"Veneer" Fretboards?

[AllHailDIO]

I know it's not offered standard on their website but has anyone successfully made a special request for this feature?  Another term for a veneer fretboard is round laminate, if that rings a bell.

If no one is sure, I will post a response from Warmoth; I have emailed them. 

Attached is an example

 

[stratamania]

I don't believe you would be able to get one from Warmoth.

Another option would be Musikraft, as they offer that as an option in addition to slab boards.

 

[dmraco]

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

 

[rgand]

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

I was also wondering this.

 

[Logrinn]

Me too ...

 

[mayfly]

Make that Me Three.  Why do you want that?

 

[Fat Pete]

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

I was also wondering this.

I've always understood that Fender introduced the veneer boards for cost reasons.

 

[rgand]

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

I was also wondering this.

I've always understood that Fender introduced the veneer boards for cost reasons.

That would make sense.

 

[NonsenseTele]

I've always understood that Fender introduced the veneer boards for cost reasons.

One thing that you might think about Leo Fender is: he ALWAYS did things for cost reasons.
To be fair, it worked well.
But when he thought of solid body, alternative woods (ash and alder wasn't used), one piece neck, straight headstock, smaller pickups... everything was thought on making money.

 

[Kostas]

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

Because Fender did it so it's desirable! I recently read about a guy who changed the screws on his LP to be vintage correct so I'm not surprised with anything.
Don't be surprised if someone asks for a six piece body and veneer top & back to hide the six pieces. Fender is doing it, it must be good... :tard:

 

[swarfrat]

Another name for cost is availability. Just sayin

 

[Timmsie95]

I can only imagine the benefit would be if you like the tonality of maple, but the look of rosewood fretboards, so you make the rosewood as thin as possible so it has little affect on the tone.  :dontknow:

 

[AllHailDIO]

They do not offer this feature

 

[mayfly]

Not surprised.  It's typically not considered a plus because it drastically limits the amount of fingerboard wood you have to work with when re-fretting and leveling.  I would never want that on a custom instrument for that reason.

 

[Cagey]

Excellent point. The first fret job is also the last.

 

[Wolf Follower]

I knew someone with a '64 Jaguar that had a very thin fretboard. Not sure if it was that extreme but it survived a refretting just fine. As I recall the side dots were half in the neck wood and half in the fingerboard wood.

WF

 

[Cagey]

One of my brothers had a Jaguar of that vintage that was similar. Unusual because it had block inlays. Anyway, it got refretted once without hurting it. That had a thin fretboard, but it wasn't veneer. Veneers are usually down in the 1/32" thick range (or less, depending on supplier). Just pulling the frets on something veneered would make a mess of it, let alone if you had to do any levelling. Even solid woods don't like to have frets pulled. There are barbs on the tangs that tend to tear pieces out.

 

[AllHailDIO]

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

I was also wondering this.

Me too ...

Make that Me Three.  Why do you want that?

Just curious but why?  To cut cost?

Haha I didn't imagine I'd be such a minority in finding this potentially beneficial.  Just thought I ask.  I know Musikraft offers this feature so thought maybe Warmoth may too, over the phone custom special or something.  As stated before, they do not.

Anyway, the reason?  So the neck wood would have more influence on the tone / so the fretboard wood would have less influence on the tone! Duh  :icon_tongue:

One of my brothers had a Jaguar of that vintage that was similar. Unusual because it had block inlays. Anyway, it got refretted once without hurting it. That had a thin fretboard, but it wasn't veneer. Veneers are usually down in the 1/32" thick range (or less, depending on supplier). Just pulling the frets on something veneered would make a mess of it, let alone if you had to do any levelling. Even solid woods don't like to have frets pulled. There are barbs on the tangs that tend to tear pieces out.

Yep, you're right, usually veneers are 1/32" like veneers on bodies... I think the term "veneer" is used loosely here; may not technically be a veneer.  In fact, it's much thicker than 1/32".  The more proper term is round laminate.

 

[Cagey]

I doubt it affects tonal character enough to be a worthwhile endeavor. I think Fernando had it right - Leo was notoriously frugal. If he did it, it was almost certainly to save money. You'll notice nobody else did/does it, and there are a lotta builders who give serious consideration to the tonal performance of their build materials/construction techniques, even when it doesn't make a difference.

 

[AllHailDIO]

I doubt it affects tonal character enough to be a worthwhile endeavor. I think Fernando had it right - Leo was notoriously frugal. If he did it, it was almost certainly to save money. You'll notice nobody else did/does it, and there are a lotta builders who give serious consideration to the tonal performance of their build materials/construction techniques, even when it doesn't make a difference.

I'm not claiming Leo did this construction technique for tonal reasons.  I would assume it's because, as stated, its for price cutting measures.  Business is business.  Nonetheless, regardless of Leo's reasons, an effect, though unexpected and unintentional, can occur... An effect can include a tonal change. 

And I'm in the camp that tone woods do matter.  IDK how much a fretboard would contribute to the tone but if I could spend 5 minutes and somewhere between $0-$35 to most likely get more neck tone than fretboard, I find that completely reasonable.  Now, I would never know if it had or not but that's okay... It's more the thought that counts  :toothy12: 

Okay but seriously, its not just tone...  If it's just tone, I would just get the neck wood as a fretboard too (in this case, I could have).  Obviously, it's also all about the LOOKS :glasses10:  The same logic applies to laminate tops on bodies.  I don't think people would be happy if their laminate tops were 1/2" or carved 3/4" thick... it would tonally affect the main body wood.  Same logic here.  Just as many people want the beauty of a laminate top without/barely changing the tonal characteristics of the body wood, I want the beauty of a veneer fretboard without/barely changing the tonal characteristics of the neck wood. 

FYI, with projects, I can get very meticulous and obsessive... Not that I have OCD but you get the point :laughing7: