When we think of an Ebony fingerboard, we usually think of a smooth, jet black guitar fretboard. But today’s Ebony guitar fretboard is showing more and more visual variation, so much so that it has a host of new names:
- Streaked Ebony
- Striped Ebony
- Marbled Ebony
- Exotic Ebony
- Pale Moon Ebony
- Crelicam Ebony
In this article, we’ll discuss the current state of Ebony wood used for guitar fretboards, and why you’re likely to find one of these “non-traditional” types of Ebony on your next guitar. We’ll also talk about some of the benefits and drawbacks of guitars with Ebony fretboards.
Non-Traditional Ebony
Non-Traditional is the term we’ll use to describe Ebony that isn’t a deep, jet black color. To understand Non-Traditional Ebony, and the differences between it and regular Ebony, we first need to understand Ebony wood.
Ebony Wood Basics
Ebony is a dense, tropical hardwood native to Africa, Asia, and South America. It has a deep black color, and polishes to a smooth shine. It has the distinction of being one of the few woods that actually sinks in water, instead of floating. This density makes it extremely durable, and as a result has been prized for centuries as the premier wood for stringed instrument fingerboards. Ebony is also used as a tonewood for the back and sides of acoustic guitars, but by far the most common use in instruments is for fingerboards.
As a visually beautiful wood, Ebony has also been used for high-end furniture, piano keys, and decorative objects. This popularity, combined with the fact that the Ebony Tree is slow-growing, have led to a shortage. But there’s more to the story.
Back In Black
For centuries, musical instrument makers have insisted on only using Ebony that is a uniform, jet black color. And who can blame them—deep black Ebony is stunning. The problem is, only a small percentage of Ebony trees have fully black wood. What’s worse, it’s impossible to tell what color the wood is before cutting the tree. For years, the majority of the Ebony trees that were cut were left to rot on the forest floor—just because their wood wasn’t completely black-colored.
Taylor Guitars Ebony Project
Enter Bob Taylor, of Taylor Guitars. As a large user of Ebony, Taylor saw firsthand the coming shortage of Ebony. Long story short, Taylor Guitars bought an Ebony mill in Cameroon, Africa, and launched the Ebony Project. Their goal is to sustainably harvest Ebony wood, as well as replant Ebony trees to ensure their future survival. The Ebony from Taylor’s mills is known as Crelicam Ebony.
Marbled Ebony Guitar Fretboards
Remember the majority of Ebony trees left to rot on the forest floor? Taylor decided to use those trees. Not only that, they debuted Marbled Ebony fingerboards on their 800 Series guitars, which many consider the flagship of the Taylor line.
This photo of a Crelicam Ebony fretboard shows its typical streaking:
In the Eye of The Beholder
While Taylor wasn’t the first guitar manufacturer to use Marbled Ebony for fretboards, being the first large manufacturer to do so turned heads. Since then, other makers, including Martin Guitars, have jumped in. Chris Martin, of Martin guitars told Premier Guitar:
“Striped ebony is an ethically sourced tonewood that sounds great, is aesthetically pleasing, and, perhaps most importantly, is an environmentally smart option.”
—Chris Martin, Martin Guitars
Streaked Ebony on a Fender?
Although the traditional fingerboard woods for Fender Strats and Teles are Maple and Rosewood, Fender has been known to use Ebony, though less regularly than some other manufacturers. Streaked Ebony has been featured recently on the American Elite Stratocaster, but is more regularly used on Custom Shop, Artisan, and Rarities builds.
This video demonstrates the differences between Black vs. Marbled Ebony:
Types of Ebony Fretboards
Fretboards made of Ebony can have dramatically different appearances, depending not only on the individual tree, but the species of Ebony used. Here are 5 types of Ebony you will typically see used for guitars:
1. Gaboon Ebony
This is the Ebony that many of us picture when we think of Ebony. Gaboon today is sourced from Cameroon. The heartwood is jet black and very dense, with little visible grain. It can have a mirror-like appearance.
2. Ceylon Ebony
Harvested in Southeast Asia, Ceylon makes for sought after, dark Ebony.
3. Macassar Ebony
A Macassar Ebony fretboard differentiates itself by having brown to black striping against a light brown, sometimes reddish, background. It is harvested in Southeast Asia.
4. Pale Moon Ebony
You probably wouldn’t know this wood was Ebony! A Pale Moon Ebony fretboard makes a strong visual statement. It is straw colored with dramatic dark streaking. Check out this example of Pale Moon Ebony on a PRS Private Stock from Eddie’s Guitars.
5. Crelicam Ebony
This is Ebony from Cameroon that is sustainably produced by Taylor Guitars and the Ebony Project. It shows variations of dark and light coloring, with a good deal of variation from piece to piece.
Ebony and Your Next Guitar
Simply put, the future of guitar making belongs to alternative tonewoods. We all have to adjust to the fact that yesterday’s tonewoods aren’t inexhaustible. However, with respect to Ebony, there is good news:
Non Traditional Ebony sounds and performs exactly like fully black-colored Ebony.
Luthiers and guitarists alike attest to the fact that they feel and hear no difference between the two. Like so many aesthetic things, our impression of what looks good is based on what we are accustomed to. As marbled Ebony becomes normalized, we’ll care less that it isn’t fully black. In fact, many people, myself included, think that variegated Ebony has a distinct and refreshing visual appeal.
Ebony Fretboard Benefits
If Ebony is so difficult to source, why go through the trouble? Well, quite simply, Ebony is an excellent wood for fingerboards. It is dense, hard, and holds frets in place exceptionally well. Ebony is a tight grained wood, and as a result plays very smooth. When used for a fingerboard, Ebony has a bright, articulate tone, with “snap.” Guitarists who prefer an Ebony fretboard praise its fast feel and note definition.
Ebony Fretboard vs Rosewood
There are some who feel that Ebony can be too bright, and point to Rosewood as the “warmer” option. Compared to East Indian Rosewood, Ebony is both denser and harder, as measured on the Janka Hardness scale (the Janka Scale indicates the hardness of a wood. The higher the number, the harder the wood).
Guitarists often point to Rosewood as having a warmer tone than Ebony, and if you go by the density and hardness measurements, this should be the case. This is because higher wood density typically results in a brighter tone. However, there are many other variables at play in influencing how Rosewood vs Ebony sounds, so we have to be careful about making generalizations. The fretboard is only one factor in the tone that a guitar produces. Check out our article on guitar fretboard woods for more info on the tone of an Ebony vs Rosewood fretboard.
Ebony vs Maple Fretboard
Many people equate Ebony’s tone to Maple. Both offer an articulate brightness. More importantly, compared to Rosewood, an Ebony fretboard plays more like a finished Maple fingerboard. This being the case, if you like the feel of a Maple fretboard, you will almost certainly like the feel of Ebony. We tend to see more debate in the guitar community about Rosewood vs Ebony than a Maple fretboard vs. Ebony.
Conclusion
As it turns out, “Non-Traditional” Ebony is a bit of a misnomer. In both feel and tone, Streaked/Striped/Marbled/Exotic Ebony is the exact same wood as traditional black colored Ebony. Whether you prefer an Ebony fretboard to Rosewood, Maple, or Pau Ferro will depend on whether you like the feel and tone of Ebony.
Credit should be given to guitar manufacturers and smaller luthiers who are embracing the use of non-traditional Ebony for their fretboards. Chances are, your next Ebony fretboard guitar will most likely be one.