# Maple versus Ebony fretboards.



## VinnyShredz (May 17, 2012)

Based on FEEL alone, which do you guys prefer?


----------



## Thrashmanzac (May 17, 2012)

i never really feel my fretboard, just the strings 
both look nice though


----------



## theo (May 17, 2012)

My strings are usually resting on the frets, I personally really don't notice a difference. As for back of the neck, I've yet to feel something I like more than the satin maple of my RG1550m

Ninja'd...


----------



## VinnyShredz (May 17, 2012)

Thrashmanzac said:


> i never really feel my fretboard, just the strings
> both look nice though




Guess that's true. I'm thinking of getting a maple board on a CS, but I've always played ebony.


----------



## MrPepperoniNipples (May 17, 2012)

i'm sure there are differences between the feel coming from the wood of the fretboard, but they're not so noticeable that when i play i think "wow i wish i had a maple/ebony fretboard"

maple fretboards are balls sexy, however


----------



## USMarine75 (May 17, 2012)

Either. Fuck rosewood.


----------



## Gryphon (May 17, 2012)

On just feel - rosewood, ebony, and then maple. All factors (mostly tone and then looks) considered, I like maple, ebony, and then rosewood.


----------



## Lagtastic (May 17, 2012)

I prefer wood where the grain is very tight. If my fingers do touch the board, I want it as smooth as possible. When playing metal or rock, my fingers rarely actually touch the fingerboard. Maple fits the bill and usually looks really good. Most Ebony has really tight wood grain as well. Don't get me wrong, some cuts of rosewood have really tight grain, it all depends on the guitar. The EBMM BFRs I noticed usually have really tight grain on their rosewood boards.


That being said, when I play Texas Blues type stuff, I want a rosewood board. I use the thumb over the fretboard grip and really dig into bends and vibrato. The rosewood Fender uses on Strats seems to have a great feel for digging in and making the strings your bitch.


----------



## Pav (May 17, 2012)

Ebony. No question.


----------



## vampiregenocide (May 17, 2012)

Maple. Ebony feels too slick to me.


----------



## snowblind56 (May 17, 2012)

vampiregenocide said:


> Maple. Ebony feels too slick to me.



I'm the opposite. I can't stand a sticky lacquered maple fingerboard. Now I haven't played an oiled maple fingerboard yet, so that might change my mind on maple a little.

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer Rosewood first, then ebony.


----------



## Konfyouzd (May 17, 2012)

I honestly never thought about the way they feel. I usually care more about how it looks.


----------



## drgordonfreeman (May 17, 2012)

Interesting how many people don't notice the feel of their fretboard.

I prefer ebony over anything else, but maple is a really nice reprieve. 

A single maple neck/fretboard feels totally different to me as compared to ebony. Maple feels "stickier", as if the fretboard wants my fingers to let the notes ring out, rather than jump to the next note. Ebony feels "slicker", as if the fretboard really wants me to play as fast as I can. I'm not sure if that makes any sense to anyone, but that's how those different fretboards _feel _to me.

Rosewood is so prolific and has been on 99.99% of all guitars I've owned that at this point, I would just about take anything over rosewood.


----------



## Hybrid138 (May 17, 2012)

I've never felt my fretboard... I guess my sausage fingers won't let me.


----------



## bouVIP (May 17, 2012)

Ebony is sleek


----------



## 2ManyShoes (May 17, 2012)

I guess I'd go with ebony over maple over rosewood. But ever since I got hooked on building guitars from Warmoth, I've gotten into exotics like pau ferro (which is related to ebony) and bocote (related to rosewood). 

Mmmmm . . . zircote . . .


----------



## DjentDjentlalala (May 17, 2012)

i looove my rg7420 rosewood.but i haaaaate my Fender 5 string jazz bass rosewood.


----------



## Konfyouzd (May 17, 2012)

drgordonfreeman said:


> Interesting how many people don't notice the feel of their fretboard.
> 
> I prefer ebony over anything else, but maple is a really nice reprieve.
> 
> ...



Some folks may have really tall or scalloped frets...


----------



## prashanthan (May 17, 2012)

Rosewood is really not consistent, and its quality makes a huge difference. I love the feel of high quality rosewood fretboards, ebony is almost a bit too slick and glossy for me. To me, ebony feels like it encourages mindless wanking but good rosewood is really inviting for big bends.


----------



## 3074326 (May 17, 2012)

Ebony then maple. 

..........

Then rosewood. 

Although the majority of my guitars have rosewood. I do like rosewood, I used to like it the most.


----------



## Edika (May 17, 2012)

I haven't played maple boards (just tried a Loomis and it seemed nice) but while I like ebony a lot and it is very sleek there is some warmth to the touch of rosewood. On looks alone I like ebony, maple then rosewood if it's a nice piece, not too washed out.

Also how is it possible to not to touch the fretboard while playing? Even if your touch is light and have jumbo frets and super low action you still touch the fretboard at least when playing chords or doing legato and tapping.


----------



## blister7321 (May 17, 2012)

to me it depends on the guitar 
ive played some guitars and liked whatever it had then id play something else with that same type and hated it


----------



## ChronicConsumer (May 17, 2012)

To be honest, I've never owned a guitar with a (n expensive) maple fretboard. Last time I played one was years ago, so I don't have an opinion on them.

I own a guitar with a rosewood fretboard and one with an ebony fetboard. I like the rosewood one much better, but I'm not sure if that's because it's rosewood or because it's my main guitar, my Carvin CT6m.

To each his own, I suppose, but I think I'll stick to rosewood for the moment. Maybe something exotic.


----------



## USMarine75 (May 17, 2012)

I gotta admit I shit on Rosewood, but I don't notice any negative aspects with regard to feel on my JEMs... I still prefer the look of just about any other wood. I love some of those exotic rosewoods that are really figured too, but the standard (low grade)rosewood is so meh looking IMO. 

My only complaint about maple is it gets dirty so quick. But I love the feel, playability, and snap that I get on my Loomis and Wolfgangs. I also love my ESP ebony boards.

Warmoth has some amazing choices for alternatives! 

I love the feel of ebony, especially when my fingers get a lil sweaty/greasy... I feel like I could endlessly wank all day 

^ I just looked at that sentence and it could easily have come from 50 Shades of Grey... or an episode of Oz.


----------



## ittoa666 (May 17, 2012)

Maple over rosewood, but I'll take either. Ebony is just meh.


----------



## cwhitey2 (May 17, 2012)

Feel wise, ebony.

I honestly have a hard time playing maple boards. Its like I can't see the strings our something


----------



## VMNT (May 17, 2012)

Rosewod > Ebony > Maple


----------



## Dead Undead (May 17, 2012)

I don't really care unless the fretboard is bone dry and cracked all over the place. Dry rosewood and cracked ebony are the WORST. Well oiled rosewood with interesting grain/figuring can be awesome. I really wanna get into more exotic fretboard woods like Ziricote.


----------



## ZEBOV (May 17, 2012)

I can't feel my fretboard, so I either just buy a production model and not give a shit about what the fretboard is made of, or I get a Carvin built.

My Carvin XB76 has a rosewood fretboard. I got it mainly because of the looks. The top and headstock are claro walnut and the knobs are rosewood, so to have somewhat matching colors up front, I went with a rosewood fretboard. And the back is all lightly colored except for the walnut stripes for the neck. This makes a wonderful contrast between the top and back.
My DC800 will have a burled maple fretboard to go along with the birdseye maple top and headstock. The back is unrelated though. I didn't think about that when I ordered it.
I'll someday order a Carvin CS4. I've already spec'd it out to have an ebony fretboard because the guitar will be painted in Candy Red Metallic. Solid colored fretboard for a solid colored finished.

TL;DR
I just go for looks or whatever a production model comes with.


----------



## troyguitar (May 17, 2012)

I don't like maple because it has to be finished and gets so damn dirty. It looks nice when it's new/clean, that's about it.


----------



## Stealthdjentstic (May 17, 2012)

Ebony! Looks best! I dont care about feel, Im not too picky and actually prefer highish action + big frets anyways.


----------



## JP Universe (May 17, 2012)

Maple. Only 1 of my guitars has a maple neck though right now. Psychologically I think I can play faster on a maple board and it's all about speed right


----------



## Grand Moff Tim (May 17, 2012)

Maple.

All day long.


----------



## Grand Moff Tim (May 17, 2012)

JP Universe said:


> Psychologically I think I can play faster on a maple board and it's all about speed right


 
Hahahaha, me too! I think after playing on rosewood boards for years, when I finally got a guitar with a maple board it sorta felt like there _wasn't_ a fretboard, which for some nonsensical reason made me feel like I could get around on the fretboard more nimbly. The brain is a funny thing .


----------



## ST3MOCON (May 17, 2012)

carbon glass epoxy composite fingerboard  feels awesome


----------



## shanejohnson02 (May 17, 2012)

To me, a fretboard is a fretboard. They all sound different and good. I'm more concerned with things like fret height, neck profile, etc.

That being said, there are some *stunning* exotic woods out there that make some awesome fretboards. My favorite? Pale moon ebony.


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (May 17, 2012)

That grain.


----------



## Konfyouzd (May 17, 2012)




----------



## Dooky (May 17, 2012)

I used to be all about Ebony, but for the past year or so I've found myself leaning more towards maple. I'm liking the look morethan I used to and the few guitars that I've played with Maple boards sounds really nice and snappy & bright which I like.


----------



## USMarine75 (May 17, 2012)

The boards on the Wolfgangs are unfinished maple


----------



## Horizongeetar93 (May 17, 2012)

It might be just me but every maple board feels rugged. like too rugged. i prefer the feel and look of ebony over maple. especially if you have any sort of fret work done that lowers your frets.


----------



## jl-austin (May 17, 2012)

The people who say they can't feel the fret board, that maybe be true, however, you can feel the difference in woods with how the strings feel against the wood. And if you say that your strings never touch the fret board.... PLEASE!!!!

Also, for the first couple of frets I don't see how it is possible to not touch the fret board, unless you all have fingers as hard as steel. Especially on the smaller strings.

From a pure feel point of view, ebony. Then it is a toss up between rosewood and maple, I like them for different reasons.


----------



## LetsMosey (May 17, 2012)

For me Maple > Ebony > Rosewood. I love the look and feel love Maple.


----------



## ZEBOV (May 17, 2012)

ST3MOCON said:


> carbon glass epoxy composite fingerboard  feels awesome



I would have gotten a Washburn WM526 if it hadn't been discontinued. WTF was Washburn thinking?!


----------



## Church2224 (May 17, 2012)

ZEBOV said:


> I would have gotten a Washburn WM526 if it hadn't been discontinued. WTF was Washburn thinking?!



Not sure, those were great guitars. 

I will go with the Carbon glass epoxy fretboards. Loved the ones on the Parkers I played and I believe Vig

But for real wood I honestly could not care less. In all honesty I just like what looks best on the instruments. I like them all.


----------



## Grand Moff Tim (May 18, 2012)

I think a plain piece of ebony is every bit as boring as a plain piece of rosewood, honestly. When you get the nicely grained pieces of brazilian rosewood, it's just as sweet looking as a nice piece of macassar ebony. In that case, it's a toss up for me. I'd take a nice piece of maple over either, regardless .


----------



## Murmel (May 18, 2012)

troyguitar said:


> I don't like maple because it has to be finished and gets so damn dirty. It looks nice when it's new/clean, that's about it.


Really? I like it when they look dirty, gives it character. Especially teles and strats.
Feel wise I'd say I prefer rosewood or ebony, doesn't really matter. But maple looks the best by far.

Seriously, if I could get my hands on a black tele with a blank maple board I'd probably be close to cardiac arrest.


----------



## thedonal (May 19, 2012)

I've never played ebony on an electric, so couldn't say. The ebony board on my acoustic is lovely.

I'm a maple man at heart, but both woods are quite resonant and have a nice bit of top end on them. 

Incidentally, the 'stickiness' of maple really depends on the finish used. My HRR Strat has a gorgeous maple board. The wear on it just adds to the character and history of the guitar.

Looks wise, I don't like light fretboards on dark guitars (except the fender bursts, maybe)- but dark boards against light bodies is fine for me. I couldn't ever do a maple board on a black guitar. Just looks wrong to me!


----------



## Murmel (May 19, 2012)

Speaking of dirty maple boards; there's a not-so-old American Standard Tele in my previous rehearsal space that was so filthy on the neck that nobody would touch it  It belonged to a bunch of hipsters that just threw their stuff on the ground and always left a mess.

I need to start having filthier hands, my board will never get dirty


----------



## clark81 (May 19, 2012)

Based on the feel, maple rulesssss


----------



## devolutionary (May 19, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> That grain.



Actually... that could look pretty damn cool now that I think about it *ponders*


----------



## Advv (May 20, 2012)

Ebony > Maple > Rosewood. Typical haha.


----------



## soliloquy (May 20, 2012)

i like em both for different reasons.
i cant comment on tone as i've never owned a maple fretboard guitar (yet), but in terms of feel:
ebony feels very smooth, slick, and oily. 
maple feels very soft, smooth, and easy to move around on, but also dry. almost as if you're rubbing your finger on saw dust...

now i know maple isn't soft, but to my fingers, thats the feel i get.

i like em both


----------



## Zado (May 20, 2012)

_Garçon,a snakewood one please_

http://www.thornguitars.com/images/le-pics/oscar-sfc-2.jpg


----------



## soliloquy (May 20, 2012)

also, i like maple fret boards, but i hate maple necks. to me, they feel awkward, let it be if they are painted, or tung oiled. in my hands, they vibrate weird. but they are awesome as a fret board though.


----------



## Mwoit (May 20, 2012)

I love maple. Ever since I tried out a PGM301 in a guitar store, I got hooked on then. I also think that since a lot of the guitars I played when I was younger all had rosewood (low grade cuts), I've found rosewood a bit boring and not as pleasant in terms of sound and playability to maple. 

I've not really had the chance to play around with ebony, my bass has it but comparing the difference between maple on guitar and ebony on bass has too many variables to be justified.


----------



## Danukenator (May 20, 2012)

I like ebony the best with Maple as a super close second. I have smaller frets so I do usually feel the fretboard when I'm digging in on the lower notes. Ebony just feels a little slicker. It isn't a difference that is so big it be the deciding factor though. In the end I like the look of ebony the best on most guitars. I don't like the brown with no figuring look a lot of rosewood has so I tend to avoid it.

I'm also part of the minority that believes the wood has very little/any at all part in the actual sound of the amplified sound of an electric so it doesn't really matter in that sense, to me at least.


----------



## -42- (May 20, 2012)

Maple.


----------



## Explorer (May 20, 2012)

Anything lacquered goes to the bottom of the desirable list. Too sticky for me, and I remember noticing that even when I was first starting guitar. It never changed.

Because ebony is rarely lacquered, it goes to the top of the list. 

A good epoxy finish isn't sticky like lacquer, so I can use it on fretless. I also like the various ebonol fretboards I have, as well as the fretboards on my Parker and my Rainsongs. 

Rosewood comes in after all those.

I've never tried an unlacquered maple board.


----------



## GhostsofAcid (May 20, 2012)

Rosewood is my favorite both aesthetically and feel wise. Ebony feels too slick and is unappealing to me in the looks department, I love a rich brown piece of rosewood with an interesting grain pattern. I haven't spent too much time with a maple boarded guitar.


----------



## Don Vito (May 20, 2012)

I like them all equally.


----------



## All_¥our_Bass (May 20, 2012)

Maple.


----------



## areyna21 (May 21, 2012)

Ebony has always been my favorite with maple and rosewood following. The tighter the grain the better the fretboard to me.


----------



## Pav (May 22, 2012)

Ebony is the only fretboard I can play without feeling like it's trying to slow me down in the process.


----------



## Viginez (May 22, 2012)

^ same with maple imo


----------



## Razzy (May 22, 2012)

It really depends on what the guitar looks like for me. It's not a big enough difference in feel or tone for me to care on that level.

That being said, those of you who say you don't touch the fretboard when you play, go play a scalloped board. It'll make you realize how much your fingers really DO touch the board.


----------



## canuck brian (May 22, 2012)

I dig the look of a maple board so long as it's not just plain maple - something like birdseye or figured maple i've always thought looks really classy.

Ebony is definitely a great looking wood, but i'm not enough of a sound critic to really hear the difference between the fretboard woods. I just know that I despise having to pull frets from ebony as it splinters and chips if i blink at it wrong.


----------



## USMarine75 (May 22, 2012)

Boring... Dream big! 







Are the Wolfgangs lacquered maple? I believe they are unfinished birdseye...


----------



## Don Vito (May 22, 2012)

^


----------



## Mordacain (May 22, 2012)

Based on feel alone I love maple for sinewy bends and real light-touch applications like finger-picking on a Fender strat.

However, for real greasy style lead playing I prefer Ebony. The slickness of Ebony wins me over there.

In looks, its pretty much universally maple for me...all the time. Though I did have an odd G&L SC3 with an Ebony board that I LOVED the look of.


----------



## soliloquy (May 22, 2012)

Razzy said:


> It really depends on what the guitar looks like for me. It's not a big enough difference in feel or tone for me to care on that level.
> *
> That being said, those of you who say you don't touch the fretboard when you play, go play a scalloped board. It'll make you realize how much your fingers really DO touch the board.*



wrong. (sorry)

it depends on what strings you use PLUS how strong your fingers are PLUS how aggressive you bend your strings PLUS how deep you dig into your frets/strings. 

there are too many variables that come into play when it comes to playing guitar. for example, malmsteen plays scaloped frets, sure, but he also plays with 8 gauged strings, sometimes also 7...so him having a scalloped fret board doesn't make much sense, but whatever works for the guy. now, compare him to zakk wylde who plays with anything from 18-13 for his high Es with fairly small frets and non scalloped frets. 

point being, it really depends on how you play your guitar, and what guitar you have.


----------



## USMarine75 (May 22, 2012)

kennedyblake said:


> ^








^ $25k lol

The other was $15k.


----------



## DoomJazz (May 22, 2012)

I wanna say ebony. Something just says it feels best.


----------



## Razzy (May 22, 2012)

soliloquy said:


> wrong. (sorry)
> 
> it depends on what strings you use PLUS how strong your fingers are PLUS how aggressive you bend your strings PLUS how deep you dig into your frets/strings.
> 
> ...



I'm not saying it's better to not touch the fretboard, our whatever, but unless you have an INSANELY light touch using only your finger tips, you're touching the fretboard.

I was just saying if you play a scalloped guitar, you'll realize how much you actually do touch the board.


----------



## Hybrid138 (May 22, 2012)

I know I touch the board because I see sweat on it but if you asked to describe the feel, I would not be able to give you an honest answer...


----------



## JPMDan (May 24, 2012)

Maple and Ebony for me, 90% of my guitars are rosewood and I keep wishing they had ebony or maple boards.


----------



## Blake1970 (May 24, 2012)

I love me some maple!


----------



## eaeolian (May 24, 2012)

If you can feel it, you're not using big enough frets.


----------



## right_to_rage (May 24, 2012)

It's never been a feel thing for me either. Just a slight sound difference maybe? Maple is bright, makes the notes pop, Rosewood has a sweeter quality, and Ebony seems the most balanced. Mostly an appearance thing to me, but I am willing to bet theres literature out there that proclaims otherwise.


----------



## Sepultorture (May 24, 2012)

dunno bout feel, but there is some tonal difference, slight but they are there

for me i like the look of ebony, black yet still has a pleasant grain to it. Maple is too bright for my liking it just jumps out at me.

it's all gunna come down to MAINLY a visual preference. but if you like your guitars sound with ebony and like the look of ebony, get ebony. if you like the look of maple, get maple, as for the sound of maple, well that's up for you to research and see if it's your cup of tea


----------



## Wizard of Ozz (May 28, 2012)

Ebony for me.


----------



## chipsta21 (May 29, 2012)

tone-rosewood then maple
looks-ebony then maple then rosewood
feel-rosewood then maple

i have yet to play on an ebony board


----------



## gunch (May 29, 2012)

Ebony if it's like ESP's

A nice piece of rosewood any other time.


----------



## USMarine75 (May 29, 2012)

eaeolian said:


> If you can feel it, you're not using big enough frets.


 
That's what she said...


----------



## Konfyouzd (May 29, 2012)

eaeolian said:


> If you can feel it, you're not using big enough frets.


 
Even on my fretless bass I don't really feel the fretboard...


----------



## Konfyouzd (May 29, 2012)

Sepultorture said:


> dunno bout feel, but there is some tonal difference, slight but they are there
> 
> for me i like the look of ebony, black yet still has a pleasant grain to it. Maple is too bright for my liking it just jumps out at me.
> 
> it's all gunna come down to MAINLY a visual preference. but if you like your guitars sound with ebony and like the look of ebony, get ebony. if you like the look of maple, get maple, as for the sound of maple, well that's up for you to research and see if it's your cup of tea


 
I kinda know what you mean, but I always thought of ebony as having the most defined attack. Maple seems to have a lot of definition to the attack as well but there's this weird 80s shredder "moany" quality to the color it adds to notes--or perhaps that's just the result of the type of pickups I typically like to use.) Rosewood seems to have the softest attack of the three in my opinion.


----------



## maliciousteve (May 29, 2012)

Ebony for looks. But it's really cool to have your 'finger prints' all over the fretboard on a maple board.


----------

