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Fretted ebony board

#2
After rosewood and maple it seems like ebony is the next most common option. I have ebony on one of my basses. I see no fault with it. (It just looks great)

Warmoth have lots of necks in stock with ebony FB as well.
 
#6
Steveman said:
Ebony is much more expensive and harder to work with than Rosewood / Maple
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Its not that much more expensive than rosewood, and its not hard at all to work with.

I think its less common as a fingerboard because Maple and Rosewood are more traditional, and people don't like to do different things.
 
#7
Hopkins said:
Its not that much more expensive than rosewood, and its not hard at all to work with.

I think its less common as a fingerboard because Maple and Rosewood are more traditional, and people don't like to do different things.
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Well Ebony is one of the most expensive woods to get. And it's one of the hardest, so not easy to work on.

I also should mention that it's used alot on basses that are build for massive sounds. Not really as in metal, but because of the hardness, the notes seem to ''bounce off'' the fretboard. Depending on taste, people like warmer tones more like Rosewood, Maple or Pau Ferro..
 
#8
Ebony is about as traditional as fingerboard wood gets. Violins and such have been made with ebony boards for centuries.

But then....medieval ancestors of guitars were often made with maple boards (and maple frets).
 
#9
It raelly depends. If you look at the guitars metal musicians favor, quite a lot of them have ebony fretboards. One of my Stingrays, and my Ovation magnum both have ebony fretted boards btw.
There was also a time when ebony was more traditional. The maple thing is pretty much an invention of Leo Fender.
 
#10
HaMMerHeD said:
Ebony is about as traditional as fingerboard wood gets. Violins and such have been made with ebony boards for centuries.

But then....medieval ancestors of guitars were often made with maple boards (and maple frets).
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I meant traditional as in, Fender or Gibson didn't use it.

Yes, its hard wood, but It saws nicely, it doesn't plug sand paper as bad as some woods, and it doesn't tear out as bad as some woods. As a finger board it doesn't need a finish. I don't find it all that difficult to work with really.
 
#11
Hopkins said:
I meant traditional as in, Fender or Gibson didn't use it.

Yes, its hard wood, but It saws nicely, it doesn't plug sand paper as bad as some woods, and it doesn't tear out as bad as some woods. As a finger board it doesn't need a finish. I don't find it all that difficult to work with really.
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So what about that epoxy layer for fretless basses? Is that for extra protection, not damaging the wood?
 
#19
I have an ebony fretted bass:

DSCN2554.jpg


and LOVE it!

as a friend discussed his recent fretted ebony...it has "snap"....very different sound that RW or maple to me...
 
#20
I'll be a repeater... Carvin offers ebony fretted boards as the standard... I paid to upgrade my LB76 to flamed maple... I don't know who told you this was uncommon but they might be crazy...

In regards to why Fender doesn't, there are so many other woods and combos Fender does not offer, why pick that one?

I'll get my flame suit on here, but if your going that route, why not ask why neck-thru basses are not a typical option?
 

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