Aged Bloodwood

[dmraco]

I am looking at a neck with a blood wood fretboard.  How does blood wood look after it has been played/aged a bit?

Any photos would be great.

Thanks

 

[Cagey]

It ages gracefully. Here's a shot of a bloodwood bowl separated in time by about 12 years...

It's a really nice wood. I have an Ebony over Bloodwood neck here that's just a joy to play. Both are very hard, densely-grained woods, well-suited to fretboards. In fact, I'd wager you could make fretless necks with bloodwood fretboards as it's hard enough and would wear very similar to Ebony.

 

[davegardner0]

Doesn't bloodwood turn brown and loose it's red if it's allowed to age without a finish on it? (I read this somewhere, but I can't remember where). I think it has to do with oxidation with the O2 in the atmosphere, which a finish would stop. I think it stays red maybe a few weeks or months after it's been sanded (exposing a new surface).

So I think with an (unfinished) fretboard I think you might not have it stay red forever. Don't quote me on this though...

Edit: here's a source http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/

 

[dmraco]

Good to hear about the grain.  I do plan on using this on an unfinished application.
I am not too concerned about the color changing, I just want to know what it is going to move to.  It look like to may be a more chocolate brown tone.

 

[Cagey]

Yes. The neck I have is probably 4 or 5 years old now, and I don' see a lotta change to it - it's still obviously red - but it's been stored most of that time  so that may have something to do with it.

 

[davegardner0]

I'm sure too that any color the woods change to will also look really nice & organic. It's not going to turn green or grey or something weird. So as long as you're not thinking "it has to stay bright red" then I don't think you'll be disappointed!

 

[Cagey]

I agree. If you look at those bowls, it actually gets a bit richer looking. You get this "auburn" shade instead of red. Nothing wrong with that. Still gonna look a bit exotic, or at least not like the usual suspects.

 

[amigarobbo]

I think it looks even nicer aged. :icon_smile:

 

[dmraco]

this is what I was looking at

 

[davegardner0]

First of all that looks awesome!!! I guess the fretboard will head towards the neck shaft's color with age, though. Which would still look cool! But less of a contrast.

On a related note, I think it would be really cool to get a neck with a purpleheart fretboard some time. I think it would be cool with the silver frets and some pearl circle or block inlays. But apparently it would fade, too...

 

[dmraco]

I have a purple heart fret boad....so far so good