Fretboard woods for extreme high-low relative humidity and temperature swings?

[cadmus]

Short version:
What fret board wood can best handle the extreme high and low relative humidity and temperature? Maritime wet to desert dry. Daily freeze to thaw cycles.
How do the following rate?: Ziricote, Bocote, Wenge, Purpleheart, PauFerro, Goncalo Alves, Kingwood, Canary Wood, Macassar Ebony, Ebony, Indian Rosewood?


Long version:
Like a romantic fool I rescued an ocean going sailboat of famous pedigree that was left unmaintained almost two decades… After years of hard work she will be ready to float soon. (foolish idea. wasted time better spent with my son. wasted money. foolish. painful. but that vessel is a piece of history and I could not give up on her) She needs a travel guitar that can handle wide range of relative humidity and temperature. I plan to sail and store her in a range of temperatures and relative humidifies. Alaska to Baja to Caribbean to?... sometimes in the water sometimes stored on land (hot hot hot).
I have a carbon body from a Klos. Klos has a bolt on fender like neck slot. I hoped to buy a Warmoth extra wide neck for it. I would consider building one but… it will delay the project too much as I have not built a guitar since the 00s. Not set up for it anymore.
What fretboard wood is most resistant to extreme high and low temperature and humidity swings?
Warmoth offers the following for fretboard woods: Ziricote, Bocote, Wenge, Purpleheart, PauFerro, Goncalo Alves, Kingwood, Canary Wood, Macassar Ebony, Ebony, Indian Rosewood? I am hoping someone suggests one of these. I will likely use mahogany for the neck as it is well proven on ships, but I am open to alternatives.


Thanks in advance for your ideas!!!

[cadmus]

one more note: I know the answer from many is a carbon fiber neck.
I need a nut width equal to or greater than 1.75”. I dislike compound radius and need a radius 16" or flatter. 20-24" is ideal. I never found anything close to this in CF. I am not able to build with CF. I also never enjoyed the kinesthetics of CF. I really prefer wood. But open to options for sure.

[KevinH]

Originally Posted by cadmus

one more note: I know the answer from many is a carbon fiber neck.
I need a nut width equal to or greater than 1.75”. I dislike compound radius and need a radius 16" or flatter. 20-22" is ideal. I never found anything close to this in CF. I am not able to build with CF. I also never enjoyed the kinesthetics of CF. But open to this option for sure.

Have you considered the Journey OF660? It has a 1-3/4" neck and 16" radius fretboard. All CF. Neck is detachable for more compact storage. And you can use it as a paddle if you ever need to.

Or how about an Emerald? You can get either an X7 or X20 with a nut up to 1-7/8" and a 16" radius.

[Tim McKnight]

https://www.lmii.com/rocklite-finger...12-sample.html

[SpruceTop]

From the environmental conditions you describe, why would you want anything other than a carbon fiber guitar to accompany you on your journeys? Anything RainSong or Emerald in the model/features of your choice should do ya for. Maybe a used Composite Acoustics model? Another choice could be a cheapo/mid-level Ovation--okay, I know, I know, but please, don't go there, Thanks! Apart from that, a Richlite fingerboard-equipped bolt-on neck would be good for you to attach to your Klos as long as everything mates properly.

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by Tim McKnight

https://www.lmii.com/rocklite-finger...12-sample.html

I have heard good things, Thanks. I built numerous acoustics in the late 90s early 2000s and might try this someday. But not anytime soon. Just not set up for that these days.

Originally Posted by KevinH

Have you considered the Journey OF660?

Yes. I did consider it. And other CF guitars or CF necks. Thanks.

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

From the environmental conditions you describe, why would you want anything other than a carbon fiber guitar to accompany you on your journeys?

Thanks, I have been looking at CF guitars on and off since they first came into existence. But it is not the goal of this thread. The goal is to find the best wood for the fretboard of the CF guitar body i have. Preferably a wood from the list at Warmoth.

[Osage]

From the list you shared, Indian Rosewood will have the least amount of shrinkage and expansion assuming it is properly dried. It will not do well under the drastic conditions you state though.

Something like Desert Ironwood might hold up ok, at least for a while, but it certainly isn't something that Warmoth will offer.

[The Bard Rocks]

[QUOTE=cadmus;7082877]Short version:
[B]What fret board wood can best handle the extreme high and low relative humidity and temperature? Maritime wet to desert dry. Daily freeze to thaw cycles.
How do the following rate?: Ziricote, Bocote, Wenge, Purpleheart, PauFerro, Goncalo Alves, Kingwood, Canary Wood, Macassar Ebony, Ebony, Indian Rosewood?[/B...
/QUOTE]

I'd eliminate the Canary Wood. It is wonderful to work with but too soft and too light-colored for a fretboard, at least in my experience. Ziricote can split, so I'd take that off the list. I am not sure about Bocote, Goncalo Alves or Pau Ferro. Maybe they'd be good.... Or? I am not sure I'd like the looks of a Purpleheart - depends on what B&S wood is employed, I suppose. Macassar and Gabon Bbony make good fretboards and I have not heard of problems in varying climates with them, ditto with Kingwood - but then I haven't heard of these things with the other woods either.

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by Osage

From the list you shared, Indian Rosewood will have the least amount of shrinkage and expansion assuming it is properly dried. It will not do well under the drastic conditions you state though.

Something like Desert Ironwood might hold up ok, at least for a while, but it certainly isn't something that Warmoth will offer.

OSAGE!?!?!?!?!? Your name is OSAGE? The irony of this response is OSAGE ORANGE is what i always wanted to use for a fretboard and bridge on a guitar. I planted many in hopes of someday harvesting them in my retirement. (i know they dull even metal working lathes.... i still want to try)

Osage was used as the Keel wood on many yankee made wooden ships of centuries past.

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

I'd eliminate the Canary Wood. It is wonderful to work with but too soft and too light-colored for a fretboard, at least in my experience.

noted, thanks.

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

Ziricote can split, so I'd take that off the list.

Roger that. I heard the same. It is really cool looking wood and I never worked with it before but I heard the "webbing" cracks unless you keep it a perfect 45% to 65% RH.

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

I am not sure I'd like the looks of a Purpleheart - depends on what B&S wood is employed

Purpleheart is used as hull and keel material on old wood ships. I suspect it might last a long time. I LOVE the purple color but the color browns quickly.

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

I am not sure about Bocote, Goncalo Alves or Pau Ferro. Maybe they'd be good.... Macassar and Gabon Bbony make good fretboards and I have not heard of problems in varying climates with them, ditto with Kingwood

I only made fretboards of ebony in years past. I trust the feel and sound, out of habit. But there is no reason that I should be stuck in that rut. Especially since the body is CF and travel sized... tone is not going to be noticed. It would be easy. I hear many electric guitar owners complain about ebony cracking, i never had an issue.

I was leaning toward Bocote as it is not on CITES or RedList. Some "turning" (lathe) websites report cracking but i think they start with the bocote green.

Pau Ferro is related to rosewood so I assume it is similar.

Originally Posted by Osage

From the list you shared, Indian Rosewood will have the least amount of shrinkage and expansion

Noted, thanks!!!



Keep ideas and experiences coming. Thanks

[pvfederico]

I cruised on my sailboat from San Diego to just north of Guatemala (about 2,000 miles) for four years. On board, I had a classical guitar (no truss rod) with zero neck problems. Any steel string guitar that is played regularly and has an adjustable truss rod should have no neck problems.

All marine environments are somewhat humid. You would experience much wider fluctuations in relative humidity if you were driving inland over that same area.

[Sadie-f]

I would worry more about the soundboard than the fretboard, and I'd keep a wood guitar in a case with humidity control in that environment. Also buy something not new, that's lived in fluctuating humidity and survived.

Typical humidity on a boat is more than enough to cause damage.

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by pvfederico

I cruised on my sailboat from San Diego to just north of Guatemala (about 2,000 miles) for four years. On board, I had a classical guitar (no truss rod) with zero neck problems. Any steel string guitar that is played regularly and has an adjustable truss rod should have no neck problems.

All marine environments are somewhat humid. You would experience much wider fluctuations in relative humidity if you were driving inland over that same area.

Thanks for the encouragement.


I and many many friends have had acoustics last just fine for YEARS below deck. (laminate soundboard guitars have almost no issue. body is most common issue). Boats travel slow enough to not see rapid change. Storage on the hard is what sees notable fluctuations (like locked in an unshaded car in a parking lot for months). Flight home is always a risk for me with home being 15-10% RH outside, but i do it 4 times a year with nice (non-travel) guitars. So please accept my redaction of the "extremes" image that i painted. Sorry. Just ignore that. Ignore the boat image.

It is still wise for me to consider the best Warmoth offered woods for the fretboard IF perhaps one sees rapid change in Temperature or RH.

[Osage]

Originally Posted by cadmus

OSAGE!?!?!?!?!? Your name is OSAGE? The irony of this response is OSAGE ORANGE is what i always wanted to use for a fretboard and bridge on a guitar. I planted many in hopes of someday harvesting them in my retirement. (i know they dull even metal working lathes.... i still want to try)

Osage was used as the Keel wood on many yankee made wooden ships of centuries past.

I'm a wood nerd! Have been my whole life. I've actually built a guitar out of Osage Orange and it came out quite nice. Took me years to find a set big and good enough to use, even for a small parlor guitar. Its tone is actually close to Brazilian Rosewood but since it's bright yellow and people often hear with their eyes, you can't really convince anyone of this.

[cadmus]

POST PICS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! (it deserves it's own thread!)
Great to hear... thanks for this.

Be it dulcimer bridges or bag pipes or bows or fret boards or _____ i figured Osage would be great someday. I planted many in my neighborhood and in yards of family and friends across the country hoping to one day harvest it. I hope many children have "stinky brain fruit" fights in the autumn. I have had a long love affair with it for music reasons but also the evolutionary history and dispersal mechanism. A cool plant for sure!!!