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Why do, if you do, prefer one fingerboard material over the others?
- Thread starter Dlew919
- Start date
I prefer black ebony, for the look, the feel, and the tone. I started out in life learning classical music. As far as I am concerned, stringed instruments should preferably have ebony fretboards or fingerboards. I loathe maple, because of the inevitable discoloration that makes it look disgustingly filthy, no matter what you do to it.
Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
Sad to see such a great cultural reference fall by the wayside.
What's next? "My name is Inigo Montoya..."?
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I missed the whole toan wood wars of the late 'oughts, but I caught the conclusion. In the end, the crucial component is that maple boards are finished and I hate the sound/feel/taste of finish on my board. I'm interested in some of that finish free roasted maple, but Ive also got a thing for bubinga boards (internal practicality/ethics debate ensues).
The Princess Bride is the best movie ever made. > The lack of culture on this board disgusts me.
The Princess Bride is the best movie ever made. > The lack of culture on this board disgusts me.
Strictly aesthetics for me. Which looks best with the color of the bass? Early on I liked rosewood best. But I liked maple with certain colors. On Bursts, I tend to favor rosewood. Certain solid colors I like either/or. 
As far as "feel", that's a non-factor for me as my fingers are generally on the strings. 
That said, I tend NOT to like pao ferro although it can work with a color like orange or tangerine. But usually if I want something non-maple, I like it to be a deep, rich-looking brown to outright black!
As far as "feel", that's a non-factor for me as my fingers are generally on the strings. That said, I tend NOT to like pao ferro although it can work with a color like orange or tangerine. But usually if I want something non-maple, I like it to be a deep, rich-looking brown to outright black!
This thread is only MOSTLY dead.
Edit: To add some real on-topic content, been considering all day whether to use a maple or PF neck with a 3TS PBass project, or to spring for a real rosewood neck. Can't decide.
Edit: To add some real on-topic content, been considering all day whether to use a maple or PF neck with a 3TS PBass project, or to spring for a real rosewood neck. Can't decide.
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The replacement neck for my 2011 MIM Precision is Pau Ferro, the original (which developed a crack by the nut that wouldn't allow for a setup to hold) was Rosewood. I prefer the rosewood, but this Pau Ferro isn't to bad colored. I do kind of regret not spending the extra $150.00usd for the Roasted maple board, but it's all done now. You can see in the one photo the difference in colors
Good quality Pau Ferro is nice.
I had a Peavey G Bass with a graphite neck which had a sweet Pau Ferro fretboard.
It felt like a cross between Rosewood and Ebony.
I had a Peavey G Bass with a graphite neck which had a sweet Pau Ferro fretboard.
It felt like a cross between Rosewood and Ebony.
Was looking at your photos again. The RW board just clicks with the brown tort pickguard, I think. But then, the orangish PF pulls into the half-red/half-yellow stripe to the side of the PG and connects to the 3TS body. Really, they both have a great link to that body.
I liked the Rosewood board better but the Pau Ferro matches the strap better so there's that.
The Pau Ferro looks more coffee colored in stronger light, I've oiled it several times but it didn't really darken it much. This Pbass is kind of my backup/beater bass anyways, the one I let others play sometimes and have lent out a few times. I usually bring it as a backup bass to gigs. It's solid for what it is, the output jack and volume pot had worn out and I replaced the wiring harness with an Obsidian Wiring Harness and was surprised how much the output volume increased and the tone sounds much better.
The Pau Ferro looks more coffee colored in stronger light, I've oiled it several times but it didn't really darken it much. This Pbass is kind of my backup/beater bass anyways, the one I let others play sometimes and have lent out a few times. I usually bring it as a backup bass to gigs. It's solid for what it is, the output jack and volume pot had worn out and I replaced the wiring harness with an Obsidian Wiring Harness and was surprised how much the output volume increased and the tone sounds much better.
