Considering an Ebony Fretboard

[PackerBhoy]

Hi everyone,

For our son's 18th birthday, he's pretty excited that our gift to him will be a guitar he can design at Warmoth.

He's thinking about getting an ebony fretboard, but I don't know too much about them.  So, in a quick search on the web (not reliable, I know), I saw some things that put up some red flags for me.  So I'm hoping that people with some experience or knowledge about ebony fretboards can set us straight.

The four things that I saw on the web that caused me some concern is that ebony 1) has a greater chance of making the neck too heavy, unbalancing the guitar; 2) it makes the guitar too bright sounding; 3) it is prone to cracking when overly dry; and 4) that it is difficult to keep its "shiny" look and feel, so it needs to be treated more regularly than other woods (how much, I don't know).

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

alex

 

[Cagey]

Personally, I love ebony fingerboards. If I've owned 100 guitars, 90 of them have had ebony 'boards. None of them have cracked, none of them have worn. The wood is very hard and smooth, and it does impart a somewhat "bright" tone, although it's not overpowering. More like just some added articulation, which I consider a Good Thing. You can always filter out detail or destroy it with overpowered pickups, but you can't add it in if it doesn't exist in the first place.

It's typically very black, so it matches anything. I imagine it adds a little weight, since ebony is so dense, but we're only talking about a part 1/4" thick, less than 2" wide, and about 18" long. How much can it weigh? Considering the other woods aren't weightless, we're only talking about a differential here, which might add up to a couple/few ounces in additional weight. If that's gonna make a difference, you've probably got other problems <grin>

It's not an inexpensive wood, so if you'd rather something with a more distinctive appearance than black and can live with the characteristics I've described, then you may want to consider pau ferro, ironwood, or ziricote.

 

[PackerBhoy]

Thanks for that--  you seem to have a lot of experience with ebony, and I appreciate your help!

alex

 

[PackerBhoy]

Another thing I'd like to know is...does it have a "raw" feel to it, like rosewood?  Or is it more like the feel of a glossy maple neck (like a Strat)?

alex

 

[nexrex]

I have 2 Warmoths with ebony fretboards (1 jet black and the other macassar ebony), and haven't experienced any of the so called problems you listed.

As Cagey mentioned it's not like the whole neck is made out of it, just a 1/4 inch board. So the weight issue is a moot point.. It is a little brighter sounding than rosewood, but not too much. It a satin like finish to it, but so do most rosewoods. never heard of it cracking, and a little bit of lemon oil every so often does go a long way..

 

[nexrex]

Another thing I'd like to know is...does it have a "raw" feel to it, like rosewood?  Or is it more like the feel of a glossy maple neck (like a Strat)?

alex

I would say its somewhere in between. It doesn't have the big pores like rosewood, but it probably not as slick feeling as gloss maple. This can be a good or bad thing. Personally I find gloss maple fingerboards feel too sticky for my liking, and prefer the more satin felling woods.

 

[PackerBhoy]

Thanks, "Aussie Paul" (I'm watching the tennis all the way from Scotland right now).

Which of the two ebony fretboards do you prefer--  the jet black or the macassar?  Is there much difference?

alex in scotland

 

[Cagey]

Another thing I'd like to know is...does it have a "raw" feel to it, like rosewood?  Or is it more like the feel of a glossy maple neck (like a Strat)?

It's very smooth, sometimes to the point where it almost doesn't even feel like wood. There's no "give" to it at all; it's one of the hardest woods extant. When you cut/mill it, it doesn't make sawdust, it makes saw powder. To me, an ebony 'board gives you sense of being in better control, because it's not getting your way at all. Between that and some SS frets, the only thing holding you back is you.

 

[bagman67]

As between Macassar and jet black (Gaboon?) ebony, I doubt you'll hear or feel a difference - go with what you find visually appealing.  Jet black is, well, jet black... and macassar has rosy to yellowish striations or markings in it.

 

[nexrex]

Thanks, "Aussie Paul" (I'm watching the tennis all the way from Scotland right now).

Which of the two ebony fretboards do you prefer--  the jet black or the macassar?  Is there much difference?

alex in scotland

I cannot say there is much of a differance feel wise between the two. Visually, macassar does have the nice striped looking grain pattern.
Like this:

 

[PackerBhoy]

That's really great of you to post the pic--  in reading about macassar fretboards, I had wondered what was meant when one person wrote that some of them had a "chocolate streak" in them.  They never mentioned jet black fretboards having the streaks, so I would imagine that they would just be as its name suggests, being completely black.

 

[B3Guy]

I would second what Cagey said, Pau Ferro is very similar to Ebony. It is light/dark brown streaked, not black, but it otherwise is much the same feel. I have played on both, and I prefer Pau Ferro, but purely for looks, I think it's pretty.  :icon_thumright:

 

[PackerBhoy]

Any special kind of care or treatment necessary for an ebony fretboard?

alex

 

[bagman67]

I'll get a photo of my new macassar fretboard up shortly - it's got a nice chocolatey streak that runs the length of it.  Mmmm, delicious!

 

[crash]

Sometimes ebony will not be all black.  It can have some brown streaks.

 

[tfarny]

Ebony is a top wood to use for fingerboards - it is the standard fingerboard wood for high end acoustics and for fine classical instruments too. Hard as a rock, smooth, a top end wood. No disadvantages to ebony that I have seen. Pao Ferro and Kingwood have similar hardness and slickness.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

If you're worried about Ebony being too bright, if it's on a Maple neck the brightness won't stand out as much because Maple is bright as well.  On a mahogany neck like a Gibby LP Custom, it does brighten it up....so I'm told.

If you want just black Ebony, you have to spec Jet Black Ebony and there's a $35 upcharge.  Maple neck and Pao Ferro fretboard is on the SRV sig model, if you've seen one of those in your neck of the woods for comparison.

This is kind of related all to building your son's guitar, so you just keep that thread going.  When you start thining about body woods and finishes, you won't need a new thread either.  This is all the same subject.

 

[PackerBhoy]

I appreciate the input, that you see no disadvantages to an ebony fretboard.  I'm so glad I found this website, to get an accurate view of things.

I looked up the SRV Strat on the Fender website.  There wasn't a side-view of the guitar, but it got me to wonder...would the light color of a maple neck not be kind of awkward looking with a jet black ebony fretboard?  In my mind, I see too much of a contrast.

alex

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Jet Black Ebony is blacker than if you just orderd "Ebony," which might have brown streaks in it.  I just made the clarification to save disappointment if you were wanting black and it was brown or vice versa.  If the Maple neck had the Vintage Tint on it, it would have an amber hue, so the black (if you spec'd that) wouldn't contrast as much to the stark whiteness of plain or a clear gloss Maple finish.  Here's some of the pics of Warmoth's "Unique Choice" upgraded Ebony boards.  With these, the one you order is what you get; disclaimer, they choose the best fitment which require some sanding cutting so the piece although the same might look different.


Just click on the different varieties of Ebony on the Unique Choice section at the bottom of the page.  They're not all the same.  Check out the Ziricote while you're at it.  Your son may have only thought he wanted Ebony, lol.
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/Strat_WarmothPro.aspx

 

[OzziePete]

I have a couple of guitars with ebony fretboards & agree with above comments made. I live in Australia in what is probably best described as a temperate environment so wood getting dry and cracking would mean putting it out in the weather 24/7....I think if you live in a dry environment like say, Arizona in the USA (that's the impression I get of Arizona - I've never been there, so if I am wrong I apologise for stereotyping the state), then maybe some care might need to be taken with ebony..

For care of the fretboard, I have been advised only to put a couple of small drops of lemon tree oil on the board and smear it all over evenly, on occassions that it might need some TLC. Wouldn't put anything like furniture polish etc. on a fretboard, it may soak into the wood & end up deadening the wood tonewise!

My own take (my 2c worth) on ebony is that it is a bright sounding wood and slightly brighter than maple. It is definietly more brighter than rosewood used in the same application (fretboard). I used it on a 24.75" conversion scale neck Tele to bring back some twang and snap that I might have lost by going to a smaller scale (Teles are usually 25.5" scale) & to my ears that seemed to work. I do find however, that the ebony wood under the playing fingers does feel harder than say rosewood (like, the rosewood has some sponginess to it while the ebony is hard as) and that may take some adjustment. Long playing sessions may hurt! :icon_thumright: