Ebony Fretboard Finish

[clock906]

What materials people usually use to finish ebony fretboard?

Just those tung oil used on the back of the neck or something else?

I thought about leaving it unfinish, but it seems the fretboard has a lot of those dark wood dust, (fingers turns black after touching it for a while) no matter how much I try to clean it.

Also, is using tung oil or other fretboard finish ok on pearloid inlay?

One more other question...

does fretboard radius makes a big difference in guitar playability?

The fretboard I have is 20" radius.

I dont' really have a lot of guitar playing experience. Most of the guitars (less than 10) I played have 14-16" fretboard radius.

Is there gonna be a big difference between a 16" and a 20" radius.

[gun]

It's a matter of taste but not exclusively. Personally I began with classic so for me it's good a flatter radius like 16 or 17". But as I said there are also the facts. A tight radius makes chords playing and bending in the range 1st - 7th fret more easy but you cannot achieve low action without lost of sustain on upper frets. I found on my Strat, that on 17th 19th frets the guitar doesn't lose only sustain, it just doesn't play well

The 16" is nearly flat but you can still notice the fretboard is curved, on 20" is more accentuated, is really near flat!!!

Use some high grade lemon oil to polish the fretboard. That should fix your problem. I would sand ebony up to 2000. It seems to mirror the light so Have you tried to use air from a compressor to blow the majority of the powder? Usually it works.

Then PM a mod, you opened two times the same post

[gun]

Edit: I put two times the reply too

Edited August 15, 2005 by gun

[clock906]

It's a matter of taste but not exclusively. Personally I began with classic so for me it's good a flatter radius like 16 or 17". But as I said there are also the facts. A tight radius makes chords playing and bending in the range 1st - 7th fret more easy but you cannot achieve low action without lost of sustain on upper frets. I found on my Strat, that on 17th 19th frets the guitar doesn't lose only sustain, it just doesn't play well 

The 16" is nearly flat but you can still notice the fretboard is curved, on 20" is more accentuated, is really near flat!!!

Use some high grade lemon oil to polish the fretboard. That should fix your problem. I would sand ebony up to 2000. It seems to mirror the light so  Have you tried to use air from a compressor to blow the majority of the powder? Usually it works.

Then PM a mod, you opened two times the same post 

←

Thanks for the help!

I actually thought lemon oil is not for permanent finish, but more like a temporary moisturer/conditioner for the fretboard.

So...

flatter radius = lower action

tighter radius = better/easier playability on the lower fret?

(YEa...double posted...the first time I post, it says error.. )

admin plz delete~~

[gun]

Thanks for the help!

I actually thought lemon oil is not for permanent finish, but more like a temporary moisturer/conditioner for the fretboard.

So...

flatter radius = lower action

tighter radius = better/easier playability on the lower fret?

(YEa...double posted...the first time I post, it says error.. )

admin plz delete~~

←

On tight radius and lower action sometimes when you bend on upper frets the notes choke by hitting the next fret. This doesn't happen with flatter radius and lower action. Usually flatter radius are good for rock and fast note playing

I have to say that many people I encountered, don't like flatter and/or low action.

did you read my reply to your other post?