Favourite Fretboards?

[Wolfhorsky]

African Blackwood is great, too bad that Ron Thorn just went to Fender as he was a big proponent of this.

Parker glass/cf/epoxy whatever board is pretty great too. Also like the richlite on Aristides boards. Don't dig it on Gibsons...not sure if it's a different material or more of an uncanny valley, LPs being something I know very well, and feeling something off -- vs. the Aristides being sort of a new experience.

IIRC Gibson uses some generic „phenolic” material, whereas Aristides uses Richlite. Probably that makes the difference. Correct me if i’m wrong.

 

[jonsick]

That's interesting, because I always hear that ebony is much brighter/brittle and rosewood is much warmer/softer sounding

Hmmmmm, to be honest, that doesn't really correlate with my experience. But the body and neck woods matter a lot more to me than the fretboard wood. I find the alder/maple combination perfect. I don't mind mahogany but find that they can get really dark and muddy very quickly.

I utterly despise the mahogany body/maple neck idea. It really does not sound good or resonate nicely in my opinion. I have two guitars left like this that are pretty much case queens.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

IIRC Gibson uses some generic „phenolic” material, whereas Aristides uses Richlite. Probably that makes the difference. Correct me if i’m wrong.

Gibson uses Richlite.

 

[bostjan]

Not that anyone asked, but:

Richlite is a material made from recycled paper and phenolic formaldehyde resin.
Bakelite is a material made from wood flour and phenolic formaldehyde resin.
Micarta is a material made from (usually) cotton fiber and phenolic formaldehyde resin.
Tufnol is a material made from sheets of paper and cotton cloth and phenolic formaldehyde resin.

G10 is a material made from cotton and glass fibers and epoxy resin.
Formica is a material made from kraft paper (brown paper) and melamine resin.

Any material made from phenolic formaldehyde resin and another fiber material is colloquially referred to as "phenolic."

 

[Flappydoodle]

Not that anyone asked, but:

Richlite is a material made from recycled paper and phenolic formaldehyde resin.
Bakelite is a material made from wood flour and phenolic formaldehyde resin.
Micarta is a material made from (usually) cotton fiber and phenolic formaldehyde resin.
Tufnol is a material made from sheets of paper and cotton cloth and phenolic formaldehyde resin.

G10 is a material made from cotton and glass fibers and epoxy resin.
Formica is a material made from kraft paper (brown paper) and melamine resin.

Any material made from phenolic formaldehyde resin and another fiber material is colloquially referred to as "phenolic."

Interesting.

Any idea what gives the pure white fretboards? For example, the Matt Heafy "Snowfall":

http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Electrics/Les-Paul/Matt-Heafy-Snofall-Les-Paul-Custom-7.aspx

It just says "phenolic", which you're saying is a generic description for the whole family of materials

 

[bostjan]

I have no idea what Epiphone uses, exactly. The only way to really know would be to ask them.

Howwever, in general, Richlite comes in lots of colours, but white doesn't seem to be one of their standard colours.

Since phenolic formaldehyde resin is clear, and richlite is made of paper, it's easy enough to offer the material in medium brown or darker colours by dyeing the paper used in the process, which yields a textured look. Dye can also be added to the resin to give a more uniform colour.

 

[SDMFVan]

I recently got an Ibanez with a jatoba fretboard and I like it quite a bit. Feels almost identical to rosewood to me, and the reddish color is pretty unique.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

Gibson uses Richlite.

Thx. Maybe they do not polish it like others.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Thx. Maybe they do not polish it like others.

They leave it minimally polished to look like unfinished/unvarnished ebony, which is what it's replacing.

Richlite has a matte sheen when "raw" and can be polished to a gloss, but then looks less like wood.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

They leave it minimally polished to look like unfinished/unvarnished ebony, which is what it's replacing.

Richlite has a matte sheen when "raw" and can be polished to a gloss, but then looks less like wood.

Thx for the info! It is quite important to me as I’ve just ordered my Skerv with Richlite. Now I know what can be done with it and what effect would I get. Thanks a lot, mate

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

ive only owned guitars with rosewood, ebony and maple...out of those i like ebony the best.

maybe one day if i get a custom built, id like to try pale moon...

 

[wilch]

Maple or ebony for me. Getting into guitar in Australia in the 90s meant everything I could afford or wee in store was rosewood. I lusted after all the maple and ebony in guitar magazines and catalogs. Now I only buy guitars with maple or ebony fretboards.

 

[Amanita]

Thx for the info! It is quite important to me as I’ve just ordered my Skerv with Richlite. Now I know what can be done with it and what effect would I get. Thanks a lot, mate

the default finish for Skervs is a thin coat of acrylic satin that's what you've on your other builds. when i did a fretboard for my own build with Redstone Richlite those who weren't in first thought it's purpleheart.
the stuff frets and behaves similar to super dense woods like snakewood or bloodwood.
that damn storm on friday, i was up for a pint

 

[Dayn]

Everything I have is rosewood, except my electric violin, which is ebony. Feel-wise, the ebony fretboard on my violin feels much the same as the rosewood on my Ibanez Prestige. I can't say anything sound-wise.

That's why I chose rosewood, because it's what I'm used to, but I'd happily take ebony. The only thing I'm wary about is maple. The first guitar with maple I played felt sticky and crap. But, I did get a chance to try an Ibanez Prestige with maple, and... it felt just like mine with rosewood, so... Ultimately, I guess I don't give a toss so long as it plays well and looks nice. And say what you will about black guitars with rosewood, but I think the subtle red in a nice rich, dark rosewood goes well with black.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

the default finish for Skervs is a thin coat of acrylic satin that's what you've on your other builds. when i did a fretboard for my own build with Redstone Richlite those who weren't in first thought it's purpleheart.
the stuff frets and behaves similar to super dense woods like snakewood or bloodwood.
that damn storm on friday, i was up for a pint

Thx for the info. Regret that friday ;-)

 

[Dcm81]

I was going to go for ebony because for me, the tonal characteristics of a fretboard are irrelevant so it's a purely aesthetical choice and, well, black goes with everything!
But reading through this thread, it reminded me of the Parker Fly I once tried and God. Damn. those fretboards were hands down the smoothest best feeling boards I ever laid hands on......so what are we going for, looks or feel?

 

[Amanita]

The only thing I'm wary about is maple. The first guitar with maple I played felt sticky and crap.

that sounds like maple finished Fender style ie. with a generous coat of lacquer. is in it's the finish that was sticky not the wood itself.

as far as an actual wood goes and with Dalbergia species on CITES list (before that happened my top pick was african blackwood) my top pick would be santos rosewood/pao ferro. dense and hard without being too brittle and nicely stable. all i want from a fretboard

 

[Xtyfighterx]

All

 

[pondman]

Anything with figure.

 

[patdavidmusic]

I've recently picked up some guitars with roasted maple necks and boards, I'm converted and now a big fan, it's replaced my love of ebony