Rosewood versus Ebony Fretboard?

Rhyno
Rhyno Posts: 304
edited May 2007 in Musicians and Gearheads
So, I've been playing a little over a year. My first guitar is an inexpensive Fender acoustic that my wife bought for me. Anyway, I am looking to upgrade and have been playing mostly Gibson's, Taylor's and Martin's. A lot of the new Taylor's that I've played have ebony fretboards. I've gone back and forth a bit, but tend to like rosewood fretboards better. Can any of you more experienced players describe the main differences? Is it mostly feel? I need to play some more, but am curious about all of the differences.
Cheers!
Rhyno

11/30/1991 ~ 3/25/92 ~ 8/28/92 ~ 6/30/98 ~ 10/8/2000 ~ 6/18/2003 ~ 6/21/2003 ~ 6/26/2006 ~ 6/27/2006 ~ 7/7/2006 ~ 8/5/2007 ~ 6/24/2008 ~ ALPINE VALLEY in '09 ;-)
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Comments

  • Pacomc79
    Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    some of it is feel, ebony is a bit denser and therefore warmer and brighter sounding wood, Ebony tends to feel a bit slicker to me which I like. Rosewood is nice and warm and a bit softer to the touch than ebony.

    Personally I love spruce tops with rosewood backs and sides and ebony fretboards with stainless frets so I don't wear them out like I do nickel steel.

    At one time I was strickly a maple neck strat guy as well as maple is dense but I have grown to love and respect the rosewood too.

    apples and oranges really.

    I bought my les paul mainly because I wanted an ebony fretboard gibson at the time.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • MichaelMcKevin
    MichaelMcKevin Posts: 1,161
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    some of it is feel, ebony is a bit denser and therefore warmer and brighter sounding wood, Ebony tends to feel a bit slicker to me which I like. Rosewood is nice and warm and a bit softer to the touch than ebony.

    Personally I love spruce tops with rosewood backs and sides and ebony fretboards with stainless frets so I don't wear them out like I do nickel steel.

    At one time I was strickly a maple neck strat guy as well as maple is dense but I have grown to love and respect the rosewood too.

    apples and oranges really.

    I bought my les paul mainly because I wanted an ebony fretboard gibson at the time.


    Screw wood. I'd rather have Carbon-Glass.
    http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRKNFO

    I played one of these the other night. Really cool guitar. Piezo, split humbucker option (forget the technical name for that), but it's ugly as sin. If it wasn't for that headstock and that shape, I'd probably want one.
    Camden I '06, Camden II '06, Bonnaroo '08, Camden I '08, Camden II '08, Philly Spectrum II/III/IV '09, MSG I '10, MSG II '10, Made In America '12, Wrigley '13, Brooklyn II '13, Philly I '13, Philly II '13, ...
  • Pacomc79
    Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    GivenToCarve wrote:
    Screw wood. I'd rather have Carbon-Glass.
    http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRKNFO

    I played one of these the other night. Really cool guitar. Piezo, split humbucker option (forget the technical name for that), but it's ugly as sin. If it wasn't for that headstock and that shape, I'd probably want one.


    yeah parker actually has a model with a completely spruce body with that same carbon glass neck. I contend it feels a little odd to wear, but it sounds good and those tremolos are great.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • samquigley
    samquigley Posts: 220
    Only thing to remember is you MUST give an ebony fingerboard some oil once in a while. Unless you're in the tropics they will dry out and crack and your frets can move. Not cool. That said, it's a once every six months kind of thing, so no biggy.
  • harrisonmerwin
    harrisonmerwin Posts: 766
    ebony i find when looking at used guitar's keeps its 'fresh look' longer, while as rosewood you can see the play in it (kind of like a maple neck) not a big deal really, personally preference, i like the (ab)used look.
    2005.09.04
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  • ianvomsaal
    ianvomsaal Suncoast, FL Posts: 1,224
    Ebony is a harder denser wood -- which exhumes a bright tone (a perfect balance for mahogany and rosewood bodies).
    Rosewood yields a little more warmth in tone, so it's a better balance for Maple (which is bright), Alder and Ash.
    Actually both woods need to be conditioned in drier climates -- but yes ebony more-so.
    I prefer Ebony fretboards for Rosewood bodied acoustics, and Mahogany Bodied electrics.
    I prefer Rosewood fretboards for My Strat's and Tele's with Alder and Ash Bodies.
    I PREFER THIS BASICALLY FOR A BALANCE OF TONE.

    That said, I'm building a hollowbody tele style guitar from scratch that breaks these rules:
    Maple Neck, Ebony fretboard, Maple Top, and swamp ash body.
    Reason being -- it's hollow, thus it will get a more throaty tone - I'm using brighter woods to even it out.
    Since I'm building it for myself it's slow going (I haven't worked on it in 7-months) -- but I'll post a PIC when I'm done.

    - Ian
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  • Rhyno
    Rhyno Posts: 304
    Thanks for the information. This is great. I know I need to play more to figure out which I prefer, but this is great information.
    Cheers!
    Rhyno

    11/30/1991 ~ 3/25/92 ~ 8/28/92 ~ 6/30/98 ~ 10/8/2000 ~ 6/18/2003 ~ 6/21/2003 ~ 6/26/2006 ~ 6/27/2006 ~ 7/7/2006 ~ 8/5/2007 ~ 6/24/2008 ~ ALPINE VALLEY in '09 ;-)

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