Fretless Banjo Marker Inlays

[Derek Thorpe]

I have recently acquired an old 6 string Fretless Banjo (no name). It does however require some renovation to a few of the markers. I understand these were mainly boxwood or sandalwood.

I would welcome any information re the best way to do this. The neck appears to be mahogany.

Photo attached,

Thanks in advance

Drek

[Grahame Myers]

Don't know what wood that is, but when you've found a match for it, you need to make veneer strips (with a thickness sander, plane, or re-sawing if you have a good bandsaw), and then glue them in using Titebond, HHG, or whatever you use.
You could also look around for wood veneer strips used in furniture making, depending on your possibilities with the suppliers you have in your area. To finish,chisel the pieces flat to the fretboard, and then sand flush to finish. It could also be easier to use a completly new piece for the markerinlays where a piece is missing, depends on how good the match is between new and old, and how easy the old ones come out.

Grahame

[Derek Thorpe]

Thank you Grahame, The furniture making source looks promising. The total cross section of the inlays is no more than 1mm x 1mm so a piece of 1.5 mm veneer cut down and sanded to size width may do the trick. I just need to get a fairly good match or simply accept it is a repair and do the minimum. Watch this space as they say. Drek

[Paul Breen]

I wouldn't worry so much about matching wood species for the inlay. Even if you use the same kind of wood, you will still have to adjust color with whatever you use for finish. The existing wood has a 100 years of grime and UV light altering the original color.

[Derek Thorpe]

Hi Paul, Thanks for your suggestion. I think we are thinking along the same lines, Drek

[Mike Kolb]

Hi Derek.... I've had good luck with "Constantines Wood Center" out of FL for mail-order wood, marquetry and inlay stuff. Noodle-around on their website and see if anything they have carry may strike your fancy. They used-to send out a nice catalog on request, but that may have gone away with the advent of internet ordering.

http://www.constantines.com/

[Derek Thorpe]

Hi Mike, Thanks for your response and the info, Drek

[Greg Mirken]

If this is an antique piece (100 years or so) I would follow the antique conservation concept that a visible patch is preferable to altering the originality of the piece to achieve a better look. Don't remove strips that are still there in good shape, and try not to disturb the patina of the fingerboard surface.

[Derek Thorpe]

Hi Greg, You are correct I think in assuming great age for this piece, circa 1870 I would have thought and 99.9% of the markings are very good. This afternoon I tried a couple of unglued hardwood inlays just as an exercise to see what it would look like and although they are lighter in colour, they looked ok and the remainder of the fingerboard remains undamaged as a result. I shall pursue this line of action. Its good to be reassured by someone else, thank you , Drek

[Greg Mirken]

Great, Derek. A little matching stain applied to the strips before installing is appropriate. If they fit right, you should be able to wipe a little water-soluble glue (hide glue is perfect, but plain old Elmer's is OK) on the pieces, and using something flat to bridge the gap, press or tap them level. No sanding needed.