Ebony vs Rosewood

[oliver]

Hi,

I am currently building a guitar with a strat type body and purchasing the neck over the weekend. I have the choice between a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard or maple and ebony fingerboard.
My questions are :
Which wood would give me more of a darker tone ebony or rosewood? Does fingerboard wood really affect tone anyways?

My strat will have a humbucker ( some sort of PAF) and I play through a TWIN. I don't want the guitar to sound too bright or twangy.

Thanks

 

[kill your scene]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Rosewood gives you warmer, darker tone. Ebony is so hard and smooth... much more glass-like... gives you a brighter tone. Some people say ebony's inherent smoothness gives your guitar a slick feel, but I guess that's debatable. Incidentally, maple gives you a bright, chimey tone as well. The reason rosewood is so warm and dark tone-wise is because it's pourous and soft.

I prefer ebony for looks (it looks sharp as hell) but rosewood for tone. I'm kind of conflicted in that regard. Maple has it's place as well.... my strat has a maple fretboard and it seems well-suited to strats.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I feel little difference between the two when playing because really you play off the frets, not the fretboard. For the most part, the guitar as a whole will have a much larger impact on the tone than the fretboard anyway.

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

 

[oliver]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Rosewood gives you warmer, darker tone. Ebony is so hard and smooth... much more glass-like... gives you a brighter tone. Some people say ebony's inherent smoothness gives your guitar a slick feel, but I guess that's debatable. Incidentally, maple gives you a bright, chimey tone as well. The reason rosewood is so warm and dark tone-wise is because it's pourous and soft.

I prefer ebony for looks (it looks sharp as hell) but rosewood for tone. I'm kind of conflicted in that regard. Maple has it's place as well.... my strat has a maple fretboard and it seems well-suited to strats.

Very informative, Thanks

I do have a Tele has that more of the classic twang. I want this guitar to be as full sounding as I can get it , like a Les Paul( I know I won't get that close without the big heavy body).

 

[kill your scene]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Of course, it goes without saying that there are many factors contributing to tone and some people find fretboard material to be more relevant than others. Just play what you like

Everyone who posts on this thread must have a link to John Kerry's website in their sig. :laugh2:

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I can always hear and feel the difference in playing on a ebony fingerboard than a rosewood one.

 

[Gamera]

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.

 

[papersoul]

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.

 

[oliver]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I myself also really like the look of ebony as opposed to rosewood. I just wanted to see if there was much of a differnece tone wise between the 2 and if Ebony was too bright. Doesn't seem the case.

With the great posts I am leaning towards ebony fingerboard.

Any other last advice ?

Thanks

 

[hacker]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

I prefer ebony-it does feel smoother and play faster than rosewood or maple, to me. Tonewise, I think fingerboard wood accounts for only a very small percentage of your tone. I am basing this on several guitars that I've owned where I have switched between maple and rosewood necks.

 

[joelap]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

Yeah... go ebony! It's very unique and it'll give the guitar a personality, so to speak.

If I had the option to go ebony, i would. Any difference in tone can most likely be made up for when you consider all the factors involved. Unless you're going for one specific tone with NO EXCEPTIONS, I'm sure you'll find it to be neglegible. (sp?)

*EDIT* oh by the way, ebony feels faster.

 

[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....

 

[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.

 

[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 !!

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

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

 

[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."

 

[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 :laugh2:

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

 

[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..

 

[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.

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Ebony vs Rosewood

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