Ebony vs Rosewood

[Pandemonium]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Strats just look so much cooler with maple IMO.

[some_dude]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I prefer rosewood. Both in feel and looks. But that's just the way I am.

Although I would love and all white w/maple Strat. Mmmmmm.

[Gamera]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Nice picture! what kind of pickups are in there?

Currently it's all stock. The 2 single coils are the new Fender/Bill Lawrence-designed Samarium Cobalt Noiseless. Great, traditional, Strat sound in a slightly hotter, completely noise-free pickup. They're keepers.

The humbucker is the Fender DH-1. It's not bad but I think I want to replace it with a Duncan Custom. It has a nice, PAF-like tone and it balances nicely with the singles. But that 'bucker is a little too tame for my tastes. When I engage the humbucker I don't want tame and refined. I want raw, crunchy, fat attitude. Fattitude if you will.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Trust me. This doesn't sound "dead."

Hehe well it does to me....I do not like the way the notes sound with ebony
Well on acoustics I do not mind.....but I never liked it on electrics, and I have had a few with ebony boards....but that is the beauty of it all, we all dig different setups

[Zerberus]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Actually I prefer ebony all-around. My understanding and experience of the different fretboard woods is a little different from what kill_your_scene states.

Solid maple looks killer. Especially with certain body styles/colors (white Strat w/ white pickguard) you can't beat the look. Soundwise maple tends to be bright and snappy. The feel of a maple board is very smooth. The softer maple doesn't seem to hold up as well over time though. Usually when you see pics of old, reliced necks with pits and grooves from playwear it's a maple neck.

Rosewood has a smoother, darker tone. It also has a longer, more textured grain in the wood that you can actually feel when playing. It's not a bad feel, but certainly not as smooth as maple. Rosewood also tends to hold up better over time. Rosewood color can vary from a light reddish-brown to a very dark, almost black color.

Ebony is kind of the best of both worlds. It's a very hard wood with almost no grain. It looks and feels like smooth, polished stone. Because of this it's very durable. It may not be as dark sounding as rosewood but I don't find it as bright as maple either. It's sort of someplace in-between soundwise. And it looks killer. Shiny fretwork and fancy inlays really seem to jump off the board as the dark black contrasts nicely with them. Match that with black pickups/controls and you have a very classy-looking axe.

If I didnīt know better, Iīd have thought I wrote this

Thanks for saving me the effort

[oliver]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Trust me. This doesn't sound "dead."

Nice picture! what kind of pickups are in there?

[gOgIver]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Forget about the blindfold. Turn OFF your distortion and then let your ears tell you. There is a difference.

[Marty Horne]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Blindfolded or not, I can always feel the difference between ebony and rosewood. For me, ebony has the best feel - smooth and effortless, and it does add brightness to the tone. Rosewood has a granier feel but does add warmth and sustain . When I play guitar, I'm feeling and touching wood under my fingers ; if you're feeling frets under your fingers, you're doing it wrong.

[Norman_T]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I think on a maple neck and an alder body the ebony board might just be too bright for you and you will having to compensate by putting in different pups. Rosewood is the way to go as it will give you that warmer sound and you would be able to dig in and have some sustain. Ebony sits between a maple and rosewood and whilst it is hard wearing I don't think it is the right combination on a strat. On magohany bodies and necks ebony is used to "brighten up the sound".

But just realised you have gone for ebony so this advice is probably too late..

[Neeradj]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

My Dean with ebony board is much darker in tone than my LP with rosewood board.

Somehow I really think that has much to do with the pick ups

I prefer ebony, both tonewise and for the feel. It's fast, hard, it sustains excellent, and has that bright, lifely tone. I like it so much, that if my upcoming axe won't have one, I'll call a luthier to put one on it

It does brighten up in a mahogany body, I really noticed the difference.

[Gamera]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Eck strat with ebony board......somehow I never liked it.
Sounds so dead somehow??

Trust me. This doesn't sound "dead."

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Eck strat with ebony board......somehow I never liked it.
Sounds so dead somehow??

[oliver]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Thanks for all of the great advice! I will be choosing ebony.

I have been playing for almost 15 years and am just starting to get into what makes guitars sound like they do( i've never even changed pickups before!). That is why I am building my own guitar, to learn.

Thanks again for the help !!

[Pandemonium]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Honestly, with all the guitars I've owned....I feel little and hear little difference between the two. I doubt anyone could tell the difference in a blind taste test.

I concur.

[Dirtyking]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I have 2 SG's, one with a rosewood fretboard, one with a ebony board. I find I get better artificial harmonics with the ebony board. Everything just sounds brighter on that guitar. If that helps any....