The Advantages & Disadvantages of Ebony Boards

[Ted]

Dear fellow HFCers,

What are the pros & cons of Ebony Boards?

[JGale]

They're darker, for one.

[silentman]

I have a Daytona, Studio, and Standard with ebony boards. I like the look of it. Sonically, I feel that it doesn't add brightness to a guitar like it's rumoured to.

[JGale]

A DAYTONA!!!11!

I so want pictures of that!

[cmatthes]

I agree - the brightness that people talk about on internet gear boards is greatly exaggerated in my opinion. There is more a difference in feel and look, as Ebony is a closer-grained, denser wood. It feels a little slicker than most rosewood boards, which are a bit more porous grainwise.

There's a lot more difference between Rosewood and Maple boards though, (maybe) obviously.

[veatch]

I seem to notice a little more attack, but i wouldn't call it "brighter".

It's pretty difficult for me to judge, though, as i've never had the same guitar with a rosewood board replaced with an Ebony. I've had two different like-model guitars with different boards, but never the same guitar. So any differences may or may not be related to the board.

[bbobb24]

I just like to look of an ebony board, especially with a black finish. I'm not nearly a good enough player to tell much of a tonal difference

[edgar_allan_poe]

I agree - the brightness that people talk about on internet gear boards is greatly exaggerated in my opinion. There is more a difference in feel and look, as Ebony is a closer-grained, denser wood. It feels a little slicker than most rosewood boards, which are a bit more porous grainwise.

It depends...

On guitars with a maple top, the ebony doesn't add anything that isn't already there because of the maple. However, I think that it does add a little bit of snap to a guitar that doesn't have any Maple in the mix. My mahogay Baker had a thick ebony board and I am convinced that it, along with the 25.5 scale, added a clarity and snap that wouldn't have otherwise had.

[silentman]

A DAYTONA!!!11!

I so want pictures of that!

Here's the only one I've got handy. It's also got a sick birdseye maple neck.

[atquinn]

My 2 Studio's, Diablo, and incoming Newport have ebony boards. I love them! They look great, feel nice under my fingers, and sound just fine to me (maple and rosewood don't feel as nice, and pau ferro doesn't always look as cool, although it's a close second). I hear there can be issues with them cracking, but I moisturize mine once or twice a year and haven't had any problems with the ones I've owned. I know John Suhr doesn't like using them because he says they expand/contract and a vastly different rate than maple, which can cause issues, but again, that's nothing I've experienced.

-Austin

[luiss]

A friend of mine asambled a strat style oak body and maple neck+thick ebony fingerboard custom made by someone(I don´t recall who)....Shrill sound and not botton sound in it,I advertised him before getting the neck....

[Steve Haynie]

Ebony is more prone to cracking if left unattended for a very long time.

You may feel a little bit of difference under your fingers. Sometimes bending strings on an ebony fretboard can feel weird compared to rosewood, but that is just me.

[Stike]

I've heard a few well regarded luthiers say they won't use it as a fingerboard on a maple neck. I cant recall specifics but it was something about disimilar expansion/contraction rates and cracking.

[atquinn]

I've heard a few well regarded luthiers say they won't use it as a fingerboard on a maple neck. I cant recall specifics but it was something about disimilar expansion/contraction rates and cracking.

See my post above ! I would assume Tom Anderson feels the same way as John Suhr does, because I can't recall ever seeing one of those with an ebony fretboard. Tons of companies do it though, so I'm not sure I'm down with the reasoning of those who won't.

-Austin

[Thundernotes]

FWIW: None of the 4 Carvins I've had with maple necks and ebony boards has ever had a problem.

[Dumo]

I know Ebony usually costs more to refret because it tends to chip if you take the frets out to quickly.

[tonyvieira]

Ebony is more prone to cracking if left unattended for a very long time.

You may feel a little bit of difference under your fingers. Sometimes bending strings on an ebony fretboard can feel weird compared to rosewood, but that is just me.

what is generally used to care for ebony boards?

[Steve Haynie]

Kim Keller suggests mineral oil for fretboards. His opinion of lemon oil is that it is a solvent and can cause harm to a guitar.

Someone suggested bore oil that is used for woodwind instruments for ebony fretboards. I am tempted to try it.

[cmatthes]

I've never really treated any of my ebony necks other than a good wipedown every now and then. They've all been fine for me, one of them I've owned for well over 25 years too (that one actually did get FastFret every now and then in the mid-80s...).

All are in great shape.

[tomteriffic]

I can't speak to the sonics since I don't possess two otherwise-identical guitars, but my impression is that, on a non-maple body it may add just a little extra ping to the front of a note.

I've been using Conn Bore Oil on the fingerboard of a slab ebony over maple neck for 26 years. No problems. Concerning chipping during refrets, I'm not looking forward to a refret that I suspect this guitar will need in the next few years.

[silentman]

I've used lemon oil, Dunlop 65 fretboard cleaner/conditioner, ernie ball fretboard cobitioner. No problems.

[Armitage]

Kim Keller suggests mineral oil for fretboards. His opinion of lemon oil is that it is a solvent and can cause harm to a guitar.

Someone suggested bore oil that is used for woodwind instruments for ebony fretboards. I am tempted to try it.

Kim Keller suggests LIGHT mineral oil for fretboards. I believe Bore oil for woodwind instruments IS light mineral oil. That's just an expensive way to buy it.

[KH Guitar Freak]

Fret Doctor, it works...

[shredmeister]

I did not use to like them. They felt slick to me.

I played a Custom Shop Jackson the other day though that was a spectacular guitar and it had ebony on a maple neck that felt wonderful.

Jackson uses ebony all the time on maple necks with no problems.

Like anything else you have to take care of it.

Rosewood mucks up as does oiled maple.

[Guest JackButler]

I agree that it adds more in snap and tightens or adds definition to the guitar.. I've had several ebony boards and all have/had a definite snap to them. The only one lying about at the moment is my ebony boarded/boomered Chap Sustainor and that body is mahogany. It pops and snaps better than Fender-esque guitar.