Ebony Fretboards and Guitar Value

[AlsoRan]

How much does having an ebony fretboard affect a given guitar's value? I have been looking at semi-hollows on ebay (and dreaming, sigh) and I was wondering if the scarceness of the wood is affecting the value of some of these older guitars that have ebony fretboards.

T'anks, mates!

[bborzell]

How much does having an ebony fretboard affect a given guitar's value? I have been looking at semi-hollows on ebay (and dreaming, sigh) and I was wondering if the scarceness of the wood is affecting the value of some of these older guitars that have ebony fretboards.

T'anks, mates!

I doubt that an ebony fretboard is going to have a significant effect on the value of older guitars. It's not like they are being compared to older guitars that don't have ebony. What's more, new builds with ebony fretboards aren't exactly rare.

What is interesting to me is the mystique surrounding the perceived preference for ebony for fretboards. From an esthetic perspective, I like the look and feel of ebony, but i have always suspected that a blind listening test of two versions of the same guitar and player but with ebony vs. rosewood, for example, would likely result in no significant sound preference. Just my opinion.

[AlohaJoe]

I like the look and feel of ebony, but i have always suspected that a blind listening test of two versions of the same guitar and player but with ebony vs. rosewood, for example, would likely result in no significant sound preference. Just my opinion.

That's my opinion as well, although It's also likely to wear better. Any tonal difference would probably only be perceptible to your dog, and his expertise runs more along the lines of bouncing ball vectors.

[kris]

I like ebony fingerboard...:-)

[Clamps]

Let's remember that the strings rest on the frets! Ebony does look way cooler though...

[kris]

Let's remember that the strings rest on the frets! Ebony does look way cooler though...

I think a sustain is better...

[oldane]

What is interesting to me is the mystique surrounding the perceived preference for ebony for fretboards. From an esthetic perspective, I like the look and feel of ebony, but i have always suspected that a blind listening test of two versions of the same guitar and player but with ebony vs. rosewood, for example, would likely result in no significant sound preference. Just my opinion.

I'm on this page too. There may be subtle differencies in sound, but I believe that other factors means far more. I too like ebony if not for any other reason than its looks. But then one can have dyed rosewood (or other kinds of wood). Ebony is also more smooth than rosewood in which you often can see the grain structure more pronounced.

Apart from the cosmetic properties, I think that rosewood is actually more stable. Ebony has a tendency to shrink and swell with fluctuations in the humidity level during the summer and winter seasons. Ebony fretboards have even been seen to crack. Due to this shrinking in low humidity, it's not unusual to se ebony fretboards with protruding fret ends the first winter after the guitar was made, calling for a fret end trimming and dress (a smal job, though). Due to this, I'd prefer not to have binding nibs on ebony fretboards. A shrinkage of the fingerbord can cause the fret ends to press on the nibs and maybe make these or the binding bulge or/and break. For that matter, I see no use for nibs at all. I have one guitar with nibs -they'll have to go at the first refret.

As for the neck material as such, mahogany necks tend to be more stable and warp less than maple.

So from a purely structural point of view, a mahogany neck with an unbound rosewood fretboard should ensure the owner the least number of neck problems through the lifetime of the guitar.

[bananafist]

I prefer the look of ebony, but more to the point, for me, is the feel when playing. To me, it feels like it has more 'bounce' than rosewood, which can feel sticky to me. To my ear the notes sound clearer and more defined as well, but its mainly about the feel. Thats why I like lacquered maple necks/fingerboards on teles and strats too.

[docbop]

Let's remember that the strings rest on the frets! Ebony does look way cooler though...

and the fret sit in the fretboard.

A guitar is a collection of parts that give it, it's sound and the fretboard is part of it as not only where the fret attach and end point of the string to transmit the vibration. I believe ebony play a factor as a denser wood than rosewood and contributes to overall sound and sustain of the guitar. People prefer ebony same as people prefer maple over rosewood on other guitars. Wood density is a factor in body, neck, fretboard, bridge, in they all transmit string vibration.

Just my 2 cents.

[medblues]

When I bought my Godin LGX-SA, I had read on the Godin websites that they had done tests and had observed that ebony fretboards were better in tracking for the guitar synth than rosewood fretboards. I don't remember if these were scientific and/or blinded tests. Otherwise, I agree that most blinded testers could not discern the difference between woods.

[Patrick2]

and the fret sit in the fretboard.

A guitar is a collection of parts that give it, it's sound and the fretboard is part of it as not only where the fret attach and end point of the string to transmit the vibration. I believe ebony play a factor as a denser wood than rosewood and contributes to overall sound and sustain of the guitar. People prefer ebony same as people prefer maple over rosewood on other guitars. Wood density is a factor in body, neck, fretboard, bridge, in they all transmit string vibration.

Just my 2 cents.

Well stated. My feelings exactly!!

[Jim Soloway]

We've built about 350 guitars. There have been a lot of changes over the years but the basic tonal recipe and objectives have stayed fairly constant. We've used ebony on about 25 of them. There is very definitely a noticeable difference in those guitars and I don't really care for it. The attack is faster and the high end is less complex. I don't think they add any sustain but then, our guitars have too much sustain for an increase to be obvious.

As for value on older guitars, it's not that ebony increases value but rather that at the time these guitars were built, it was used more commonly on more expensive models with rosewood used on the lesser models. (I believe this was mostly a cosmetic decision at the time). As a result there are some very inexpensive guitars from the 50's that have beautiful Brazilian rosewood fingerboards.

[PTChristopher]

My 2 cents:

On solid body, and some fairly non-resonant semi-hollow, guitars I can hear a slight difference in the high end, more of a ring with ebony vs. a little more character with rosewood. But not a huge difference.

Surely Jim's opinion is more useful here since he is talking about many guitars with the FB being the primary difference. For me it is building some, and working on many, many guitars - but not of the same design. So the variable of the FB material is far less isolated.

On fully-hollow guitars with quite a bit of acoustic resonance, I have never found any consistent difference that I could attribute to the FB material in any way. Maybe I lack sensitivity or suggest-ability.

All in my opinion.

EDIT: I think the OP question regarded value, so sorry to drift to sound.

EDIT: I fixed the first sentence to say "non-resonant semi-hollow". I had originally written "resonant semi-hollow" by mistake.

Chris

[zigzag]

I like the look and feel of ebony; I hate maple for the same reasons. I have ebony on my Carvin SH550 and on my Gretsch 6120 Nashville. But I have also noticed that on my ES-335 with rosewood fingerboard that the neck vibrates. I cannot say that this doesn't happen on my other guitars, just never noticed it before. That must have some effect on its sound and sustain.

[kris]

All hand made top Spanish classical guitars are with ebony fingerboards.
is it only tradition?

[HighResolution]

Kris, I've noticed that too about classical guitars. My flamenco guitar has an ebony fingerboard on it. I don't have a refined enough ear to have a tonal preference, but I tend to prefer how ebony feels to my fingers. Someone mentioned that a rosewood fingerboard often has more pronounced grain which I can definitely feel when I play rosewood fingerboards. I'll submit its just because I'm used to ebony though. I could get used to rosewood.

[fumblefingers]

All hand made top Spanish classical guitars are with ebony fingerboards.
is it only tradition?

not just spanish. all fine classicals, period.

and what about violins, voilas, cellos and "string" bass??

[kris]

not just spanish. all fine classicals, period.

and what about violins, voilas, cellos and "string" bass??

+1

[Clamps]

I cant quantify value of old ebony on guitars, its likely speculative at best. However, lets talk about this suggestion of the orchestral instruments. (again, I'd like to say that guitar strings rest on frets. Perhaps before folks continue to jump on my suggestion they should consider fret materials like steel vs gut and how that effects the 'sustain'). The violin family is different, the string vibrates against the actual wood. Fine instruments of that type need the smooth glassiness of ebony go facilitate fast playing - I studied upright bass in university, and comparing fingerboard woods on those instruments actually does make a large difference. In the baroque period, maple was a common fingerboard wood. The times they are a changin'.

[Flyin' Brian]

what about violins, voilas, cellos and "string" bass??

I'd suspect that ebony is the choice on these instruments because of the hardness. I had an old Fender Precision bass with a rosewood board that I removed the frets from. Playing 3 to 4 nights a week, after 3 years there were discernible hollows in the fingerboard from the strings.

Edit: Sorry. Clamps covered this while I was typing.

As far as ebony on guitars, I just like the way it feels. I have a Heritage Sweet 16 with an ebony board and liked it so much that I special ordered my Prospect with the same.

In terms of value, I'd guess that given two otherwise equal guitars, the difference in ebony vs rosewood on the fretboard would be minimal.

[Clamps]

I'd suspect that ebony is the choice on these instruments because of the hardness. I had an old Fender Precision bass with a rosewood board that I removed the frets from. Playing 3 to 4 nights a week, after 3 years there were discernible hollows in the fingerboard from the strings.

.

I have a similar story: I took the frets out of a fender musicmaster (which is a shortscale bass) but I hadn't noticed that the full length strings had been wearing down the rosewood board between the frets! Once it was a fretless, I only managed some terrible farty sounds because the neck needed to be re-radiused and filled/sanded! Let's say that 6 years later I put frets back in....
If it was ebony, that would be another story altogether.

[Archtop 13]

As for value on older guitars, it's not that ebony increases value but rather that at the time these guitars were built, it was used more commonly on more expensive models with rosewood used on the lesser models.

My thoughts, as well. The rarity & mystique of the guitar are more important in the value that the fretboard.

[kris]

My thoughts, as well. The rarity & mystique of the guitar are more important in the value that the fretboard.

Fretboard is very important thing on the guitar...anyway!

[Archtop 13]

It is, but Collector value isn't centered on it. It may help the value.

[kris]

It is, but Collector value isn't centered on it. It may help the value.

but I am not a Collector...sorry