Fretboard idea: cool, stupid or sacrilege? And a Bud Q?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 20 Aug 2013 2:15 pm

So I have a 12 string Bud with pretty birdseye maple neck (other than the 6 holes) and no fretboard.
First, the Q. How wide is a Bud fretboard?
2: a friend of mine is a luthier and repairman, and I saw one of his fretted to fretless bass conversions, and he inlaid red oak stripes where the frets were, looked sweet.
I'm thinking of having something similar with mine (if we can think of an attractive solution to the hole problem), since that sounds prettier than pursuing an authentic Bud Board, which hides grain.
If some think it'd lower the value or appeal, I could have the work slightly narrower than a proper board, so that such could be reversed with a period Bud board.
Is that a horrible thing to do to a Pro-II, or does that sound cool?

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 20 Aug 2013 2:21 pm

My 12 string Pro 1 fretboard that I got from Tom Bradshaw is 3 1/2" at the nut, 3 7/8" at fret 24 where it ends.

I have no patience for anyone who gives a damn what someone else does with their stuff so I have no opinion on your project other than that I guess it could look great or it could look like crap, depending on whether it looks great or looks like crap. There. I said it.

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 20 Aug 2013 2:45 pm

I agree with Jon..that's your steel and go have fun with it. Life is too short to constantly be worrying about resale value. I always tried to keep whatever vehicle I had in good condition, in part for resale value, but it always seemed like when I had to sell it I had to do it in a hurry and never got what I thought it was worth anyway. Unless you purchase steels to fix them up and flip them for a profit, treat it as a long term investment and enjoy it. If you do resell it, although there may be guys that think it was a sacrilege to "trash a perfectly good Bud", it only takes one buyer to say..."wow, that's pretty cool, I'll take it!" And if things go horribly wrong, there will always be craftsmen like Lynn Stafford and Tommy Cass that can turn a butchered home project into a work of art

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 20 Aug 2013 2:58 pm

Jon, assuming you've seen my thoughts on the subject, I agree with you. It's MY guitar, and POSterity hasn't claimed it.
AND, last I heard, the two-hole Pro-II isn't quite the collector bait that Perms and tips are.

BUT, it strikes me that, if a good looking job would still lessen the value, a design that would hide under a fretboard (and still looks good while I have it) could be a reasonable compromise with posterity.

When it comes to the cosmetic, I try to have others do the work.
I'm a decent mechanic, the underside looks like a mechanic mighta done it. When I do woodwork, it looks like a truck driver did it.
(It is good that I see some thinking like me)

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 20 Aug 2013 3:08 pm

I'm doing 'gruff' but I'm just playin'.
Inlay is a hell of a test for a craftsman.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 20 Aug 2013 3:15 pm

I know. I've seen his abalone work and it's good, but the seamless faux frets (and the red oak contrast with the ebony) just got me to thinking.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 3:03 am

I'm leaning towards saving up to have the neck faux fretted with contrasting woods, with either inlays or decals of suits at the usual marker frets, and "poker chips" inlaid at the points of screws to hide them.
BUT, the craftsman likely to do the job said "that's a big job, it's gonna run between 4 and 5 hundred."
I'm ordering a vinyl one to get lightly tacked down while I save up for that.

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 1 Oct 2013 3:32 am

Hey Lane - I like the original look, but thats just me. But no doubt, with all that fretboard area to work with, someone could come up with something outstanding.
Cheers!

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 3:48 am

There's something about the original, but the neck has gorgeous grain, and I'm just trying not to hide it under a slab. If MSA had the old silkscreen from the 70s, I'd send it to Kyle...
EDIT: Just shot Kyle an email. Dunno why that hadn't occurred to me before.

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 1 Oct 2013 5:18 am

Lane, have you considered a clear etched Plexiglas fret board?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 5:36 am

After the MSA, I kinda like that approach. Lacquer prettier than plastic

Dick Sexton · Post by **Dick Sexton** » 1 Oct 2013 5:40 am

If he is that good, he could do something that could be installed and removed. Just in case you wanted to take it back to "Close To Original". I say go for it.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 5:43 am

Dick, I'm thinking permanent, but narrower than a Bud fretboard. "Originality" would then get restored upon application of a fretboard.

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 1 Oct 2013 6:03 am

I would use a fretboard that I ENJOY looking at.
Here are some design suggestions for my George Boards lapsteel.

Richard Damron · Post by **Richard Damron** » 1 Oct 2013 7:09 am

Peter -

Bravo!

If your designs were easy to install/uninstall then you could choose the pattern which suits your mood of the moment.

Those designs sure beat the hell out of that "clunky" apparition on my old Dekley.

Richard

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 7:25 am

Amen. Those are awesome

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 1 Oct 2013 7:39 am

i wouldn't pay $500 for the work. that's one third the value of the guitar.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 7:56 am

Chris, the cost of the parts exceeds the value of the guitar. And as loaded up as she'll get, she'll be hard to sell.
The question is: do I think a pretty neck constitutes a worthwhile waste of money?
I'm inclined to think "if I can afford it without making myself or my sweetie do without stuff we want, why not?"

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 1 Oct 2013 9:57 am

Hey Eddy Fulawka built me and my Student Twin Blue Darlin's, years ago.
Used the most beautiful Maple I've seen...so look how/what he does to show that off instead of covering it with a fretboard..ha..
I love it.

Michael Maddex · Post by **Michael Maddex** » 1 Oct 2013 10:11 am

Lane Gray wrote:Chris, the cost of the parts exceeds the value of the guitar. And as loaded up as she'll get, she'll be hard to sell. ... if I can afford it ... why not?

Lane, I think that you answered you own question right there. Why worry about a period correct fret board on down the road, if this is going to be a one-off beauty?

Ricky, that photo just might give whole new meanings to 'dueling whatevers'!

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 1 Oct 2013 10:14 am

AWESOME Twin Blue Darlin's!

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 1 Oct 2013 1:53 pm

I just posted something like that.
See this link at the bottom where I show the ones I am working on;
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=247825
Good luck

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 2:04 pm

I saw that. Beautiful. Wanna do that to a slab of birdseye?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 1 Oct 2013 2:06 pm

lane..i think you ought to do it any custom way you want. if that's to be your main go to hot rod it should be individually unique. then just play it til it disintegrates and don't worry about resale.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Oct 2013 2:14 pm

Sumbitch better not disintegrate, I'm trying to (re)build it right.
The assistance from Ricky and James has been well-nigh invaluable.
I may try that inlay thing. I have plenty of other woods to practice on.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Fretboard idea: cool, stupid or sacrilege? And a Bud Q?

Fretboard idea: cool, stupid or sacrilege? And a Bud Q?

Why not?

I just posted something like that...