Darkening a fretboard?

rsm

rsm

Well-known member
Posted about NGD, new Jackson RRX24, gloss black, black hardware, Duncan Blackouts, black reverse sharkfin inlays.

It's a Laurel fretboard, lighter than I like, so thinking about using India ink to dye it black on my next string change. IDK, ebony or richlite (black) would look better than brown with an all black guitar IMO.

Anyone done this before?

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-too...and-tints-and-stains/black-fingerboard-stain/
 
That Stew mac stuff is what you want. I tried the leather dye and another type of dye and didn’t like it on my guitar that is getting restored. The Stew mac works.
IMG_0329.jpeg
 
Fiebings is good on violins, cellos, etc... But it is alcohol based, so not sure that I would personally use it on a guitar with inlays or binding. Small chance of issues, but still a chance. India ink.
 
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rsm said:
looks great!
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This is ebony, but after re radiusing the fretboard was more brown and streaky. The first ink I tried looked kinda blue/purple so took that off and tried the leather dye. Itnever got very dark. The Stew mac took a few coats, but it looks pretty good. May paste wax it after it gets back from paint, but will see.
 
I wish I had some decent before/after pictures. This Burny LPC had a rosewood board. I reprofiled the fretboard with a 12" radius block and it was a bright and rich rosewood brown. I applied a few coats of that dye, let it dry overnight, burnished it with steel wool, cleaned up the board and did it again a few more times. It came out real dark and pretty close to ebony. Just make sure to clean your board real good with mineral spirits or something and let the dye dry for a day before messing with it. I used that exact Stewmac Stain/Dye
 

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A buddy of mine did one of his Les Paul’s rosewood boards with the Fiebing’s and it looks pretty good EXCEPT it has a bit of a sheen to it. Not a huge deal but I find it a bit odd as no ebony or richlite board would have a sheen.

I had decided to black out my Explorer and got the india ink and stuff just the other day before I realized I don’t know what to do about the sides of the board since they’re covered in clear nitro.
 
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vultures said:
I wish I had some decent before/after pictures. This Burny LPC had a rosewood board. I reprofiled the fretboard with a 12" radius block and it was a bright and rich rosewood brown. I applied a few coats of that dye, let it dry overnight, burnished it with steel wool, cleaned up the board and did it again a few more times. It came out real dark and pretty close to ebony. Just make sure to clean your board real good with mineral spirits or something and let the dye dry for a day before messing with it. I used that exact Stewmac Stain/Dye
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Did it mess with the inlays or the neck binding? If so, how did you clean it off?
 
Probably a good idea to clean fretboard first.
I would take a lightly damp cloth over fretboard to open the pores a bit then apply.
Tape off sides of neck and headstock and body. Ink probably won’t stick, better safe than sorry.
apply lightly with paper towel or sponge Wipe excess off and let dry. My best guess.
Post before and after pics.
 
Bardagh said:
A buddy of mine did one of his Les Paul’s rosewood boards with the Fiebing’s and it looks pretty good EXCEPT it has a bit of a sheen to it. Not a huge deal but I find it a bit odd as no ebony or richlite board would have a sheen.

I had decided to black out my Explorer and got the india ink and stuff just the other day before I realized I don’t know what to do about the sides of the board since they’re covered in clear nitro.
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ESP guitars come with polished ebony boards, so they look shiny as well.
 
I’ve often thought about darkening fretboards. Especially these days, I’ve seen new Gibson r8’s and r9’s that have a very light brown or tan fretboard they call rosewood. It’s quite simply the ugliest most offensive thing my eyes have seen. I need a dark and uniform board. Like the early Les Paul’s, many had very dark and uniform boards I also love the look and feel of ebony. I am super shallow and have an obsessive mind set, and a guitars looks matter to me immensely . I would be too bummed out playing a light brown/tan fretboard. Especially on an r8 or r9. Those burst colors look a million times better along a dark board. Bursts and light brown fretboards looks atrocious.
 
mooncobra said:
I’ve often thought about darkening fretboards. Especially these days, I’ve seen new Gibson r8’s and r9’s that have a very light brown or tan fretboard they call rosewood. It’s quite simply the ugliest most offensive thing my eyes have seen. I need a dark and uniform board. Like the early Les Paul’s, many had very dark and uniform boards I also love the look and feel of ebony. I am super shallow and have an obsessive mind set, and a guitars looks matter to me immensely . I would be too bummed out playing a light brown/tan fretboard. Especially on an r8 or r9. Those burst colors look a million times better along a dark board. Bursts and light brown fretboards looks atrocious.
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same here. This is an all blacked-out guitar, then it has a streaky light and dark brown fretboard. :doh: a black richlite fretboard with ghost sharkfin inlays* would be better IMO.

*ghost sharkfin are faded dark grey outlines of the inlay
 
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