Fingerboard question for the Carbonistas

[LFL Steve]

I'm onboard with carbon composite guitar bodies being superior to wood in strength-to-weight, resonance, immunity to environmental factors, etc, but it surprises me that there seems little-to-no pining for the feel of oiled rosewood or ebony in the fretboards. Does it not matter? Decades ago Rickenbacker would get occasional mention for their "teak-under-glass" glossy 4001 fingerboards. Were they right all along? Fender glossy maple? What are peoples' feelings about the tradeoffs?

[Captain Jim]

I may be a luddite, but I don't notice any difference in the feel of the fretboard between my carbon fiber guitars and my wood guitars. My fingers are on the strings.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

I may be a luddite, but I don't notice any difference in the feel of the fretboard between my carbon fiber guitars and my wood guitars. My fingers are on the strings.

If you're a luddite, then so am I. My (callused) fingertips have never been able to detect what material a fretboard is made of, so I really don't care. I've owned the lacquered Rickenbacker, and currently have guitars with shiny CF, matte CF, unfinished maple, glossy maple, and rosewood. I cannot tell them apart by feel.

[RP]

I agree with David and Captain Jim, and probably many others....

[Markcarl]

Like the others, I don’t notice the difference between wood and carbon fiber fingerboards. The carbon fiber fretboards on my Rainsong and Emerald guitars even look like ebony.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Markcarl

Like the others, I don’t notice the difference between wood and carbon fiber fingerboards. The carbon fiber fretboards on my Rainsong and Emerald guitars even look like ebony.

Except my most recent Taylor has "streaked ebony" so they aren't necessarily solid black anymore.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

Except my most recent Taylor has "streaked ebony" so they aren't necessarily solid black anymore.

Somewhere out there, there’s someone who is quite convinced that they can hear the streaks - and feel them, too.

[mountainmaster]

I can feel the difference between different woods on fingerboards.

Carbon fiber fingerboards feel like ebony to me. I prefer ebony on wood guitars, so for me there is no tradeoff.

I have read somewhere that Aristides started out with wooden fingerboards on their composite electric guitars. This combination of materials, which react very differently to environmental changes, caused major tuning instabilities. Even more so than a regular wooden neck would have.
Then they switched to richlite which also happens to have that "ebony" feel I like.

[Fixedgear60]

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

I can feel the difference between different woods on fingerboards.

Carbon fiber fingerboards feel like ebony to me. I prefer ebony on wood guitars, so for me there is no tradeoff.
.

I tend to agree on acoustics this argument goes on for Teles forever maple versus rosewood :-)... I am in the maple camp :-)

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Fixedgear60

I tend to agree on acoustics this argument goes on for Teles forever maple versus rosewood :-)... I am in the maple camp :-)

Isn’t the Tele debate as much about sound as it is feel?

[Fixedgear60]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

Isn’t the Tele debate as much about sound as it is feel?

I agree to a point... IMHO is much to do about nothing... (a simple turn of the tone knob adjusts the minor differences). For me it is more about the feel ... glossy I find is a faster neck... and look :-). A blond tele would look funny with rosewood neck while a burst tele or black looks great !

[mountainmaster]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

Isn’t the Tele debate as much about sound as it is feel?

No one would admit it, but secretly it is about looks.

Edit: Cross posted. As I was typing Fixedgear60 courageously admitted the looks argument.

[Fixedgear60]

Originally Posted by mountainmaster

No one would admit it, but secretly it is about looks.

hahah spot on!

[Captain Jim]

And, once again, down the rabbit hole. And the OP has CF bicycles listed where most have their guitars!

On a totally related subject: which 1/4" cord works best for carbon fiber?

[mountainmaster]

Some further thoughts on richlite fingerboards.

Although it became somewhat infamous for replacing ebony in the Les Paul Custom, it is just as impervious to environment factors as carbon fiber. Plus, as I said before, it feels like ebony to me.

And for those who prefer a lighter look, it also comes in maple color. Here, let me show you my Aristides.