Wenge fingerboards

[flatfive]

Hi people. I convinced my family that on a Sunday morning
it's nice to go out for a drive -- maybe in the direction of
the hardwood store?

I didn't find any body wood but found a nice piece of wenge,
about 28" x 4" x 1/4".

After getting it home I realized I could barely get two
fingerboards out of it, if I could make an accurate and clean
cut.

I went to the hardware store (not pressing my luck, I went
alone this time...) and found some fine-toothed blades for
the jigsaw.



The blade worked really well. Here's one of the fingerboards.
I like the color and figuring.



Might go well with bubinga.



Look how clean that blade cuts:



Pretty good -- $11.50 for two fingerboards.

Searching around the web, it seems that bass players are
more familiar than guitar players with wenge fingerboards.

The wenge has big pores -- I might use epoxy or CA to fill it.

Any experience with wenge fingerboards?

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by flatfive

Hi people. I convinced my family that on a Sunday morning
it's nice to go out for a drive -- maybe in the direction of
the hardwood store?

I didn't find any body wood but found a nice piece of wenge,
about 28" x 4" x 1/4".

After getting it home I realized I could barely get two
fingerboards out of it, if I could make an accurate and clean
cut.

I went to the hardware store (not pressing my luck, I went
alone this time...) and found some fine-toothed blades for
the jigsaw.



The blade worked really well. Here's one of the fingerboards.
I like the color and figuring.



Might go well with bubinga.



Look how clean that blade cuts:



Pretty good -- $11.50 for two fingerboards.

Searching around the web, it seems that bass players are
more familiar than guitar players with wenge fingerboards.

The wenge has big pores -- I might use epoxy or CA to fill it.

Any experience with wenge fingerboards?

The dust makes my the pores in my skin feel like they are on fire. If you glue it on to the neck blank, then route it, be careful, because like ebony, it will chip out.

Looks great though, and 11.50 for two is a good deal.

[Mike Simpson]

Wenge is a splintery wood... be careful with the fret slots. Most finishes mask the beauty of the grain in wenge, it likely won't look as pretty after its finished. The light brown gets darker with finish.

My 2011 challenge guitar has a wenge fretboard.
Yet another big looser in the contest... what was I thinking.... making a guitar out of nice woods with quality hardware... shoulda made it outta plastic to be in the runnung.

No finish


Teak oil finish

[GregB]

Yet another big looser in the contest... what was I thinking.... making a guitar out of nice woods with quality hardware... shoulda made it outta plastic to be in the running.

I agree, next year, to make sure I have a winning chance, I'm going to make mine out of jello.

[gagidlof]

Originally Posted by Mike Simpson

Teak oil finish

OMG, that is freakin' gorgeous.

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by Mike Simpson

Wenge is a splintery wood... be careful with the fret slots. Most finishes mask the beauty of the grain in wenge, it likely won't look as pretty after its finished. The light brown gets darker with finish.

My 2011 challenge guitar has a wenge fretboard.
Yet another big looser in the contest... what was I thinking.... making a guitar out of nice woods with quality hardware... shoulda made it outta plastic to be in the runnung.

No finish


Teak oil finish

I think you came out better Mike.

[Mike Simpson]

Here is the build thread if you want to look at it.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/2011-tdpr...ge-thread.html

[Mike Simpson]

Thanks Colt !
It's a great playing guitar.

[Shardik]

I haven't got any woodworking experience with wenge, but I have a ltd edition Cort bass from 2004 with an all wenge neck. The pores are there, it seems like no filler has been used. If it has been finished at all, I imagine that it must have been oiled.

I like organic feel of the wood structure, and IMHO I think pore filler is a shame on this wood.

[Davecam48]

I have done a couple of wenge fret boards and finished them with Danish Oil rubbed very lightly with 400 grit paper while still wet. It forms a slurry and acts as a grain filler but let it dry thoroughly. It is very brittle and can give you nasty splinters, and ALWAYS wear a mask when sanding, apart from that it makes a beautiful fret board.

[cleanman]

While I have not had a wenge fretboard I have had two wenge necks. A baritone with indian rosewood which I sold cause I am too old to worry about transposing. The second has an ebony board and is on my koa body strat. Both necks were finished with the oil from my hands and by now this neck has a beautiful gloss and is super smooth and not at all tacky.

[flatfive]

Colt, Mike, Shardik, Dave, and cleanman -

Thanks for the observations and suggestions. I'll watch
for splinters, keep my dust mask on, and probably
do a test finish on the little bit of scrap I have.

[axedaddy]

Yes splintery, yes dust mask. But in my experience, no to the grain filler and finish on a fb. The open pores actually feel wicked slick and smooth when played. I just sanded mine down and buffed with 0000 steel wool and the fine grits as I polished the frets. I think it is my favorite fb wood, takes a fret really nicely and sounds great. I cannot say enough good things about wenge, I buy it every chance I get.

[freaktone]

I just scored some myself and going to do the same using as fingerboards. Thanks for the info also!

[mgdesigns]

I don't know, but CA may be in order for a grain filler. I turned a bowl of 350 year old Bur Oak Saturday and the pith near the rim was a bit punky. Yesterday I used some medium viscosity CA glue and some of the fine sawdust from sanding the interior, and is filled so well you cannot see any voids. And that stuff is really hard afterwards, too. I'd think wicking that into the striations will keep the wear to a minimum. Otherwise you might get a SPLINTER some night at a gig.

[flatfive]

Axedaddy and mgdesigns -- thanks for your thoughts.
Since I have two I will leave one raw and may try some
CA on the other one. I experimented with CA as a grain
filler earlier in the year and this might be a fun chance to
try it.

I've got about 8 fingerboards now and only 2 neck blanks,
so I'd better run out and find some maple.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by Mike Simpson

My 2011 challenge guitar has a wenge fretboard.
Yet another big looser in the contest... what was I thinking.... making a guitar out of nice woods with quality hardware... shoulda made it outta plastic to be in the runnung

I'm thinking formica (getting hard to get) and cardboard next time.......
Seriously, that's a wayyy better guitar than the average bear . I'm going to be checking the videos to see if you gig with it. I've gotta think that thing will roll!

[TelePenguin]

Ever finish those fingerboards?

[OpenG Capo4]

Sanded mine down to 1000 grit and then polished with steel wool. No finish or grain filler on it.

Its a great feeling fretboard and I hope to work with Wenge again soon. I think it looks awesome with the Bubinga you posted.

My Wenge fretboard was used with a Korina neck:

[Big Dawg]

I think that wood is gorgeous!