Why can't I ebonize my fretboard????

[EJstrat&JVM]

For fretboard I like any color, but a Jackson guitar has an ugly pointy headstock and a bridge heavier than the guitar itself

 

[Vinsanitizer]

 

[V-man]

For fretboard I like any color, but a Jackson guitar has an ugly pointy headstock and a bridge heavier than the guitar itself

Mmm hmm, ugly headstock…. derived (ironically) from the 6-I-L Fender designs that look like flaccid uncircumcised penis… enjoy your foreskin… I’ll stick with the pointy

 

[Resident 217]

Might try repeated applications of alcohol until it appears to soak in and then use the minwax ebony stain.
If the wood is a type of gumwood I doubt anything will ever get in there.

 

[PowerTube44]

Here are some pics, as promised. It's not perfect and it doesn't need to be, but it's 100% more to my liking now. Jackson should have just installed ebony or maple boards on these, priced them at $100.00 more, and called it a day instead of that brown "laurel" crap.

It looks like it's still wet in places in the pics, but trust me, it's not.

 

[Athana]

I practically stole a Jackson Soloist SL3X from a pawn shop recently. I made them a serious lowball offer and they took it. I love the guitar except for one thing: the Laurel fretboard. I hate that brown Rosewood look.

So I decided to ebonize it. The problem? NOTHING I've tried will soak into this wood. Nothing. I started with Minwax True Black stain. I sanded the board lightly, applied the stain, and waited. The next day, the stain would easily just rub right off.

Next up: India ink. I bought some Speedball India ink from Hobby Lobby. Lightly sanded the board again and applied the ink with a brush. The next morning... tada!!! ... it just rubs right off.

What's going on here? I REALLY want this fretboard to be black, like the Ebony on my USA Soloists. But it seems that nothing will soak into this wood.

Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Give it to a guy to put an ebony fingerboard on it..if it's worth it.

 

[V-man]

Here are some pics, as promised. It's not perfect and it doesn't need to be, but it's 100% more to my liking now. Jackson should have just installed ebony or maple boards on these, priced them at $100.00 more, and called it a day instead of that brown "laurel" crap.

It looks like it's still wet in places in the pics, but trust me, it's not.

Of course it is 100% better. Like I said… applies like stain, dries like paint.

Give it to a guy to put an ebony fingerboard on it..if it's worth it.

It would be the way to go, but you have the cutting of sharkfins (mandatory for a Jackson) and notice the bound board. I wouldn’t be surprised if that job (done right) plus the guitar’s price wouldn’t have made a USA Soloist a better buy by compare. No harm in checking but this method does the trick and leaves you 75-80% satisfied overall.

 

[PowerTube44]

I wouldn’t be surprised if that job (done right) plus the guitar’s price wouldn’t have made a USA Soloist a better buy by compare. No harm in checking but this method does the trick and leaves you 75-80% satisfied overall.

I have two USA Soloists (both SL2H) and I've had a USA SL1 in the past. For the price, this one was a no-brainer. I just couldn't get along with the brown fingerboard.

After I finished the ebonizing last night, I strung it and set it up. She's a VERY sweet player!

 

[Im247frogs]

If it ever works, might I suggest changing your user name to THE EBONZIER?

 

[PowerTube44]

If it ever works, might I suggest changing your user name to THE EBONZIER?

The EBONIZER might be even better...

 

[Im247frogs]

The EBONIZER might be even better...

Yes there was drinking last nitgh.

 

[Greg Rogers]

I practically stole a Jackson Soloist SL3X from a pawn shop recently. I made them a serious lowball offer and they took it. I love the guitar except for one thing: the Laurel fretboard. I hate that brown Rosewood look.

So I decided to ebonize it. The problem? NOTHING I've tried will soak into this wood. Nothing. I started with Minwax True Black stain. I sanded the board lightly, applied the stain, and waited. The next day, the stain would easily just rub right off.

Next up: India ink. I bought some Speedball India ink from Hobby Lobby. Lightly sanded the board again and applied the ink with a brush. The next morning... tada!!! ... it just rubs right off.

What's going on here? I REALLY want this fretboard to be black, like the Ebony on my USA Soloists. But it seems that nothing will soak into this wood.

Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

You might want to try an aniline dye, after removing as much oil as possible mineral spirits ore acetone.

 

[shredless]

laurel is prolly some form of plastic

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

laurel is prolly some form of plastic

It's an Indian wood, but it it has a wider grain pattern and a little lighter color compared to East Indian Rosewood. About the same density. Might be a bit harder which would explain it not taking a stain. One has to wonder how much claimed to be RW out there is really laurel? It doesn't have the purple tint in the grain like Indian rose wood though. It may not have the natural oil content of RW. It's a more available wood than RW or Ebony and doesn't have the legal complications.

Rich Lite is the synthetic fret board material.

 

[shredless]

i stand corrected

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

i stand corrected

I had to look it up.