I'd go ebony and immediately swap out for a tort pickguard. Pity the headstock is painted black though. Would look better natural with the black body and a tort guard. Tort makes anything look better though overall anyway.
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Fender P - Maple vs Ebony
- Thread starter Just2play
- Start date
For me, ebony is the ultimate in good looking fretboards. Tort on black is such a classy look. If I price wasn’t an issue it would definitely be ebony.
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- Aug 21, 2003
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- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
This…
At the end of the day, get what you like. If 140 Euros is NOT life changing for you then it’s a simple decision.
Have fun and enjoy
I don't think you'd hear much sound difference in the real world, especially in a band mix. That said, I like the way ebony feels, and in this case looks great with the painted headstock and black body.
But my real answer is..ebony is snappier than maple. They are both bright. There's really not a wrong choice between good maple and good ebony, both very hard woods that slap and pop well.
There are several reasons ebony is not often used as a fretboard: it's very heavy, expensive and brittle to work with. Even changing a nut can turn into something complicated if you've never worked with it. Tone wise it's dry and snappy. I personally prefer rosewood, maple and even Pau Ferro.
Yeah, that would be an instant buy from me if it was a black matte finish (and I was into Fender or Fender-like P basses), but a black glossy finish can get gross looking unless you're constantly wiping it down.
It does look very cool in all black, though. And this is from someone who hates the idea of pickguards!
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Yeah, that would be an instant buy from me if it was a black matte finish (and I was into Fender or Fender-like P basses), but a black glossy finish can get gross looking unless you're constantly wiping it down.
It does look very cool in all black, though. And this is from someone who hates the idea of pickguards!
That's why there's eight horses in a race!
Wanna trade?
Black one looks pretty freakin awesome...I'm a big maple fan, but even I have to bow to the awesomeness of that ebony setup. 
Try both basses. One might resonate better than the other, really no way of telling unless you try both.
In theory, I’d go for the Ebony. But in practice, you will have to try both.
In theory, I’d go for the Ebony. But in practice, you will have to try both.
It's simple. Buy the one that you're absolutely sure that you cannot live without.
Next question?
Personally, I bought the one P-Bass I own - a lefty '78, with the Jazz Bass-sized "A" neck that was an option then, because of the neck; and because it belonged to a friend who needed the money. And, in all the years since? I've never picked up another P-Bass that I wanted to spend the $$ on... So, I just bought a whole bunch of other, different basses, instead. Some of which do have ebony fretboards; but, that's not what I bought them for...
Next question?
Personally, I bought the one P-Bass I own - a lefty '78, with the Jazz Bass-sized "A" neck that was an option then, because of the neck; and because it belonged to a friend who needed the money. And, in all the years since? I've never picked up another P-Bass that I wanted to spend the $$ on... So, I just bought a whole bunch of other, different basses, instead. Some of which do have ebony fretboards; but, that's not what I bought them for...
I can't do all black, it would be full of smudge marks, and they don't show up well on stage.
Love the other one 'cept for the white pickguard..
TORT!!!
Love the other one 'cept for the white pickguard..
TORT!!!
I bought one of the Ebony LE’s last summer when MF had them for $799. I love that bass! Alembic Supreme Polish is the answer for smudges on black basses. Makes them smudge-proof!
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You see lots of sunbursts like that with maple necks and the ugly parchment pickguards, but you don't see the all black black MIM precisions hardly at all. With a matching headstock. If you have a 2017 Noir all black, they sell easily good luck finding one. An Ebony board would be even better IMO
