Topmusicanswers
Should you lacquer fretboard?
Typically looking at a significant increase in the price for a repair tech to do the work, and a few weeks of labor if you do it yourself. Lacquer on the fretboard is only done to keep it clean, dark woods won't show dirt like maple does.
Why are maple fretboards lacquered?
You can lacquer any wood and it'll protect the surface just fine, but there are some woods like rosewoods that don't need it because their natural oils and hardness naturally resist wear and decay. Maple on the other hand does need a finish to resist decay because it's much less oily than rosewoods.
Are maple necks lacquered?
A: Generally, the maple necks (along with the fingerboards and headstocks) on most modern Fender guitars won't get darker with age. ... First, older Fender guitars (i.e., those from the 1950s and '60s) had a nitrocellulose lacquer finish that tends to darken with age.
