Fret board wood preferance

[hermz]

^ You should. I see Ebony as middle of the road between Rosewood and Maple in terms of tone and feel. And aesthetically it rocks :)

Really?! I have had several necks with ebony fingerboards, and I find ebony to be extremely hard in both feel and tone.

It is, but I find maple to be harder.

[Philly Q]

Yeah, part of the problem with rosewood these days is it's hard to get a good piece. My friend's got a 3K PRS Artist and it's got the ugliest piece of discoloured rosewood.

Fender have still got some very good stocks of rosewood - all the American Strats and Teles I've owned have had really nice, close-grained fingerboards.

Gibsons are much more variable, and I'm not surprised what you said about PRS, I've never owned one but I've noticed how pale and dry-looking some of their fretboards are.

[38thBeatle]

I have not voted as I would tend to view the guitar as a whole.None of the guitars I have were obtained because of the fretboard material. Having said that, I have not had an Ebony board guitar so cannot comment.I wouldn't let the neck material dictate whether I got a guitar or not. I like the feel of the rosewood slightly over the lacquered maple of my Tele but the latter has a fatter neck in any event and therefore that also influences my thoughts.

[PhilKing]

I voted rosewood because I have to say that I really prefer Brazilian rosewood in the right guitar.  All my Les Pauls (apart from the custom), PRS, Hamer and my 60's fenders have brazilian rosewood fingerboards.  Close behind is Ebony.  I also like Pau Ferro in the right guitar, my latest strat hardtail has an Anagre neck with a Pau Ferro fingerboard.  My Ibanez clone has Satine with Ebony.

I like maple in the right guitar (I have several maple neck Fenders and put all of TO's guitars together),  but still end up with the '60 strat over the '57 when I am just playing for fun.

It is not which is better so much as which suits the other woods and construction of the guitar that determines the difference that the fingerboard will make to the overall sound.

[Davey]

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAPPPPPPLLEEEEEEEEE!!!


with ebony close second

[dave_mc]

Depends on the guitar.

+1

Depending on the guitar, I could use/prefer either maple, ebony or rosewood (needs to be "good" rosewood, though).

[broken cord]

I put the poll up because I have heard many guitarist like the tone and quickness of Maple, personally I do not own a guitar with Maple. I have several Rosewood guitars, Gibby, Fender and Ibanez, and I just purchased a USA Dean Hardtail that has an Ebony board. I am really digging the feel look and the tone I am getting out of this guitar, and the Ebony on this Dean is hot. I think it sounds good stock, but I am squirreling away some funds for a BK upgrade.  Ben and Phil suggested the Emerald and Mule for this rig and I would have to agree as their combined knowledge base of BK's are probably only rivaled by the exalted Tim.

[willo]

I got rosewood on my strat, and ebony on my Les Paul. Same neck profiles and camber, and I prefer the strat. I, like Ben, find the ebony to be a bit 'hard' when you're playing it, its not always an enjoyable experience for me.

However, it looks cool so I perservere. :D

[noodleplugerine]

Ebony.

Looks sweet - Feels sweet - Sounds sweet.

Quite sweet.

[Ratrod]

Ebony.

Looks sweet - Feels sweet - Sounds sweet.

Quite sweet.

I haven't tasted it yet. Beware of diabetes.

[broken cord]

Ebony.

Looks sweet - Feels sweet - Sounds sweet.

Quite sweet.

I haven't tasted it yet. Beware of diabetes.

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[noodleplugerine]

Ebony.

Looks sweet - Feels sweet - Sounds sweet.

Quite sweet.

I haven't tasted it yet. Beware of diabetes.

:D :D :D

You win a cookie :D

[JamesHealey]

Ebony, it's got the warmth of rosewood with the attack of maple and a slightly darker tone than maple..

it's lovely i really like it..