Members meyhna'ch Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 I was buying some wood for my current project, and saw some purpleheart wood. It seemed to have a grain pattern very similar to rosewood, and to me it looked like purple rosewood. Why isn't it used for fretboards? I saw purpleheart used in laminate necks and body tops but never for fretboards? Why is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angus_old Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 it's really purple? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ryan Trevisol Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 It easily could, though it's considerably more rare than rosewood. I've seen pallettes that arrive from South America made of Purpleheart. My dad uses it all the time to turn vases and bowls, but I think getting it in the right lengths to do a fretboard might be pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ryan Trevisol Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 Brownish Purpleheart Really purple Purpleheart that's patinaed -- most common color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meyhna'ch Posted November 16, 2006 Author Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 Originally posted by Ryan Trevisol It easily could, though it's considerably more rare than rosewood. I've seen pallettes that arrive from South America made of Purpleheart. My dad uses it all the time to turn vases and bowls, but I think getting it in the right lengths to do a fretboard might be pricey. I bought a piece a little bigger than a normal fretboard for 8$ on discount That's cheaper than a piece of roswood. I thought that I'd buy it, ask you guys if it would be right to use it and if it turns out not okay for fretboard material, I'd have plenty of other uses for it And for whoever asked if it was really purple, yes it is, check it out : Oh.. And I just found proof that it can be used for fretboard material : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 It would look awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Canuck Brian Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 I've used purpleheart for both a fretboard and for an entire neck from a quartersawn piece. Hard as nails and polishes up like glass.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink freud Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=guitar_neckwoods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members exafro Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 It changes color with time if you don't seal it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jsimpson01 Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 Probably because its {censored}ing ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlackHatHunter Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 he he... I thought you meant to use an inlay that looked like the purple heart military decoration for fret markers, in lieu of dots or blocks or birds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 Purpleheart is NOT rare, its one of the most economical and easily obtainable "semi exotic" woods today on the market. I regulary get (and have in my shop) 8/4 purpleheart blanks that are 10" and better and 12' to 16' long. Thats not a special order, the planks just come big. Purpleheart is very long grained, very much like Hickory or Pecan, and is a coarse wood. It is tough and I doubt it would not be able to handle duty as a fretboard. Most of what I have used (in the past 20 years) stays quite purple unless exposed to a lot of natural light, then it turns a grayish brown in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TeleStratMan Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 i saw a fretless custom bass with finger board made of purple heart. it was BEAUTIFUL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sultan417 Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 For fretboards it is something you see more on high end basses. Conklin, Fodera, Elrick and Read basses have used purpleheart on a ton of bass fretboards. Works really well too, should work awesome for guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sultan417 Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=guitar_neckwoods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members air guitar Posted November 16, 2006 Members Share Posted November 16, 2006 Originally posted by jsimpson01 Probably because its ugly. If someone famous and 'hip' started playing it all of the sudden everybody would want to have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 The best fretboard wood in the world to use on a guitar is African Blackwood. I could write an essay as to why it makes every other fretboard wood its total bitch ...but just trust me on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink freud Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Originally posted by guitarcapo The best fretboard wood in the world to use on a guitar is African Blackwood. I could write an essay as to why it makes every other fretboard wood its total bitch ...but just trust me on this one. actually, do tell. i'm interested, because i'm doing a fretless guitar project, and if this wood is denser than ebony, and easily obtainable, it might be a contender... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 blackwood isnt easily available, its expensive as hell and finding a piece wide and long wnough for a fretboard basically puts it out of contention for most - unless you have a personal stash. I have used blackwood to make quite a few things in my furniture business and I had a few small planks about 12 years ago - but man, its not easy to get in larger pieces. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Originally posted by pink freud actually, do tell.i'm interested, because i'm doing a fretless guitar project, and if this wood is denser than ebony, and easily obtainable, it might be a contender... BLackwood is a rosewood - I wouldnt say its denser than ebony - maybe a little more stable, but I personally couldnt see much advantage. Assuming both are dried properly. I'd like to read that essay also. Wood interests me, its my livelihood. I am always interested in hearing why people think one wood is "the best" for something. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink freud Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Originally posted by ajcoholic blackwood isnt easily available, its expensive as hell and finding a piece wide and long wnough for a fretboard basically puts it out of contention for most - unless you have a personal stash. I have used blackwood to make quite a few things in my furniture business and I had a few small planks about 12 years ago - but man, its not easy to get in larger pieces. AJC yikes, ebony it is then, unless i spring 500$ for a glass fretboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Some day I will try using some tulipwood - another rosewood - thats creamy white with beautifull pink purple streaking. I have never seen it used for a board, and although its pricey, its not hard to get and in larger planks, easily big enough for a fretboard. Toomany damn fine woods out there to try them all! AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink freud Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Originally posted by ajcoholic Some day I will try using some tulipwood - another rosewood - thats creamy white with beautifull pink purple streaking. I have never seen it used for a board, and although its pricey, its not hard to get and in larger planks, easily big enough for a fretboard. Toomany damn fine woods out there to try them all! AJC you ever see these? if you look carefully, that "broomstick" steinberger has a CHROME fingerboard *BLING* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted November 17, 2006 Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Originally posted by pink freud yikes, ebony it is then, unless i spring 500$ for a glass fretboard I'd loke to know more about the glass board. I have quite a bit of experience working with glass/carbon and other composites in my other hobbies (large RC model aircraft construction, and other stuff like strip canoe building) What is the board made up of? Unidirectional carbon & epoxy? Or some sort of heat cured resin? I would like to experiment with somethinglike that if I had time... Tell me more about your bass project! AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meyhna'ch Posted November 17, 2006 Author Members Share Posted November 17, 2006 Actually, the purpleheart piece cost me 3$ on sale compared to the 20$ rosewood fretboad. It is tough and I doubt it would not be able to handle duty as a fretboard. I'm a little confused about this sentence AJ. Do you mean it wouldn't be able or that it would be able to handle duty as a fretboard? And also, if it's used only on high-end boutique basses, it's for the tonal purposes, right? Or is there another reason it's rarely used on guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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