white fretboard instead of black?

Al Moss · From: Kent,OH,USA

Maybe my eyesight is getting funky, or maybe it's just January in NE Ohio, but, I'm thinkin that maybe a white fretboard with black frets might be a little bit easier to see than black fretboards. I swear I ain't drinkin anymore, ...any less either. But, seriously folks... any thoughts about the merits of one color versus another for the fretboard? Matte versus glossy too? Rolling Eyes

David Doggett · Posted 29 Jan 2007 7:20 pm

I think black fretboards look good on light colored guitars, and white fretboards look good on dark colored ones. But that's just my idea of esthetics. I have no idea which ones are easier to read.

Mike Ester · From: New Braunfels, Texas, USA

I've had both colors, and it never made any difference to me.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Al, I play ZB's with white fret boards. I find the white fret boards superior for visual. They look real cool too.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I can tell you that I had some blonde wood fretboards custom made for my Fessenden and had to remove them because, in certain lighting situations, the shadows of the strings looked like the strings themselves and kept throwing me off.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

This is the main complaint with white fret boards. String shadows never bothered me.

Justin Griffith · From: Taylor, Texas, USA

I lost sight in my left eye in my car wreck and my depth perception is all messed up now and the white fretboards help me a bunch.

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I was just talking with Chuck Back about white fretboards this weekend.I think that an Aqua lacquered steel with white fretboards is very early 60's California looking.I play in a club that is so dark onstage,white is easier for me to see.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Al Terhune · From: Newcastle, WA

I like the white fret boards, but I've heard said, and it makes sense, that the white fret markers on black boards are easier to see in dark clubs...
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Al

My equipment:

One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

Al my carter fret board seems to be reflective in low light areas, I had a topic awhile ago asking guys what there next steel would be and alot of guys sighted the same thing they would like light up fret markers I would have never guessed!

Al Terhune · From: Newcastle, WA

A.J. -- You probably know this (or it's probably been mentioned), but there used to be a fellow in Steel Guitar World magazine that sold lighted fret boards. I never knew anyone that had one. A neat idea.
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Al

My equipment:

One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about

Al Moss · From: Kent,OH,USA

Thanks for the informative input folks. -have ordered a pair of white colored fretboards and shall report back soon about how they work out.
Anybody know how to take off the old ones and install (glue down) the new ones?

richard burton · From: Britain

A. Roncetti · From: Toronto,Ontario, Canada

I have played a light/dark laquer Fulawka with a white board and liked it. It was easy on the eyes for sure. Shows up better in a dark club. I also played 2 dark guitars(GFI& Fessenden)with black boards. I think the fret markers can make a big difference. They both appeal to me.

Al Moss · From: Kent,OH,USA

Richard, that ZB of yours looks like it should be in a centerfold somewhere, what a jaw-dropper, just gorgeous. (and a white fretboard too)

Don Poland · From: Hanover, PA.

Al Moss · From: Kent,OH,USA

I ordered a pair of white, Sho Bud fretboards from Steel Gtr Nashville. I don't play a Sho Bud but it's the same scale length as my steel, 24.25" so I'm hopin' that they fit ok on the width of the neck and so forth.

Jim Walker · From: Headland, AL

I installed white Fretboards on the Clark Custom D10 I had last year. I was trying to restore the guitar and wanted original black replacements, but Jim Clark only had a few sets of the Clark Custom fretboards left and they were white. After I got them on and got the thing back into playing shape I really like the new white fretboards. I thought they looked good and for me they were easier to see.
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Show Pro D10, Session 400

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i sure wish Bruce Zumsteg would offer a White fretboard option

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Al, it doesn't appear that anyone has answered your question regarding removing fretboards. In case you still need the info I have emailed you.
Jerry

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

My Sierra is red formica, and the fretboard is just a continuation of the red formica. The frets are painted white and they are starting to wear and fade. I'd like to install a white fretboard but haven't figured out a good way to do it yet. The red and white combo looks very nice.

Brendan Mitchell · From: Melbourne Australia

Most of my career I played Emmons with the chrome frets and recently bought a guitar with the white frets . What a differance ! I think the white frets are actually luminous paint or something 'cause when it gets dark these things just light up .

Anders Brundell · From: Falun, Sweden

I prefer white! It's a lot easier to see the strings in dim lights with a white fretboard, and I guess that manufacturers prefer black ones just because they think it makes their guitars look cooler, and therefore also sell better.
But I put functionality before looks.

Anders

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