Macassar Ebony vs Pau Farro for fingerboards.

[Surf n Music]

Has anyone had both of these to compare as far as feel and sound. I am going back and forth on a custom order I want and just looking for experiences others have had. Going to go on a SSS style strat. 

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I have Pau Ferro fingerboards on 4 guitars and one Macassar fingerboard on my baritone.

The feel is the same. So for me it would be a purely cosmetic choice.

Can't comment on the sound. I don't believe that wood species behave "snappy, dark, bright, transparent, etc, etc" as a fact in any predictable way.

 

[Cagey]

I can tell you that a black Ebony fretboard over Pau Ferro neck meat is nothing less than sex on stick. If you don't like that, you just just don't like playable guitars. They don't give them away, but it's probably the best money you'll ever spend on a neck, or even a guitar for that matter. I'm not kidding. If you think you might like such a thing and haven't got the money at the moment, save up until you do. Please, please be smart and pony up the $20 premium for stainless frets. You won't be sorry, I guarantee you.

If you have some other neck meat in mind, then there's little difference between Pau Ferro and Macassar Ebony for the fretboard. It is as Sustainer Player says - a matter of aesthetics. Depending on your body, your go fancier or simpler. Fancy bodies call for conservative necks, and vice-versa. Otherwise, it's liable to look too busy.

 

[bagman67]

I have not done the PF fingerboard thing yet, but my vote is in for ebony (macassar or otherwise) as the most reliably awesome fingerboard material going (within the parameters of my own experience).

 

[Cagey]

Incidentally, when it comes to aesthetics, you nay want to consider Kingwood or Ziricote. They're also very dense hard woods that will feel like Ebony, but offer some interesting grain/color patterns.

 

[Cagey]

I have not done the PF fingerboard thing yet, but my vote is in for ebony (macassar or otherwise) as the most reliably awesome fingerboard material going (within the parameters of my own experience).

I built a Tele for somebody not too long ago that had a Pau Ferro 'board, and it was nice. But, you're right. You can never go wrong with Ebony. It's so dense, it's almost like plastic, and it's so hard that it resists wear. Lovely stuff, and one of my favorite woods. One of these days, I'm gonna snatch one of those all Ebony necks Warmoth offers from time to time if for no other reason than to say I have one. Kinda like a Zephyr pickup <grin>

 

[bagman67]

Cagey, that strat body I posted pix of yesterday is getting my Carvin maple'n'ebony neck.  You may or may not recall I showed a mockup of the body with the originally intended wenge/ebony neck, and it just looked to dark overally.  The maple shaft makes all the right difference.  Applying a gentle film of Tru-Oil and then I get to do my very first ever neck-heel drill job.  I know I should have approached it in the opposite order, but you know how it can be when you finally get motivated to move on a project... damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!




Anyway, though - yes, ebony.  Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM, nor for opting for ebony in the absence of other information.

 

[Surf n Music]

Good I was leaning towards ebony. I just wanted to hear some experiences with them both. With both being equal I like the gran patterns better of the macassar. I think it would look good with a tobacco burst alder body... I guess we will see.  I think I am going to try a roasted mable neck with the ebony fretboard and see what happens.

 

[bagman67]

Macassar can do some lovely tricks.  Here's an example from Updown's Stormtrooper guitar:

 

[Surf n Music]

Ohh wow! That is super nice. I would be stoked on that.

 

[line6man]

I have one of each, and prefer the Macassar Ebony. That being said, the feel is similar enough that the advantage isn't significant. Also, you are wasting time to even consider the tonality of a fretboard alone. There are too many other factors that weigh into tonality, and it won't be a significant difference to begin with. My vote goes for picking whichever wood you find most attractive.

 

[Cagey]

Actually, I think he got that one off the Showcase. If so, I can't imagine it was on there for much more than 38 nanoseconds before he snatched it. Absolutely gorgeous piece. It's what you dream about when Macassar Ebony is the subject.

 

[bagman67]

A quieter macassar fingerboard, found it in the showcase:

 

[Cagey]

Cagey, that strat body I posted pix of yesterday is getting my Carvin maple'n'ebony neck.  You may or may not recall I showed a mockup of the body with the originally intended wenge/ebony neck, and it just looked to dark overally.  The maple shaft makes all the right difference.  Applying a gentle film of Tru-Oil and then I get to do my very first ever neck-heel drill job.  I know I should have approached it in the opposite order, but you know how it can be when you finally get motivated to move on a project... damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!

Anyway, though - yes, ebony.  Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM, nor for opting for ebony in the absence of other information.

Not sure what you mean by your "first ever neck-heel job". Did you have to drill for the attachment holes, or to install inserts? I suspect you mean attachment holes, as it seems to me I had to do that for mine.

Funny you should mention the Carvin Ebony over Maple necks. I just sold one I had this week. Nice parts, and a helluva deal if you like their specs. I had shot it with satin poly from a rattle can, so it was sort of a "misfit part" thing. But, the guy loved it so it's all good. Gotta love Carvin.

 

[bagman67]

Yep, gotta drill for attachment holes.  Carvin doesn't sell 'em pre-drilled as parts.


Had a Carvin Bolt-T for a few years and really liked the neck.  I was happy when I walked into a high-end boutique last fall and saw this brand new Carvin neck hanging on the wall for 59 bucks.  it's slab-sawn, but the grain is pretty even - growth rings pretty much all parallel to the fingerboard, when you look at the heel end.  Which means at the headstock end, since they do a tilt headstock, there's a nice, regular ripple pattern to the grain.  A lot more subtle than your typical figured maple.


I reckon I'm a week or so away from actually having it in service.  I'll post pics (maybe even some of the progress on the job) as time permits.

 

[line6man]

It's what you dream about when Macassar Ebony is the subject.

Not necessarily. When I built my Walnut/Maple/Bubinga/Rosewood/Ebony HSH Strat Of Beauty, (I'm calling it that now.  :guitarplayer2 I was torn between solid black Ebony and something with a touch of streaking. I ended up with a piece of Macassar from the unique choice gallery that was perfect for the guitar. Plain and simple, like black Ebony, but with just the right amount of caramel streaking to be interesting.

For the record, that piece is indeed spectacular, but my point is, Macassar can be nice both figured and plain.

 

[bagman67]

It ain't carmelized maple, but it's a nice tan color, and it just showed up today:


http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Path=Neck&i=SN16892

 

[Cagey]

That is a beautiful piece.

 

[Cagey]

I was talking about Line6Man's neck. Yours looks like roadkill. Wait... did I say that out loud?



Just kidding. You're very fortunate. That's a very attractive piece as well.

 

[Surf n Music]

Well I ordered it. I got a highly figured piece on a quartersawn piece of roasted maple with a warhead head stock. Now the wait begins  :sad: