Fender P - Maple vs Ebony

[REMBO]

The Ebony One Is Killer! Get That Now!

 

[4stringfarley]

I have the ebony. You’re not paying the premium for it being a special run. You’re paying the premium for a more expensive wood. I’m planing on ripping the frets out of mine so it’ll get played more.

 

[ezstep]

I have one bass with a maple f/b. I have two basses with ebony f/b. My vote would be ebony. It is harder than maple.

 

[mikewalker]

ebony!!! ...tens of thousands of bass viols can't be wrong

 

[neddyrow]

I’d buy the ebony and take the bass to my luthier and have it defretted. It’s the logical solution.

 

[WillyW]

Ebony for sure.

being a Gibson fan and only having choices of rosewood and ebony I used to think maple would be so neat to have because they looked cool… then I got a few maple, and discovered I prefer what I had all along…

 

[Jeff K]

Can't help you with your choice. Go with the one you like the best.

For some reason, probably 90% of the P's I've owned over the years have had maple boards. Probably 90% of the Jazzes I've owned have had rosewood boards. It just seems to work out that way for me.

Some will disagree, but sonically, I don't think it really matters. And the audience sure won't know or care. So go with your aesthetic choice if they both sound good to you.

 

[Element Zero]

That nearly murdered out ebony P looks friggin dope.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I wouldn’t want an ebony fingerboard on a P.

 

[Hawk256]

I seem to be in the minority but always prefered a maple fret board.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

That black bass looks cool!

 

[JakobT]

What’s the point of an ebony fb if it has frets!!?

Some people like a darker fretboard.

How much harder does ebony resist truss adjustment?

Nothing you’d notice.

Would it make your bass more neck heavy?

No.

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

A poll might do good to this thread. I subjectively prefer maple, all of my current basses are maple.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

This is more of a personal preference thing ...

I have never been completely comfortable with instruments with maple fingerboards. I know that puts me in the minority, but I just kind of feel like they're a little bit too "slick".

Yes, I have instruments with maple fingerboards (most, bought used so not exactly "spoiled for choice), but I don't like them as much as I like my other instruments (same models) with Ebony or Panga-Panga or Rosewood or Jatoba, even fingerboards.

Full disclosure: one of my favorite fingerboards I ever owned was Richlite. Many poo-poo that idea, but I have never been one to let what others think influence what I know to be right (for me).

 

[Jason Sypher]

Ebony guy here but I might add that there could be some other pickguards that might be interesting to me

 

[sonojono]

This might help you out OP



WARNING!!

The all black design is a fingerprint magnet so have a cleaning cloth with you at all times

 

[logdrum]

I just bought a black Geddy Lee body with black pickguard and I am paring it with a fretless ebony fingerboard neck. The seller said he will also send a pearloid pickguard. For the first time in my life, I am being vain about color. But it turns out to be black and white. The other bass with maple neck has a white body and black pickguard.

I only buy used and don't care what color. Sometimes they are nice.

Back to you, I do find maple fretboard to have a rounder attack and not as sharp as ebony. I prefer ebony but maple sound wise is great as well

 

[selowitch]

I would choose maple because ebony tends to be overly bright and clacky for my tastes.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Get the black beauty . Invest in a nice mirror pickguard for when you are in that mood.

 

[JakobT]

Get the black beauty . Invest in a nice mirror pickguard for when you are in that mood.

I'm not really a single-ply pickguard fan as a rule, but the black one on this bass looks amazing. It's definitely one of my favourite P-bass looks ever.