Any other comments or questions also welcome. So much so that it is worthy of this disclaimer: *Disclaimer: This is in no way a comprehensive overview of the considerations that go into designing an acoustic guitar. Funny you mention it, I’ve been thinking about adding in some things or writing a separate post regarding fret materials. // ]]> Want to learn more? An ideal fingerboard wood is hard but not too brittle, stiff, stable, is close grained (small pores) and smooth. For the neck for the steel string, Mahogany (american or african – both of which go by a variety of other names) would be the go to – but check out more on neck woods here – https://sixstringacoustic.com/what-is-the-best-wood-for-guitar-necks. Note that I don’t actually build guitars, so this is just from knowledge that I’ve gained, not from actual experience of building guitars. Again, this is a good thing. Let’s look at the three most common fretboard materials, what makes them good, and their relative differences so you can see what might be best for your purposes. Ebony is also less prone to drying out than rosewood and therefore requires less conditioning. In part I of “Acoustic Guitar Design: An Insight into the Choices Made by Luthiers” I discussed body dimensions, scale length, string spacing, fretboard radius, neck profiles, fretwire size, wood selection and bracing. Like Ebony, Maple is hard and stable enough to be used flatsawn or quartersawn. Mahogany is an iconic wood for furniture and high end millwork. Now my fingers used to classical fretboard and when I play steel strings, sound won’t come properly, due gap between strings (classical and acoustic – I hope so). Ebony, Rosewood and, to a much lesser degree, Maple have been the big 3 for fretboard wood, but all that is changing rapidly. Tip: Some builders seeking the jet black Ebony look will “Ebonize” an already dark piece of Rosewood. The fretboard has arguably the most influence over playability than any other part of the guitar. [CDATA[ It was a very superficial glimpse into a number of complex topics. I played a Martin recently with a Black Richlite fretboard and I actually really enjoyed playing on it. Have you tried Micarta or Richlite or another synthetic fretboard and can you notice the difference between it and wood? I don't think I have ever seen one though. Most Common Fretboard Wood for Electric Guitars The 3 most common types of wood used in the fretboard of an electric guitar are Maple, Rosewood, and Ebony. Not even close! Acoustic Guitar Materials and How they Affect the Sound of your Guitar, https://sixstringacoustic.com/what-is-the-best-wood-for-guitar-necks, https://sixstringacoustic.com/sitka-vs-engelmann-spruce-for-guitar-tops, 21 Guitar Playing Tips Every Beginner Should Know, Tips for Learning How to Play the Guitar and Sing at the Same Time, Acoustic Guitar Stands: Ways to Keep Your Guitar When Not Playing, Takamine Serial Numbers: What They Can Tell You and How to Decode Them. Rosewood helps to produce a warm tone. While quarter sawn boards are ideal for stability, they are also more likely to have these aesthetic “imperfections.”. The fretboard has arguably the most influence over playability than any other part of the guitar. A lot of people use some form of ‘fast fret’ spray on maple fretboards for a smoother, faster slicker playing experience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Well thanks for reading and I hope you are now more informed about which fretboard material might suit you best. Many of these woods I have yet to personally experiment with, but have heard them recommended by others. You want to be using fretboard oil to keep your fretboard nice and clean and to condition the wood to stop it getting dried out and cracking. Tone-wise Maple has a bright sound with a lot of overtones. Take a class with Eric Schaefer and build your own guitar in 8 days. The purpose of this post is to discuss what the best guitar fretboard wood … Rosewood (on the right) by comparison is much more varied in its color and composition, sometimes even approaching the look of jet black Ebony. A 100 percent American wood instrument. I have had a D28 Martin where the ebony fingerboard lifted up at many of the frets & flaked off. I haven’t personally tried a Micarta fretboard but most of the feedback I here is that it actually plays and sounds quite good. Unlike Ebony, Maple is very light in color. This is what makes working with wood exciting! Subscribe below for Weekly Guitar Making Tips on “The Small Shop Luthier Blog”. There are two reasons for this: This is why jet black African and Indian Ebony has long been the wood of choice for fretboards. The thoughts expressed here are intended only to scratch the surface of understanding and hopefully provide a jumping off point for further exploration into that specific topic. Was this useful? I still think ebony looks the best. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/71/2123013971.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-1ww4pou0r")); This gives the fretboard a “slippery” feel, which is often undesirable, although some player’s prefer it. Nowadays, nyatoh wood guitars are quite rare to find. So what materials achieve this? 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