What is the best type of wood for a fretboard?

The Big Three Fretboard Woods

  • Ebony. Considered the supreme tonewood for fingerboards due to its solidity, resiliency, and firmness, ebony was the primary fretboard wood in use from the 15th century till very recently.
  • Rosewood.
  • Maple.
  • Indian Laurel.
  • Ovangkol.
  • Padauk.
  • Pau Ferro.
  • Walnut.

Which fingerboard is better maple or rosewood?

Compared to maple the difference is notable, as rosewood will soften the sound, even for guitars with maple necks. This is one of the reasons some guitar players prefer Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters with the option of a rosewood fretboard. The rosewood takes a bright guitar and mellows it out a bit.

Does the wood on the fretboard matter?

As you can tell, there’s definitely more that matters when it comes to the wood used for fretboards. Some guitarists may over-exaggerate the effect on the overall sound, but no one can deny that each type of wood looks uniquely different.

Is mahogany warmer than rosewood?

But then, not everybody uses the term warm to mean the same thing. But I think most people, particularly those who are in the business of selling guitars, refer to Indian rosewood as being warmer than mahogany, due to higher amount of harmonic overtones and the added complexity in the lower midrange.

Does fretboard wood affect playability?

The fretboard has arguably the most influence over playability than any other part of the guitar. So what the fretboard (a.k.a. fingerboard) is made of will have a significant influence over the overall playability of a guitar.

Does fretboard wood matter for electric guitar?

The tone wood is more important on an acoustic guitar than an electric guitar. This is because the wood is what amplifies the acoustic guitar’s tone, whereas the pickups are more important on an electric guitar. The neck wood is still important for both guitar types though.

Does fingerboard material affect tone?

Does Fretboard Wood Affect Tone? The guitar fretboard may not play as large a role as the body wood in defining your sound, but it certainly will have a perceptible effect on it.

What wood are Martin guitars made of?

The most common top tonewood is Spruce. Martin uses a variety of different types of Spruce including Sitka, Engelmann, Adirondack, Red and Italian Alpine, each with their own distinct tonal characteristics.

What is the best fretboard wood?

Their guitars were a hit, and maple became one of the new leaders in fretboard woods. So it was that ebony, rosewood, and maple were the primary choices of fretboard woods for the greater part of the 20th century.

What is the difference between Rosewood and ebony fretboards?

Rosewood fretboards are known for their warmer, richer, and softer tones. It it is a dense and oily wood and doesn’t need a finish. So this gives it a different feel than a maple fretboard and therefore is preferred by many. Ebony is a hardwood of black/brown color native Southern India, Sri Lanka, Western Africa, Indonesia, and Mauritius.

Does fretboard wood affect tone?

There’s a huge debate in the guitar community over whether or not fretboard woods have any significant impact on a guitar’s tone. Some players swear they can clearly hear the difference between rosewood and ebony and assert that the contrast can make or break your tone.

What are the different types of fretboards made from?

Guitar fretboards (or fingerboards!) are more often that not made from 3 main types of wood – ebony, rosewood and maple. But what are the differences between the 3 in terms of tone, feel and visual appeal?