color of ebony a problem indicator?

[woodamand]

I recently played a shen bass where the ebony fingerboard was strickingly striated with lighter stripes. I thought this was great, but I mentioned it to someone who said that when you have this condition its actually bad for the neck. He said something like the wood was not as strong.
Is this accurate in any sense, or was he just pulling my leg?

[woodamand]

thanks Ken!

[jfv]

Wow quite a beautiful bass Ken, but every time I
look at those 6 string and up electric jobs I get
a backache just THINKING about hefting it about

[MarkRubin]

Originally Posted by woodamand

I recently played a shen bass where the ebony fingerboard was strickingly striated with lighter stripes. I thought this was great, but I mentioned it to someone who said that when you have this condition its actually bad for the neck. He said something like the wood was not as strong.
Is this accurate in any sense, or was he just pulling my leg?

Ken, as per usual, is the voice of authority on that.

I'm actually glad when I see the stripes in the ebony. It tells me the maker hasn't stained the fingerboard with boot black, which always wears off. If he covers that up, then what else is he hiding? Ebony is used not for being black, but for being hard. I've encountered fingerboards and tail pieces with the most lovely patterns striped through the ebony actually. More pretty than if planned that way.

[robobass]

Yeah, but how do you know that those stripes aren't themselves just paint? Have you seen some of these modern Italian jobs that have these tiger maple sides that start to fade up near the neck? Come to think of it, I think I've seen small Poellmann's do the same thing...
Robobass
.

[Jeff Bollbach]

Jet black ebony used to be the best and the straightest, not any more. The single most important factor that should concern the luthier and the player is how straight the grain is.