The Telecaster's uniquely small head profile was designed so that the neck would easily fit into a mailing tube when you bought a new one from the factory when the old one wore out.

On a Telecaster board, someone must have mentioned this before, but I don't recall seeing it.

Leo had such bright ideas.

Occasionally, some of them worked out.

superchicken_VI · January 29th, 2009, 04:14 PM

Pics I can manage. My wife stuck this Eeyore sticker on this bass back when we were dating in college. It has since remained, and she will never allow its removal. The bass is a laminated Hondo body from the late 70s or early 80s (I got this around 1982), a new GFS pickguard (that doesn't quite cover the control rout, but close enough), a no-name pickup, solid brass bridge, Grover slotted tuners, and now the SX fretless neck. It currently has roundwound strings, but I'm ordering some nylon tapewounds for it.

It sounds fantastic, BTW.

January 26th, 2009, 10:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,269	Fretless neck...Maple or rosewood? I'm getting set to order a fretless neck for my old bass. It's a black P-bass copy with a tortoise guard, and it currently has a maple fingerboard. The neck source has both a maple and rosewood fingerboard choice for their fretless necks. I never see maple fretless boards, and was curious what your opinions were on this. Since the body is black, I'm inclined toward the maple. However, is there some other factor I'm not considering?

January 26th, 2009, 10:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,619 5 Photos	Rosewood is actually harder than maple and requires no finish. It looks great for years and requires little maintenance. Maple on the other hand should have a finish on it, which is not good for a fretless application. Maple will turn gray after a while and start to look pretty funky. __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

January 28th, 2009, 03:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
robt57 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Lost Yankee in Nashville Age: 52 Posts: 5,862 22 Photos	Yea, an oily wood over one that need a finish I'd say. But maybe Ebony or Pau Ferro would last longer, especially with round wound string use. Or anything with a Janka well over 2k. Bubinga WOOD be good perhaps... __________________ Leo's Great, Leo's Good, let us thank him for our... Twang!

January 28th, 2009, 08:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
fenderslaper Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vista CA Posts: 215	sweet! Black with matching headstock. I love it! That's going to be a great looking bass. I did a 3 color burst p-bass with tort a few years ago (still have it) but was able to score a fretless '71 Fender neck with rosewood. Have fun! I pulled mine out of the case last week after a couple of years of not playing it. It's now on a stand in my office so I will play it more often. Ken

January 28th, 2009, 11:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
SixString821 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Delaware, Philly Age: 23 Posts: 352	pics please? __________________ http://www.michaelchanceband.com

January 26th, 2009, 12:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,269	All righty...We'll try rosewood. If I hate it, everyone can be on the lookout for it in the classifieds.

January 28th, 2009, 03:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,269	Well, two thumbs up for Rondo. I ordered an SX rosewood-boarded lined fretless neck on Monday. It arrived today. The neck looks better than I had expected, and although it was listed as not including a nut, it had a nut installed. After a bit of sanding to fit the neck pocket on my bass, a little bit of drilling, and a heavy pick for a shim, she's off and running. Very nice neck for that little bit of money, and great service getting it out the door the same day as ordered. Most recommended for those of you with an extra P-bass lying around that you don't know what to do with!

January 28th, 2009, 04:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,269	I do think that I'm going to strip the face of the headstock and paint it black to match the body. Leave the rest in their finish, though. I think I really like this...

January 29th, 2009, 04:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 37 Posts: 2,269	Pics I can manage. My wife stuck this Eeyore sticker on this bass back when we were dating in college. It has since remained, and she will never allow its removal. The bass is a laminated Hondo body from the late 70s or early 80s (I got this around 1982), a new GFS pickguard (that doesn't quite cover the control rout, but close enough), a no-name pickup, solid brass bridge, Grover slotted tuners, and now the SX fretless neck. It currently has roundwound strings, but I'm ordering some nylon tapewounds for it. It sounds fantastic, BTW.

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