Walnut fretboard finishing questions

[Bob J]

I’m bumping this question out from my build thread, I’ve never used a walnut fretboard, how should I finish it? And when? The maple boards I’ve finished so far got many coats of lacquer (after fretting) and wet sanded/polished before fretwork. Any suggestions on this topic, or threads to point me to?

 

[Telenator]

Walnut is fairly soft and rarely used a a fretboard.

Unlike most people, I have no problem with a well executed poly finish.

 

[GunsOfBrixton]

Finish it just like a maple board. That is what I have done. If it isn't fretted yet, you can grain fill it first but not really needed.

 

[old wrench]

If you plan on finishing the rest of the neck with lacquer - use lacquer on the fret board too

I'm getting ready to finish an all walnut 24" scale neck, and I'm going to Tru-Oil the whole neck.

Walnut looks good finished with lacquer, TO, oil, or poly .


.

 

[crazydave911]

I have used many walnut fretboards and like them. I apply Tru-Oil while finishing the neck and at the point I apply my logo decal when I go to bury it in lacquer I do the fretboard as well . No fuss no muss OR problems

 

[Peegoo]

I did a walnut fretboard several years ago on a bass neck. I was concerned about the softness of the wood, so I saturated it with water-thin CA. It soaks in and solidifies in the wood. It made the walnut rock solid and it polished up to a mirror shine even before I applied the finish.

 

[epizootics]

Yup. I'll second what Peegoo says. Walnut loves CA.
You can also ebonize walnut very easily with steel wool and vinegar!

 

[guitarbuilder]

Walnut is oily. Your fingers are oily. I'd use oil like watco.

 

[telepraise]

I was going to suggest Z-poxy but PeeGoo's method sounds easier. I'd consider dying it first.

 

[Freeman Keller]

I've never used walnut for a fretboard and frankly have never seen one. The primary reason maple boards are finished is to keep them clean, otherwise they would absorb dirt from your fingers and look really bad. Maple varies from 700 to 1450 pounds in Janka hardness meaurement. Claro walnut is 1130, black walnut 1010 so maybe slightly harder than maple but not much. EIR is twice as hard at 2440 and Braz even harder at 2790.

I don't finish rosewood or ebony boards. My humble feelings about finished fretboards is that I don't like them - I think you are setting yourself up for long term maintenance issues when it comes time to dress frets or replace them.

 

[pypa]

Walnut is not an oily wood, and most of what I've used is black walnut. I experience it to be a little softer than maple. This is nice because it cuts and radiuses relatively easy. But this softness means it sometimes doesn't hold onto frets, so they can possibly pop out unless glued in.

I use Waterlox varnish on my fretboards - but only a coat or two to seal. Sanding the fretboard to a high grit also greatly improves the smoothness of the feel.

 

[guitarbuilder]

I guess I should have said " A " walnut is oily, which is what I was really thinking. Let me try this again. ....LOL.

Walnuts are oily and produce walnut oil. Walnut lumber looks good oiled. Your fingers put oil on the fretboard...I'd use Watco or some other similar oil finish. Watco used to have a varnish within the formula that hardens.

(link removed)

 

[peterg]

Why not use walnut oil?

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Any oil or oil based finish will look great on walnut if you want to finish it. It may or may not help it stay darker for a bit, but black walnut has a natural tendency to get lighter over time with oxidation and UV. That needs to be a design consideration to insure that a walnut fretboard will have the look one wants with the rest of the instrument over time when it invariably is lighter in color, sometimes all the way to a golden brown.

 

[peterg]

Thanks Jim. Good to know. I have a walnut project coming up so will keep that in mind.

Bob. Sorry for the hijack.

 

[stratisfied]

I gloss lacquered this one just like a maple neck. Oil finish it and it can pass for Rosewood.

 

[flyneye]

Wow watta eye popper, Im a big walnut fan with a cache of aged walnut and Im not afraid to use it!!!
Kinda an oil man m'self. Tru Oil and Cabots Australian oil from Lowes.

 

[stratisfied]

Wow watta eye popper, Im a big walnut fan with a cache of aged walnut and Im not afraid to use it!!!
Kinda an oil man m'self. Tru Oil and Cabots Australian oil from Lowes.

Thanks!

I like Danish Oil but on that one it muted the figure. In this case, the gloss won. I nearly left the back and Neck in Danish Oil with a gloss top and headstock face but decided with no binding, it all had to go gloss.,