Are Ebony finger boards better?

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ROOGROOG Frets: 554

So, are ebony finger boards better? Just asking, because the chap in my local music emporium seemed to be making quite something of this feature.

I am not so sure that I could feel the difference between Rosewood and Ebony.

 

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  • Hertz32Hertz32 Frets: 2248
    Not sure I can feel it either, to be frank its mostly stylistic. Ebony isnt typically pure black either, its mostly stained that black so the point is moot. I have only ever played rosewood and ebony boards and I have no preference. Ebony is typically smoother and shinier though.
    'Awibble'
    Vintage v400mh mahogany topped dreadnought acoustic FS - £100 
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27582
    I don't think that any one wood is better than any other (assuming they're all fit to be used). While there may well be a contribution to the sound of the guitar, I think the looks are by far the most important aspect.

    Ebony boards do often look better than the alternatives on none-more-black guitars. Personally I like cocobolo and ziricote best though.
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    edited August 2013
    ROOG said:

    So, are ebony finger boards better? Just asking, because the chap in my local music emporium seemed to be making quite something of this feature.

    I am not so sure that I could feel the difference between Rosewood and Ebony.

    Guitar shop mooks are generally to be laughed at/pitied, rather than have their opinion trusted. ;)

    Ebony is usually brighter but the difference is fairly minimal in an electric guitar- certainly less than pickup choice.
    If you're building acoustic guitars then wood choice is more significant of course.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Frets: 136
    edited August 2013
    Ebony is exceptionally hard-wearing and only usually features on higher-end models (eg: Les Paul Customs, 28 series and above Martins). This is due to how hard it is to 'work' as much as its intrinsic value. Tonally, many players consider it brighter than rosewood. Good quality, streak-free (the best stuff is pretty much pure black in appearance) ebony is getting very scarce-so what has always been considered an up-market feature is becoming more highly prized.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    Not better, but definitely different in feel, tone and appearance.

    I don't agree the difference is minimal in an electric guitar, although I do agree pickups are more important. It may be one of the most important factors after that and body and neck woods though, it gives a hardness and 'ring' to the tone that's quite distinctive if you like that sort of thing.

    I actually think the difference is much bigger in tone terms than between rosewood and maple.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Can chip like a mutha when refretting an ebony board.
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  • ROOGROOG Frets: 554

    I had assumed that ebony was black, you know like all the little carved elephants you see in antiques shops. 

    I must admit it did look good on the black guitar body attached to it.

     

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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    ROOG said:

    I had assumed that ebony was black, you know like all the little carved elephants you see in antiques shops. 

    I must admit it did look good on the black guitar body attached to it.

    Have a read of this: http://www.taylorguitars.com/about/sustainable-ebony
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534

    I've wound up with ebony boards on two of my guitars, more by accident than insistance. It looks nice for sure, although it's hard for me to define the sound influence without comparing similar guitars with different boards.

    btw, silly question time, is it still OK to use lemon oil to clean them?

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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    dindude said:

    btw, silly question time, is it still OK to use lemon oil to clean them?

    Yes, fine.
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    octatonic said:
    dindude said:

    btw, silly question time, is it still OK to use lemon oil to clean them?

    Yes, fine.
    Fanks
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    The best comparison to me is the modern (ie maple-cap) Les Paul Custom vs the Les Paul Standard. They're almost identical except that the Custom has an ebony board and a slightly larger headstock, gold-plated hardware and more binding. And they sound noticeably different...

    Since I doubt the gold plating and the binding have much effect, that leaves the headstock - which definitely could affect the tone since more mass will change the resonance of the neck - and the fingerboard. My money is on the fingerboard as the more important though, since I hear that same 'ring' characteristic in almost all ebony-board guitars.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    edited August 2013
    I would definitely prefer an ebony board on a black (or bright white) guitar, just for looks.

    Tonally there's not a massive difference.
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • ChrisMusicChrisMusic Frets: 1133
    Personally I love Ebony boards, tone issues aside they feel really nice under the fingers, very slick.  That is unless your frets are so super jumbo that your fingers don't contact the board.  ;)

    Good Rosewood can be pretty dense too.

    But then I have Ebony, Rosewood and Maple boards and they are all nice.

    Haven't tried the exotics yet, so that's something to look forward to.
    :)

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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9984
    tFB Trader
    I love the feel of ebony boards ... even though at the moment I don't have a guitar fitted with one! Last one I had was my Jackson with the compound board .... it felt gorgeous ... but I couldn't justify keeping a one pickup superstrat ... I hardly ever got a chance to play it.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27582
    Ebony is exceptionally hard-wearing and only usually features on higher-end models (eg: Les Paul Customs, 28 series and above Martins). This is due to how hard it is to 'work' as much as its intrinsic value
    More to do with the rarity and increasing cost of legal ebony, I'd say.

    It is a bit harder to work but not enormously so. Wenge is much harder to work with, for instance, because it splinters at the slightest provocation.
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • Gibson have all but discontinued use of ebony in their guitars.

    The Gibson Les Paul Custom now has a Richlite fretboard. 
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  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    ICBM said:
    Not better, but definitely different in feel, tone and appearance.
    +1

    I can feel the difference between rosewood, maple and ebony too. Pretty easily, it's pretty obvious. Maybe that's just the way I play, though >:D<
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Frets: 136
    edited August 2013
    GuitarMonkey;16152" said:
    Gibson have all but discontinued use of ebony in their guitars.



    The Gibson Les Paul Custom now has a Richlite fretboard. 
    I've just followed your link; amazing!

    I thought this was a temporary arrangement after Gibson's timber 'difficulties'.... Seems like they've used the raid as an opportunity to permanently cheapen an iconic guitar....
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  • ESchapESchap Frets: 1428
    Got 3 Gibson ES's with Ebony boards and ICBM has it spot on .. they have "ring" to them in the attack of a note that isn't there with Rosewood.  Doesn't matter if the ebony board is on a Mahogany or Maple neck either, the ring is there.
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