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I have a maple/maple Warmoth strat neck (pretty blah). My friend does custom airbrushing and painting on cars and motorcycles. I'm gonna get him to paint some flames on the headstock and back of the neck. Can you airbrush the fretboard? I know you'd probably have to take the frets off to airbrush the entire thing, but can you airbrush some small designs on it? Would the strings rub off the paint? It has 6105 tall thin frets.

it's likely to rub off over time, I wouldnt' recommend it. It would be very hard to do without making it look horrible.

I say go for it! The paint would rub off the frets rather quickly, but that might look cool.


Originally Posted by Xeromusit's likely to rub off over time, I wouldnt' recommend it. It would be very hard to do without making it look horrible.

Well I'm not the one who is going to be doing it. My freind who paints cars and motorcycles is.

You could give it a shot I suppose. Check out XSSIVE's axes. He had flame inlays put into his telecaster.


Originally Posted by XeromusYou could give it a shot I suppose. Check out XSSIVE's axes. He had flame inlays put into his telecaster.

Inlays would be the best way to go, but I would have to pay someone to do them. My friend mark will paint it for me for very little money. It's gonna look pretty bada$$ no matter what, with the flamed headstock and back, but I was just wondering about the fretboard.

Oh yeah I forgot, it would be clear coated.

GMP sometimes paints their fretboards, check out their website


Originally Posted by FireBros.GMP sometimes paints their fretboards, check out their website

Thanks Firebros. The green sg looks like it's fretboard is painted.
from : localhost/www.gmpguitars.com/customshop.html

Billy Gibbons of ZZ-Top used to have guitars with painted finger boards I think. If you clear coat it I cant see why it shouldnt work. I would give it a try.

Cane be done without issues and ahas been done hundreds of times before....the frets keep your fingers off the paint, so that stays for a while, and the paint over the frets just chips off while playing.

Amir Derakh´s quot;WArbirdquot; strats are a good example, both of these are over 15 years old

Sounds good. I think I'll give it a shot. If I was doing it myself I would be a little cautious, but my buddy Mark should be able to handle just fine.

I've played Rics with laquered boards and frets, its a strange feel to be sure. I'd paint and clear coat the frets and all and then have the frets dressed to get the paint off. If it was a guitar I was planning to keep and keep nice I'd get new frets installed but not leveled and then after the paint work was done I've have them leveled and dressed.

Apparently, Fender thinks it's ok:

Originally Posted by ArtieTooApparently, Fender thinks it's ok:
Wtf is that???

Fender So-Cal speedshop

Seeing how nearly all maple boards are finished, I don't know why it wouldn't work - especially if the entire neck is cleacoated.

I'm digging that strat, too. That's hot.

If you clear over it you shouldn't have any problems. Some 0000 steel wool can get your frets cleaned up pretty quickly, or as was previously said just get them dressed.