Ebony fretboard

Frettykruger · Hobbyist Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 6

Why is ebony used on so few strat fretboards?

Nevin1985 · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:59 am Post subject:

Probably cost.

Mike Eldred - Fender · Fender Staff Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 633

Not cost.
Sounds bright.
Most people like the look of rosewood.
It cracks too.

ME

Nevin1985 · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:24 pm Post subject:

Interesting.

Frettykruger · Hobbyist Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 6

Thanks Mike. I have one of the strats with ebony and every time I pull it out it seems to draw a crowd. Now if I may play devils advocate for a moment.... if ebony is prone to cracking why is it used on so many acoustics? Is it for the brightness of tone?

Mike Eldred - Fender · Fender Staff Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 633

It cracks = "prone to cracking" ???

ok.

It's used mainly for looks. Very beautiful stuff. We do use it more in the CS.

ME

qblue · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:43 am Post subject:

Some think an ebony board imparts a darker sound. Thanks for the bright sound w/ebony board opinion. I have a Strat Ultra and a Gibson ES-347, which have ebony boards. I never heard this so-called dark sound. But, I think a fingerboard has little to do with the sound. The pickups make a guitars sound, along with your effects chain, and amp settings.

I have had these fingerboards for nearly 20 years and I have never seen cracking. Don't they use this stuff on violins, violas, cellos, and upright basses? I don't see them cracking. My daughters violin and upright bass have been fine and sitting in the family room, since she decided to concentrate on singing. These and my guitars seem to be pretty stable. I think rosewood is ugly. Maple is the only nice looking wood on a fingerboard. Ebony has no real look, and is usually is mistaken for rosewood.

Just my opinion...
_________________
1971 Fender Stratocaster
1991 Strat Ultra
2007 Classic Player Baja Telecaster
1991 Gibson ES-347
1980 Gibson L6-S
Fender Stage Lead Combo
Marshall MOSFET 100 watt Amp