Fingerboard Suggestions For This Guitar?

[John Abbett]

Hi everyone.

I'm building a guitar based on the Gibson 335 plans. I'll be taking some liberties of course..

I've make up the center block with maple and the sides and top and bottom plate out of solid figured maple cut thin. Not veneer or ply. This means, as I understand it - it will be very bright and prone to feedback at high volume.

I have some quartersawn maple for the neck.

My question is, since this guitar is going to be very bright, what should I use for the fingerboard? Ebony would make it even brighter, right? The obvious choice seems to be rosewood. Is that my best/only choice?

Oh, the guitar is going to be finished transtint blue.

Does anyone have any alternate suggestions?

-John

[ToddW]

Hey John,

Why not pick a wood you like to work with and which will fit the look of the guitar. If you're worried it may be too bright, you can get slightly warmer PUPs, you can move the bridge PUP 1/4" further from the saddles or add a small capacitor and resistor to bleed off some of the top end. Lots of options that have more impact than the fingerboard material which is a very visible one.

Best,

Todd

[John Abbett]

That's why I posted, to bring me down to earth!

I was thinking figured bubinga.

Good suggestion on just adjusting the top end electronically.

-John

[Geo]

I agree--don't worry too much about it being "too bright". In my experience it's easier to darken a bright guitar than brighten a dark guitar. Using hotter pickups could also help. And, if you have tone knobs, you should be able to get it muddy sounding by spinning a knob.