Buying Ebony for a Fingerboard

[apa]

So Im thinking of making a replacement Fingerboard. Question is, Should I buy specific Blank Ebony Board form a Luther supplies because its specificaly selected for that use or can I trot over to my local exotic wood suppliers and pic up a suitable piece at much less cost?? Or do I need a piece with built in mojo?? Im going to machine out the shape radii etc myself so it just needs to be a lump of wood!!

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Edited December 19, 2010 by apa

[Mr. Foxen]

Ebony is pretty variable stuff, both in properties, and what actually gets labeled as 'ebony'. It also tends not to be as black as fingerboards suggest.

[henry norton]

If you go to a luthier supplier you can specify how dark, brown, cream, streaky, wavy or dead black a board you want.
An ebony fingerboard blank isn't actually that expensive if you're building one instrument and yes, I'd go to a luthier supplier because you generally pay for wood by volume (even for smallish bits) and you'd probably have to buy a larger chunk from a timber supplier, consequently paying for more wood you won't use. Tonewoods are usually dried and stored with instrument making in mind and are graded on quality (tightness & straightness of grain, figure or lack of, density etc.), none of which you're likely to find from a wood yard unless they're very very good indeed, and there ain't many very very good wood yards around

Or to put it another way if you can't justify 20 quid for a decent ebony board you're going to have bigger problems bringing the rest of the bass up to the lofty standards of your pro quality ebony board!

[apa]

[quote name='henry norton' post='1063930' date='Dec 19 2010, 07:59 PM']If you go to a luthier supplier you can specify how dark, brown, cream, streaky, wavy or dead black a board you want.
An ebony fingerboard blank isn't actually that expensive if you're building one instrument and yes, I'd go to a luthier supplier because you generally pay for wood by volume (even for smallish bits) and you'd probably have to buy a larger chunk from a timber supplier, consequently paying for more wood you won't use. Tonewoods are usually dried and stored with instrument making in mind and are graded on quality (tightness & straightness of grain, figure or lack of, density etc.), none of which you're likely to find from a wood yard unless they're very very good indeed, and there ain't many very very good wood yards around

Or to put it another way if you can't justify 20 quid for a decent ebony board you're going to have bigger problems bringing the rest of the bass up to the lofty standards of your pro quality ebony board![/quote]

Perfect and very true lol. Thats exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks Henry Yep the blanks arent expencive even when you add postage. Was just wondering since Im off to a quit good wood suppliers soon anyway so could look around. Im asking on this element since its a critical part and not just esthetics. Ill have a looky on the net. Anyone recommend a good one?

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[henry norton]

[quote name='apa' post='1063980' date='Dec 19 2010, 09:53 PM']Perfect and very true lol. Thats exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks Henry Yep the blanks arent expencive even when you add postage. Was just wondering since Im off to a quit good wood suppliers soon anyway so could look around. Im asking on this element since its a critical part and not just esthetics. Ill have a looky on the net. Anyone recommend a good one?

A[/quote]

[url="http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/"]Touchstone Tonewoods[/url]

[url="http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/"]David Dyke (Luthier Supplies)[/url]

Both do postage and give a very personal, helpful service, so you can't go far wrong with them.

[apa]

Touchstone was my choice too. Got stuff from them before and good prices!

Cheers again

A