Fretboard idea: cool, stupid or sacrilege? And a Bud Q?
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
Fretboard idea: cool, stupid or sacrilege? And a Bud Q?
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?
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?
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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.
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
- Posts: 3645
- Joined: 21 Aug 2003 12:01 am
- Location: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
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
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)
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)
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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.
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.
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
- Bud Angelotti
- Posts: 1363
- Joined: 6 Oct 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Larryville, NJ, USA
- Contact:
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.
EDIT: Just shot Kyle an email. Dunno why that hadn't occurred to me before.
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
- Scott Duckworth
- Posts: 3470
- Joined: 6 Apr 2013 8:41 am
- Location: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
- Contact:
Lane, have you considered a clear etched Plexiglas fret board?
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!
- Dick Sexton
- Posts: 3554
- Joined: 2 Oct 2006 12:01 am
- Location: Greenville, Ohio
- Contact:
Why not?
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.
- Peter den Hartogh
- Posts: 1001
- Joined: 27 Mar 2010 12:49 pm
- Location: Cape Town, South Africa
- Contact:
- Richard Damron
- Posts: 1251
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007 2:51 pm
- Location: Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
- chris ivey
- Posts: 12703
- Joined: 8 Nov 1998 1:01 am
- Location: california (deceased)
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?"
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?"
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
- Ricky Davis
- Posts: 10964
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Bertram, Texas USA
- Contact:
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.
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.
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com
- Michael Maddex
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 18 Apr 2007 5:02 pm
- Location: Northern New Mexico, USA
- Contact:
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?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?
Ricky, that photo just might give whole new meanings to 'dueling whatevers'!
"For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert." -- Arthur C. Clarke
- Peter den Hartogh
- Posts: 1001
- Joined: 27 Mar 2010 12:49 pm
- Location: Cape Town, South Africa
- Contact:
- Andy DePaule
- Posts: 2576
- Joined: 20 Jun 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
- Contact:
I just posted something like that...
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
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
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
- chris ivey
- Posts: 12703
- Joined: 8 Nov 1998 1:01 am
- Location: california (deceased)
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 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.
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects