It's awesome that you posted this as that is basically the kind of wood top that I am looking for as well...
OK. I need to make an admission here. This photo was created, in Photoshop, by yours truly.
This is actually PJ's NS-230. And the fingerboard and neck in this image is not real. And the inlays, if you look closely, are NOT the right size.
The wings of this bass and everything else you see is real. But to be able to use PJ's NS-230 on the front cover of the 2011 Spector Print Catalog (the last year Spector did a print catalog), I had to "cheat" the image to make it look like a standard NS-2. And NOT the NS-230, which was no longer available.
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I am leaning towards the Ebony for 3 reasons...a) I have heard it has a tight response to slap/funk b) I've always thought ebony boards just looked sexy and c) I plan on adding a Coda 5 with Bahama Blue/BEM at some point as well. ...in fact, Todd is quoting both a BO 5 MM and a Coda 5LX just to see which one is more in line with my current finances!
Ebony and Pau Ferro are roughly the same density. And very comparable in tone. Pau Ferro is more like Brazilian Rosewood (which is the ultimate wood for fingerboards but is also protected and it's illegal to use) in that it does have a warmer tone than Ebony.
The problem with Ebony, and anyone considering an Ebony fingerboard needs to pay CLOSE attention to what I'm about to say, is that it is a very brittle wood. And you have to keep it hydrated. If it dries, it cracks. And you can't recondition it and bring it back. It'll never be the same.
It's a high-maintenance wood. Unless you live in a humid area where the average humidity is greater than 50% all year... it's going to take work to keep your fingerboard from cracking.
Where I live in Southern California, I have to deep condition an Ebony board every other month.
So think about it carefully. Pau Ferro is more durable, sounds a little warmer (which I prefer) and has roughly the same density, so lows/mids/highs are expressed in a very similar fashion.
I have a few more weeks before anything is set in stone so any ideas suggestions are appreciated!
OK. If you really like the darker look... ask for a darker Pau Ferro stain, or treat your fingerboard with a product like Behlen's fingerboard oil, which will darken your board up with each new application.
Look at the photo below of my NS-4 and The Blue Dream side by side... Look at how much darker The Blue Dream is... that's because of the Behlen fingerboard oil applications I do to it that I DO not do to the NS-4. I use the Dunlop 65 products on it. Ignore the cat in front of the curtain... LOL...
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So if you want Ebony for the look... you can make Pau Ferro look much darker.
If you want it specifically for its tone... then you need to be prepared to make a commitment to pay close attention to your fingerboard's condition and be prepared to oil it regularly (depending on your location).
And for the record. PJ's Brooklyn Era NS-2 #603 has an Ebony board. And living the Washington DC area... PJ rarely has to do anything to maintain that board. That bass is 31 years old and the board is in really good shape. But he still has to be careful with it. Travel to a really dry location with it and it would deteriorate quickly if not conditioned.
I have also been talking a bit with PJ about what is available and get his thoughts/ideas on this build. This and my fretless will have to be my only basses for the foreseeable future, as I sense a cross country move in my near future, so I want to make the best decision possible!
Honestly, trust PJ. He'll never steer you wrong.
...this is the fun part before the inevitable and torturous wait!
Yep. I'm almost in the mid-point for that wait myself. My newest will be another BEM neck-thru... this one having a SINGLE MM pup and an Aguilar OBP-3 circuit at 18v. Basically an NS-4MM. I can't wait!!!
