Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


-----

Hobbyist needs a very hard finish for a fretless bass fingerboard

I am in the process of refinishing the fingerboard of a 1953 Kay C-1 upright bass. The wood is rosewood and has been sealed. Since the finish has to stand up to long-term contact with metal strings, I want to create a very hard, clear finish. A local luthier suggested I use polyester, preferably in a spray form and to apply several coats, sanding between applications. When all coats have been applied, sand with progressively finer grit and finish with rubbing compound [on eBay or Amazon]. I have not been able to find a local supplier for clear polyester. Can you help?

All the best,

Fred Cockfield
Hobbyist - Bothell, Washington, USA
April 3, 2010

I would suggest using a polyurethane wood finish. It will be harder than polyester and easier to both obtain and apply. Any hardware store will carry water and solvent based polyurethanes. A solvent based product would likely be the most durable.

Tom Griffin
- Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
April 12, 2010

---

Thanks for the advice Tom. I will seek materials locally and post my results here.
All the Best,

Fred Cockfield
- Bothell, Washington, USA
May 6, 2010