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-   -   90s Burner fretboard question (http://www.smithbassforums.com//showthread.php?t=2738)

Eddie Grady 10-19-2017 07:32 PM

90s Burner fretboard question
 
1 Attachment(s)
Hey all, new here and got a query I'm hoping some of you Burner owners can help with. :)

I've got an early 90s Burner Custom 5-string (quilted maple body, maple/walnut neck). I'd been after one for a long time and came across one being sold on the Talkbass boards. It had been defretted and lined, albeit a very good defret, but I decided to buy it and have it shipped to the UK and refretted for my own purposes.

http://www.smithbassforums.com/attac...1&d=1508455413

Unfortunately in the course of the defret the fretboard had been sanded down somewhat, removing the serial number in the process, and during the refret it had to be sanded down yet again, which left the fretboard a fair bit thinner than it would have been, which left the refret a little rougher than I've been happy with.

I've now decided to have the fretboard completely replaced and have the bass restored back to how it was when it left the factory, and I'm trying to find out how thick the fretboards were on Burner 5 strings from this era. Unfortunately Ken has no details on this, so I'm reaching out to you good folks, and hopefully I can get measurements from a few of you and take an average? Thanks for reading, and for any help you can give me. ;)

Ken Smith 10-20-2017 01:45 AM

I have details but not exact measurements. I told you this on the phone I believe or in an Email. They probably started out at about .250", maybe thicker. In the making, they get sanded as well and there is some variation. Unless you take the nut off to measure the center of the board, you can only get an approximate thickness. This is also a Japanese Polyester finish. Taking a FB off will break that edge and will need re-finishing after the new board is on and all sanded. That is a lot of money for a bass that was altered before buying it. Burners made from about late 1992 or '93 have a Morado fingerboard that was supplied buy us. We re-sawed the lumber from 1" stock and shipped over FB blanks for 4, 5 and 6 string basses. This started because they did not have FB wood wide enough for the 6s so we just supplied all the boards from then on till about 1998. Before that, the 4s and 5s were Indian rosewood.

Good luck with your project.

Eddie Grady 10-22-2017 06:42 PM

Hey Ken, thanks for jumping in, I really appreciate your input and knowledge on this. ;)

I think in the email you said the same; the boards from '93-'98 were morado and supplied straight from yourselves, and were 1/4". I'm pretty sure my Burner predates this period, but in the absence of a serial number I'd probably need to yield to the wisdom of the board members. And I thought I'd request their assistance rather than bother you further on the subject!:D

I know the neck will require some finishing once the new fretboard is on, but I'd really like to save this bass, I love the tone of it so I'm prepared for that. I'm fairly certain the board on mine is rosewood, so I'll proceed on that assumption, and hopefully it will turn out as good as it was originally.

Ken Smith 10-23-2017 12:56 AM

wisdom of the board members?
 
Wisdom? Someone on the Forum knows more than me on this? Really?

Well, Rosewood or Morado, the thickness spec should be the same.

Some refinish. There is no 'some' with this finish. It all has to be stripped and re-finished.

In my opinion, the cost of this job done professionally might cost more then the bass was new which was probably about $1100-$1200 in the early '90s.

I hope this helps but is you are seeking Wisdom, well, I can't really comment on that past what I already have. :eek:

Ronen Tat 10-24-2017 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie Grady (Post 28081)
I'm pretty sure my Burner predates this period, but in the absence of a serial number I'd probably need to yield to the wisdom of the board members.

No wisdom here, not even an impressive IQ score.. LOL, but, have you checked on the back of the cavity cover for the serial?
Also, the neck glossy finish could be stripped off and get an oil finish instead, if you care for that feel. It doesn't have to be that expensive.

I also own a 91 Burner 4 std with rosewood board and the old (non US) preamp. Although I prefer Morado and the US preamp is better, still this is a killer bass.


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