Author Topic: Fingerboard laminates? hmmm.... (Read 422 times)

almost_mingus · « **on:** May 20, 2004, 10:54:50 AM »

Does anybody know if it's possible to have laminates on the fingerboard? Something like a continuation of the body laminates that goes all the way down the front of the neck. Just drooling over my ideas of the perfect custom bass.. thought i'd throw the idea out there.

bsee · « **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2004, 11:33:00 AM »

An interesting question, I think I will brainstorm on it a bit here...

On the neck-thru basses, the neck is critical to the sound and the body wings only play a minor part. The neck wood has been declared to be the key component in your sustain and tone. I suspect, therefore, that any wood inserted between the fretboard and the neck might have an impact on your tone as well. While your concern seems to be aesthetic, I would choose my wood carefully.

Also, the typical ebony board on maple already has great contrast. I would think that you would either have to choose a lighter wood for the board, a darker wood for the sides of the neck, or have multiple laminates to set each other off. Something like mahogany neck sides with a maple veneer between the neck and board might look nice.

Another less intrusive possibility might be that they could route a line down either side of the ebony slab and inlay a strip of a lighter wood. In my vision, this line would basically connect and contain all the position markers. It would give a similar appearance without actually placing a veneer between the slab and the neck proper.

Looks like my train of thought has reached the end of the line. Is there anything here that sounds interesting or helpful?

(Message edited by bsee on May 20, 2004)

keavin · « **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2004, 11:48:47 AM »

that whole idea does sound very interesting.

malthumb · « **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2004, 05:35:42 PM »

I know a guy who has several custom basses that have what are called melted tops where it looks like two or more dramatically different woods are melted and poured together. Some of these melts extend onto the fretboard.

Also, if you've ever seen Victor Wooten's Yin Yang bass, the black part of the circle extends partway up the fingerboard. If I recall correctly, the black areas are the actual color of the wood used, not just paint.

Peace,

James

malthumb · « **Reply #4 on:** May 20, 2004, 05:54:39 PM »

Oh, what the heck, here's a couple pictures....

Peace,

James

bsee · « **Reply #5 on:** May 20, 2004, 05:59:40 PM »

The black and white basses are ebony and maple. I don't know about the others. I suppose there's not a lot of complaining being done about Vic's tone in most places, so it can't be all bad.

almost_mingus · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2004, 05:58:44 AM »

I've seen vic's basses before, but what i had in mind was more of what bsee was talking about..like two strips of ebony on the outside with another strip of maple down the middle. I was thinking about wooden inlays, too. Ever seen Jerry Jemmott's old scroll bass? It's on the Jaco instructional video. It has oval inlays that continue the neck laminate. It seems to me the more woods used on the neck, the more tonal possibilities can be taken from the woods, if you choose the right ones, at least.
That melt bass is wild, man......

almost_mingus · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2004, 05:58:52 AM »

I've seen vic's basses before, but what i had in mind was more of what bsee was talking about..like two strips of ebony on the outside with another strip of maple down the middle. I was thinking about wooden inlays, too. Ever seen Jerry Jemmott's old scroll bass? It's on the Jaco instructional video. It has oval inlays that continue the neck laminate. It seems to me the more woods used on the neck, the more tonal possibilities can be taken from the woods, if you choose the right ones, at least.
That melt bass is wild, man......

mica · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2004, 04:13:57 PM »

I'm a little concerned about multi-piece fingerboards, at least for a fretted bass. The different woods shrinking at different rates could cause some unwanted attention from your guitar repairman reseating those frets.

On a fretless, well, it's a bit easier to relevel that as the woods would shrink. Are you thinking of a fretless or fretted?

Hey, did we just send you a bass?

malthumb · « **Reply #9 on:** May 23, 2004, 06:42:36 AM »

Not trying to totally hi-jack this thread with pictures of non-Alembic basses, but I thought some of you might recognize one of the guys in this picture. The other guy owns about a dozen of the basses pictured, including 2 double-necks and a bunch of melt-tops.

http://www.lordonly.net/Images/John/john&stan.jpg

I'd love to see the case / gig-bag for that monster.

Peace,

James

(Message edited by malthumb on May 23, 2004)

almost_mingus · « **Reply #10 on:** May 23, 2004, 07:41:57 AM »

I think that may officially be the craziest bass i've ever seen. Who makes those?

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 23, 2004, 08:37:45 AM »

The melt basses are made by Bill Conklin. My local GC had a run of those for a while, with numerous 7-string units and a few 4 & 5-strings. The extruded side-mount jack is a good clue. I couldn't make my little fingers stretch far enough to even consider buying one, but they ARE pretty.

Mike