This refers to a darker piece of walnut that is added to Fender maple necks once the truss rod has been fitted inside the channel routed out for it. The contrast of a thin dark brown stripe against the blonde maple at some point led to it being called (affectionately) a “skunk stripe.” Necks which have separate fingerboards (usually rosewood) have the truss rod installed from the front side of the neck, so that these instruments do not have the stripe.
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