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Identify This Wood!


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Hi, I'm just wondering what kind of fretboard I have. I'm fairly new at this business, but I can tell you it isn't rosewood or ebony :D I'm suspecting maple but I'm not really sure at all!

Thanks :D

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PS Are those photos at all useful? I tried to get an extreme close-up shot of where the fret board meets the neck but that was WAY fuzzy. This joint is very fine but I'm 99% sure it's not a one piece neck.

Edited by Stickmangumby
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Cool, thanks for the tips guys :D

As a general rule, are fretboards made of maple, rosewood, or ebony? And are they coloured from lightest to darkest in that order?

I had previously thought ebony fretboards were more expensive, but after a look @ stew macs they all seemed to be priced the same... now I'm more confused than I was an hour ago!

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In addition to the three you mentioned, fretboards can be made of any number of other woods. Pau Ferro is the most commonly used of the "other" woods, in my amateur estimation.

Greg

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In addition to the three you mentioned, fretboards can be made of any number of other woods.  Pau Ferro is the most commonly used of the "other" woods, in my amateur estimation.

Greg

I'm working with a Pau Ferro board now for my latest project. It's been very easy to work with so far. It cuts well, sands easy, and looks purdy. :D

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Once upon a long time ago when I still had all of my hair most fretboards were rosewood, like 95% of them. Leo Fender gave us maple fretboards. Really high end stuff had ebony 'cause it was ungodly expensive compared to rosewood but looks really neat with MOP or abalone in it..

Today maple costs as much as cherry and walnut is a deal. Rosewood is not coming from the same places because of irresponsible resource management. Some ebony is extinct for all intents and purposes, but some varieties aren't bad in availability or price.

Today the labor involved in making the finished product is most of the cost, so there is little difference in the final toll. A couple of bucks means little to a hand or custom builder. If you make 1500 guitars a week, like the monster plants, $3 a fretboard means close to a quarter of a million a year so it does matter to them and thus lots of cheaper rosewood fretboards.

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In addition to the three you mentioned, fretboards can be made of any number of other woods.  Pau Ferro is the most commonly used of the "other" woods, in my amateur estimation.

Greg

I'm working with a Pau Ferro board now for my latest project. It's been very easy to work with so far. It cuts well, sands easy, and looks purdy. :D

Pau Ferro is my new 'favorite' fingerboard wood. I used it to make a new fingerboard & tailpiece for my chinese 'cello.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/mma...llo/cello84.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/mma...llo/cello86.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/mma...llo/cello88.jpg

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A second opinion? On a maple fretboard? ROTFLMAO!!!

[Wipes away a tear] Sorry about that. Man, please, go to some guitar websites like Fender.com and look around a little bit. You will be amazed at the information available if you use the resources available to you. No offense, but look around a little bit.

Also, I'm 100% sure that is not solid maple. The fretboard is glued to the neck.

Second opinion. LOL Still gives me the giggles...

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