I guess one person's "ordinary boring" is another's "classic."
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Fender P - Maple vs Ebony
- Thread starter Just2play
- Start date
I have a couple P’s that look like the burst/maple one.
but gosh. How can you not get the ebony one, put black hardware and black tapes on it?
but gosh. How can you not get the ebony one, put black hardware and black tapes on it?
It’s probably witchcraft but I’ve owned several basses with ebony boards and I’ve found that it does not agree with me. It’s the feel (I think?).
But you’re not me, so maybe you’ll love it! I tend to gravitate towards certain wood types because they’ve worked for me previously, but I don’t think they have a consistently trackable impact on tone. Also this is anecdotal and you should take it with a grain of kosher salt.
But you’re not me, so maybe you’ll love it! I tend to gravitate towards certain wood types because they’ve worked for me previously, but I don’t think they have a consistently trackable impact on tone. Also this is anecdotal and you should take it with a grain of kosher salt.
Correct answer is of course "both". But if I had one bass only, it would be black 
They both look great.
They both look great.
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I love an ebony board. But which body color do you prefer? That changes the comparison a bit to more than just fingerboard/price.
I think you might also be asking, "is an ebony board worth that much of an upcharge over maple"? Ebony is generally more expensive. But is it worth it to YOU?
I think you might also be asking, "is an ebony board worth that much of an upcharge over maple"? Ebony is generally more expensive. But is it worth it to YOU?
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Both are nice, but sunburst with maple neck is a KILLER combination.
Mr.Ace
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I’m an ebony and maple fan.
My collection as 3 ebony, 2 maple.
Get both!
My collection as 3 ebony, 2 maple.
Get both!
Thank you all for the replies and feedback! You gave me some valuable info and food for thought about the maple - ebony issue. Just for the record, I like them both. The black's badass look as well as the sunburst's classic look...maybe without the pickguard.
A third option would be the 3 color sunburst with Pau Ferro fretboard which has the same price as the maple. Any considerations about this?
Anyway... I will delay my purchase for some time. I think I need it.
Thank you all again!
A third option would be the 3 color sunburst with Pau Ferro fretboard which has the same price as the maple. Any considerations about this?
Anyway... I will delay my purchase for some time. I think I need it.
Thank you all again!
Attachments
They will all play the same and sound virtually identical, so get the one you like. A word of advice, though - if you want the Ebony Limited Edition you should move quickly, because it’s - well - in limited supply, and won’t be around forever. It was introduced late last year, and is sold out in many places by now.Thank you all for the replies and feedback! You gave me some valuable info and food for thought about the maple - ebony issue. Just for the record, I like them both. The black's badass look as well as the sunburst's classic look...maybe without the pickguard.
A third option would be the 3 color sunburst with Pau Ferro fretboard which has the same price as the maple. Any considerations about this?
Anyway... I will delay my purchase for some time. I think I need it.
Thank you all again!
From Fender's official site:
The pau ferro fingerboard.
A great wood for instrument fingerboards, pau ferro is a South American tonewood with a smooth feel and sonic characteristics similar to rosewood, but lighter in color and harder.
Pau ferro’s warm tone is tempered by its snappy attack, creating a crisp, clear sound ideal for fingerboards.
Pau ferro is actually called ‘Bolivian rosewood’ in some circles, and we’ve used it on models in the past,” said Senior Vice President of Fender Products Justin Norvell. “It’s actually been used as a well-known alternative for rosewood for a long time, and it’s often available in wider widths, so we used it on a lot of our five-string basses in the ‘90s. It’s a wood we’re familiar with.
The pau ferro fingerboard.
A great wood for instrument fingerboards, pau ferro is a South American tonewood with a smooth feel and sonic characteristics similar to rosewood, but lighter in color and harder.
Pau ferro’s warm tone is tempered by its snappy attack, creating a crisp, clear sound ideal for fingerboards.
Pau ferro is actually called ‘Bolivian rosewood’ in some circles, and we’ve used it on models in the past,” said Senior Vice President of Fender Products Justin Norvell. “It’s actually been used as a well-known alternative for rosewood for a long time, and it’s often available in wider widths, so we used it on a lot of our five-string basses in the ‘90s. It’s a wood we’re familiar with.
