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flatwoundbass
New
Username: flatwoundbass

Post Number: 5
Registered: 8-2011
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 12:20 pm:   Edit Post

Hi all,

I have a '97 Epic 5 with what appears to be a veneer between the maple neck and the ebony fingerboard...It seems to be the same wood that is used on my headstock veneer, which is not walnut(?), which is what the body top is. Is there a particular species of wood commonly used for this under the fingerboard/headstock application? Attached is a headstock pic, but the strip under the fingerboard may prove difficult to get a good photo of...
Any opinions/information greatly appreciated!

-SteveEpic 5 Headstock Veneer
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 7448
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 12:31 pm:   Edit Post

The veneer was usually Walnut. On the original style of LED installation, there were two veneers, typically Maple and Walnut or Maple and Purpleheart.

This was termed "sacrificial veneer" and it was intended to make future (and inevitable) repairs easier. We stopped doing it I think in about 1999 or 2000, as we improved techniques for removing fingerboards, and the clean look of the Ebony right to the edge of the neck was, well, cleaner! It also allows for the fingerboard to be thicker by the thickness of the veneer.
flatwoundbass
New
Username: flatwoundbass

Post Number: 6
Registered: 8-2011
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 12:43 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks, Mica!

Great to hear it straight from the source...does the headstock veneer look like walnut to you as well?
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 7449
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 12:46 pm:   Edit Post

Yes, that looks like Flame Walnut. It could also be Flame Koa, but it doesn't quite look like Koa to me.
flatwoundbass
New
Username: flatwoundbass

Post Number: 7
Registered: 8-2011
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 1:34 pm:   Edit Post

Thanks again for the mystery solving!...here's a final one...got a guess on the top wood?

Epic 5 top
tmoney61092
Senior Member
Username: tmoney61092

Post Number: 732
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 1:38 pm:   Edit Post

Walnut

~Taylor
flatwoundbass
New
Username: flatwoundbass

Post Number: 8
Registered: 8-2011
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 1:48 pm:   Edit Post

Just plain walnut, or would this be considered burl or flame or ???
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 7450
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 - 2:36 pm:   Edit Post

California Walnut
flatwoundbass
New
Username: flatwoundbass

Post Number: 9
Registered: 8-2011
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2011 - 9:53 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Mica for your expertise and helpfulness!
hifiguy
Advanced Member
Username: hifiguy

Post Number: 320
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2011 - 10:13 am:   Edit Post

Now that was interesting! I've always wondered why there seemed to be a paper thin maple veneer between the fretboard and neck of my '97 Stanley Sig Std. even though it doesn't have LEDs.

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