Fingerboard finishing

[Peter Koyander]

I am nearing completion of a refurb of a 25 / 30 year old B + H ply bass. The fingerboard was in need of quite some extensive work to put some relief into it and stop string buzzing - all working beautifully and I am on the homestretch . Just wondering about re-finishing options. Couple of photos below. I haven't stripped the original laquer under the Romberg just to show what was originally on. It scuffs up white and I think its mostly likely a Nitrocellulose laquer. Interesting where the strings were in contact it has retained a reasonable amount of sheen.
Options are,

1/. Do I dye the wood with leather dye and then apply a similar nitrocellulose finish.

2/. Do I add a powdered black dye to a danish oil product.

3/. Apply something else?

...and of course the question of grain filling with all the above options ! Many thanks in advance ! (I hasten to add that I will be stripping the Romberg back )

[Matthew Tucker]

I've had a fair bit of success just sanding the rosewood to final smooth up to 600grit W&D then dye with a spirit dye, seal with danish oil (helps darken it).

no point trying too hard to get black black, it'll look quite handsome dark brown.