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Double Bass Is the fingerboard real ebony?
- Thread starter CharleyJackson
- Start date
There should be SOME grain thats showing, even in a very fine grain piece of ebony. Unless it’s been tinted or coated.
Try looking at the end of the fretboard, looking from the bridge end of the base towards the neck end. Necessary, get out of bright flashlight and a magnifying glass. It can be pretty dim. I own a couple of thick slab Ebony fretboards that are very dark naturally that kind of ebony is not used all that much anymore on electric basses. And perhaps last night if it’s for any sort of maker of any decent reputation, there should be no question about it. I forgot for a moment I was in Luther’s corner. If you’re buying raw wood for a project, I wouldn’t deal with anybody but a very reputable dealer. Ebony is a protected species now.
Try looking at the end of the fretboard, looking from the bridge end of the base towards the neck end. Necessary, get out of bright flashlight and a magnifying glass. It can be pretty dim. I own a couple of thick slab Ebony fretboards that are very dark naturally that kind of ebony is not used all that much anymore on electric basses. And perhaps last night if it’s for any sort of maker of any decent reputation, there should be no question about it. I forgot for a moment I was in Luther’s corner. If you’re buying raw wood for a project, I wouldn’t deal with anybody but a very reputable dealer. Ebony is a protected species now.
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"Ebonized" other species will still have wood grain. For that matter much of the ebony out there is ebonized (dyed black) to suit the "100 % black" preference, where it actually has much more interesting colors and patterns "raw."
Checking for that would usually involve some invasive testing to get past the dyed surface layer. Or would show up when work was being done on the fingerboard, more likely.
Checking for that would usually involve some invasive testing to get past the dyed surface layer. Or would show up when work was being done on the fingerboard, more likely.
You can tell when you drill the hole through the fingerboard for the lag bolt to hold the neck together. 
If you're really motivated to find out, you can either play the instrument for 5 to 10 years and look for blonde string tracks, or gently sand some of the surface off of the underside of the fingerboard and look for blonde wood, and then be prepared with black aniline dye or black shoe polish to touch it back up.
If you're really motivated to find out, you can either play the instrument for 5 to 10 years and look for blonde string tracks, or gently sand some of the surface off of the underside of the fingerboard and look for blonde wood, and then be prepared with black aniline dye or black shoe polish to touch it back up.
I ask because so many who know so much more than I recommend this point be considered when purchasing an upright. I confess I don’t have any idea how to confirm. Just an honest question.
The problem is that not all ebony looks the same. I've seen some ebony fingerboards on some instruments in pure black, and some with gray streaks. I've seen some with very fine grain and some with quite course grain. When dyed black, some of the blonde hardwoods look just like some forms of ebony, which is exactly why people dye them black. I've even seen rosewood dyed black to look like ebony. Since often even ebony is dyed for a more pure black appearance, a person would have to work with ebony all the time in order to accurately recognize the difference without cutting into it, like for example, if a person was a double bass luthier.
Also, with a double bass, the fingerboard is one of the items that gets replaced from time to time. Even ebony fingerboards wear, especially with certain kinds of strings -- ruts emerge with playing, and the fingerboard is dressed a number of times for ruts or to accommodate different kinds of strings, and it becomes thin enough that it is time to replace it.
If it were me, and if I was looking at a specific double bass, having appropriately done my research about all of the other more important points, possibly including talking with the instrument's builder or taking it to a luthier to examine its condition, and if I like how it sounds, then at least in my opinion the type of fingerboard wood should not necessarily be the deciding factor for whether or not to acquire the instrument.
Also, with a double bass, the fingerboard is one of the items that gets replaced from time to time. Even ebony fingerboards wear, especially with certain kinds of strings -- ruts emerge with playing, and the fingerboard is dressed a number of times for ruts or to accommodate different kinds of strings, and it becomes thin enough that it is time to replace it.
If it were me, and if I was looking at a specific double bass, having appropriately done my research about all of the other more important points, possibly including talking with the instrument's builder or taking it to a luthier to examine its condition, and if I like how it sounds, then at least in my opinion the type of fingerboard wood should not necessarily be the deciding factor for whether or not to acquire the instrument.
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There are some inaccuracies in the common lore. Still, how do you tell? Grain, tap tone? These would require familiarity with the wood. Ebony is a closed pore wood unlike rosewood or mahogany which are open pore. Maple is also closed pore.
I can’t help beyond that. Too many wood species available and too many manufacturers chasing the dollar. That said ebony is commonly available where other “look alike” woods are less so. There has to be some economy in that.
There are also phenolic boards. Gibson used/uses those. Not sure what they currently do. I think Martin used them too.
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Honestly, I think it's a good question. I'm looking forward to some of the luthiers chiming in on this one. The only way I know to be sure the fingerboard is real ebony is by buying a bass made by a reputable maker.
My banjo has a persimmon fingerboard. I wonder how accomplished a player would have to be to be able to distinguish between ebony, maple, or even synthetic FBs in a blind test? I'd wager it is a pretty darned small percentage of players.
Sincere question back to the OP (and others) - why do you care if it is ebony?
Sincere question back to the OP (and others) - why do you care if it is ebony?
Yes... Martin used them in their D-16RGT line, my wife has one with both a Micarta fingerboard and bridge. It's a cannon and I wouldn't be surprised if the Micarta bridge is the reason.
If you're bass shopping, I can see how it would be nice to be able to spot a non ebony board. Mostly for negotiating price. I wouldn't let a non ebony board be a deal breaker for a bass you love. The main issue with a non ebony board is durability, so you might end up replacing the board some years down the road. A good reason to ask for a lower price.
If you can't recognize ebony by sight (and why would you if you don't work with it), I don't think anyone will be able to tell you how. Just something that comes with experience.
Acoustically, the extreme density of ebony means it produces quite a bit of dampening. While not all dampening is a bad thing, finding an alternative to ebony gets a good amount of attention by acoustics researchers who are interested in making bowed string instruments more acoustically efficient.
One more step down the rabbit hole. The great makers of the golden age of violin making (Stradivarius, Del Gesu, Amati et al) did not use solid ebony fingerboards. If ebony was used it was a veneer over maple.
If you can't recognize ebony by sight (and why would you if you don't work with it), I don't think anyone will be able to tell you how. Just something that comes with experience.
Acoustically, the extreme density of ebony means it produces quite a bit of dampening. While not all dampening is a bad thing, finding an alternative to ebony gets a good amount of attention by acoustics researchers who are interested in making bowed string instruments more acoustically efficient.
One more step down the rabbit hole. The great makers of the golden age of violin making (Stradivarius, Del Gesu, Amati et al) did not use solid ebony fingerboards. If ebony was used it was a veneer over maple.
Just my 2 cents, as always... If the fingerboard has been painted, it's almost certainly not ebony. If it hasn't been painted and is black or mostly black, it's probably ebony.
@Ed S I ask because so many who answer “what to look for when buying a bass” always say make sure it has an ebony finger board. In thinking about that I realized I had no idea how to check.
Had a very expensive electric bass with an ebony fretboard when I was a tyke (a 1970s Alembic) But I only knew that because that’s what the sales guy and accompanying literature stated.
Had a very expensive electric bass with an ebony fretboard when I was a tyke (a 1970s Alembic) But I only knew that because that’s what the sales guy and accompanying literature stated.
Fingerboard wood is a setup choice, with varying ramifications for tone and playability. There's nothing particularly magic about ebony.
The real reason for ebony is that it's real hard and it's wood. Before modern engineering materials, it was about the hardest wood available.
Sadly, for generations, plenty of perfectly good ebony has been essentially thrown away because it wasn't black enough.
I see no inherent reason why one of the various very hard plastics couldn't be used instead, but with all things related to musical instruments, TRADITIONNNNNN trumps common sense, economics, and performance every time.
Sadly, for generations, plenty of perfectly good ebony has been essentially thrown away because it wasn't black enough.
I see no inherent reason why one of the various very hard plastics couldn't be used instead, but with all things related to musical instruments, TRADITIONNNNNN trumps common sense, economics, and performance every time.
The FB on my cheap german ply is maple, and that's not much a concern to me.
I know that at least some slappers prefer the cheap maple fingerboards on low-end Kay basses specifically because they're less hard, and I've seen players express that rosewood boards can be warmer and more expressive. How much of this is clear perception and how much is motivated or just preference isn't something we can say, but I'm confident that there's no One Wood to Rule Them All.
Yeah, rosewood or maple give you a warmer click when slapping. The price of that is more frequent dressings.
