Fender moves from rosewood to ebony fingerboard because of CITES

[Don54]

I know we're primarily acoustic players. I play acoustics exclusively. However, I thought this was interesting since it sorta relates.

I received a Fender e-newsletter. One of the topics is their transition from rosewood to ebony fingerboards bc of the CITES restrictions on Rosewood. They specifically mention East Indian Rosewood which many acoustic guitars are made of. I wonder if it's just a matter of time before some of the big acoustic names (Martin, Taylor, Gibson, etc) do the same with the EIR back and sides.

[Skip Ellis]

Glad to hear it. I play Teles and have always stuck with maple fingerboards because I don't like rosewood at all. I've built some Teles with ebony boards and like them a lot. I won't own an acoustic (or electric for that matter) with a rosewood fingerboard. Personally, I think a rosewood fingerboard cheapens the look of a high end instrument. Some folks like 'em......

[dmckean44]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

Glad to hear it. I play Teles and have always stuck with maple fingerboards because I don't like rosewood at all. I've built some Teles with ebony boards and like them a lot. I won't own an acoustic (or electric for that matter) with a rosewood fingerboard. Personally, I think a rosewood fingerboard cheapens the look of a high end instrument. Some folks like 'em......

There's different grades of rosewood. The fingerboard on my Larrivee D-03R is almost as dark as ebony with only a few red-ish brown colored streaks and the grain is almost as tight as ebony with no pitting. I have a strat from the 70s CBS era with a fingerboard almost as nice.

All my other intruments are using sub-standard stuff and it definately cheapens the look.

[Shades of Blue]

I doubt the high end makers will alter their high end models, but you may see less rosewood on low end models.

[Osage]

I spoke with a friend the other day who is a large supplier of wood for both larger companies and independent builders and he told me that Indian Rosewood has been very well managed and that there is no shortage of it but that they, and others, have not been able to get it for over a year now. Their suppliers in India keep telling them that it's just a matter of getting all the paperwork straightened out.

[charles Tauber]

Interesting: the law of unintended consequences.

East Indian rosewood is sustainably plantation grown. All rosewood was added to CITIES to protect the endangered varieties of it. Makers are then substituting ebony, overharvested and not sustainably harvested or grown. Substituting a sustainably plantation grown wood for one that is in short supply and over-harvested. Somehow, I don't think that's what CITIES is all about.

[Pitar]

My boards have to be ebony. I've always thought that anything else was (and remains) a downgrade; especially where the meat and potatoes of playing need as much durability one can get from a species of wood. For that Gaboon (or Cameroon) Ebony is the best and significantly most expensive.

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/info/janka-hardness/

http://www.wood-database.com/gaboon-ebony/

And, just for the edification of it -

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...errated-woods/

[vindibona1]

Taylor has gotten out ahead of the game. They've now (successfully, I think) marketed "striped" ebony fingerboards to reduce the number of rejected trees while looking for solid black wood. This will reduce their cost while maintaining their full margin on instruments. Based on what they did with the reconfigured 614 I think you might see some more maple in less expensive models. While the 814's have still remained their "flagship" model, there are almost no 614's hanging in showrooms as they sell so fast that retailers have difficulty keeping them in stock.

Switching from rosewood to ebony on the fingerboards is no big deal as far as sound/feel go. I currently have 6 guitars with ebony fingerboards and two or three with rosewood and unless I'm thinking about it I'm kind of oblivious to the wood under my fingers. Maple fingerboards OTOH don't feel the same (or as good IMO).

I have to wonder if they're going to stop making guitars with rosewood altogether as sourcing it will become increasingly difficult?

[TwoStep2000]

are fender acoustics any good? do they even make higher end ones?

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Originally Posted by TwoStep2000

are fender acoustics any good? do they even make higher end ones?

They were when they owned Guild.

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Taylor has gotten out ahead of the game. They've now (successfully, I think) marketed "striped" ebony fingerboards to reduce the number of rejected trees while looking for solid black wood. This will reduce their cost while maintaining their full margin on instruments. Based on what they did with the reconfigured 614 I think you might see some more maple in less expensive models. While the 814's have still remained their "flagship" model, there are almost no 614's hanging in showrooms as they sell so fast that retailers have difficulty keeping them in stock.

Switching from rosewood to ebony on the fingerboards is no big deal as far as sound/feel go. I currently have 6 guitars with ebony fingerboards and two or three with rosewood and unless I'm thinking about it I'm kind of oblivious to the wood under my fingers. Maple fingerboards OTOH don't feel the same (or as good IMO).

I have to wonder if they're going to stop making guitars with rosewood altogether as sourcing it will become increasingly difficult?

What I don't understand is why Taylor doesn't just dye their ebony, like most of the other quality manufacturers did / do? I think "striped" ebony is far less attractive on most guitar models... I do like it on "natural" maple builds, but as rule, ebony always seems an upgrade.... Maybe I'm just an "black ebony snob"?

Don

[rwmct]

Originally Posted by TwoStep2000

are fender acoustics any good? do they even make higher end ones?

The "Paramount" series includes all solid imports in the $750 to $1,000 range. Some people like them, some not so much. There is a lot of competition in the all solid import segment.

[dmckean44]

Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales

They were when they owned Guild.

+1 and Tacoma.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Don Liv

I know we're primarily acoustic players. I play acoustics exclusively. However, I thought this was interesting since it sorta relates.

I received a Fender e-newsletter. One of the topics is their transition from rosewood to ebony fingerboards bc of the CITES restrictions on Rosewood. They specifically mention East Indian Rosewood which many acoustic guitars are made of. I wonder if it's just a matter of time before some of the big acoustic names (Martin, Taylor, Gibson, etc) do the same with the EIR back and sides.

Um...

Martin and Taylor have essentially already done so on most of their Mexican imports.
Taylor switched to Ebony fretboard/bridge/headstock overlay on their 100 and 200 series in January.
Martin is using Richlite for fretboard/bridge on their Mexican models and HPL headstock overlays.

Neither Taylor nor Larrivee dyes their ebony, Martin has done so for over a century. My 1999 Larrivee has a nice stripey fretboard.

[firstrebel]

Most if not all of the Faith guitars use ebony for the fingerboard.

Bob