Question About ebony FB

[Gravesend Black]

Hi guys! I'm thinking about BFR MMSR5H with ebony board. Any suggestions about it? I've heard some ppl thinking that ebony is pretty unstable to the moisture. Is that right? And how about the tonal difference?

 

[muggsy]

I have a BFR Big Al 4H from 2010 with an ebony board. No issues with cracking or instability for me in 4 years. I can't speak to any tonal difference but I don't generally hear much difference between fretboard woods.

 

[uOpt]

I'm not "to the moisture".

You see more splits in ebony fretboard than rosewood.

But the true reason in my mind is that if you have rosewood glued to maple they seem to fly more in parallel as they expand and contract under environmental conditions, compared to ebony that seems to behave a bit slower or faster, creating tension. This isn't an issue with aged enough wood but that you have no control over.

Having said that, I have seen excellent repairs of these split that cost less than $50 and are completely invisible. I like the feel of the ebony better and I always pick ebony over rosewood if I have a choice.

 

[Tollywood]

Hello, I also prefer ebony over rosewood. I've had my ebony board BFR Axis for over three years, and it is in perfect condition.
I live in new england, so seasonal changes are pretty extreme here, yet I still have no cracks.

 

[melvin7822]

I keep crossing my fingers that a PDN will be offered with an ebony fingerboard option much like the 2010 BFR Black Sugar/Roasted package. That will be the day I order a fretless.

I also have not experienced any problems with ebony fingerboards.

 

[sanderhermans]

Ebony is less stable and more britle then rosewood. Thats why i try to avoid it but if i cross something cool with ebony board, i wont leave it because of that...

 

[lefenton]

My BFR Roasted SR4H has the ebony board. It absolutely sings. I keep up on its maintenance and conditioning/ cleaning regularly and have no issues with it at all.

 

[eliasmereb]

It's a matter of taste...I've a Bongo 6 Dargie Delight II and I totally hate it when I compare it to my Bongo 6 all rosewood neck...again, it's just a matter of taste, the sound you like/are looking for, the sound that every instrument produces and how does it feels in your hands. That's why we have OPTIONS!