Unusually grainy and dark Jatoba fretboard, any reason for concern? [!!! SOLVED !!!]

[Baloney Balderdash]

I am a little worried if I should be concerned for the Jatoba fretboard on my new Ibanez SR306EB 6 string bass showing unusually prominent wood grains and being unusually dark compared to all other Jatoba fretbaoards I have ever seen (and compared to the Jatoba fretboard on my 5 string Ibanez GSRM25 Mikro Bass as well)?

From a visual point of view I don't actually mind the fairly prominent wood grains at all, and the fretboard still feels perfectly smooth and nice to play on (maybe even slightly smoother than my rosewood fretboards), and the darker color than usually seen in Jatoba wood actually is even a plus for me from a visual point of view, just worried if it might be an indication that the quality of the piece of wood used for the fretboard being somewhat poor, as in possibly weaker, more prone to warping/twisting e.t.c.

Here's a couple of closeup shots of 2 sections of the fretboard to get you an idea of what I am taking about (though even though it might look like these almost black wood grains are small narrow cracks in the wood, they are not actually, just black superficial grain figures (as said the fretboard feels perfectly smooth, and there is not actually anything unusual to feel where the grain shows if one runs a finger over them specifically to check)) :

 

SOLVED!!! : Look at my reply bellow this one.

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[Baloney Balderdash]

Not with the intention to shame any of you for not having replied yet, I realize most people in our time zone are asleep by now and was when I created my OP as well, but got this very reassuring answer from a member of The Gear Page forum where I asked the same question :

Quote

Jatoba is Brazilian cherry. The heartwood color you speak of varies from brownish orange to a brownish red. That is the nature of the wood. Color is usually not an indication of the quality of the wood- usually quality is selected/graded on cut (grain orientation) and whether it is devout of natural defects. Those pattern that you see on the surface make up is a good indication of quality- that is an interlocked grain, medullary rays/ray flakes. A sign this board is quarter sawn cut and those elements is a sign of dimensional stability. Those tiny slits (that you mentioned being black or cracks) are natural pores that appears to have medium coarse texture- that is not a defect as it is present in a lot of wood species. More so than others.

 

I did kind of figure that the darker color would just be due to natural variation, though it is really darker than any other Jatoba fretboard I've ever seen, including the one on my other Ibanez bass as well.

What I was most worried about might had been a sign of poor quality was the prominent pores, I guess because they sort of look like tiny cracks, and that I haven't seen them so prominent on any other Jatoba fretboard before, even if I confirmed myself that they in fact are not cracks at all, judging from having tried to detect if this was the case by running my finger over them, only to find them feeling just as smooth and even as the rest of the board.

But from what they wrote in the post quoted above I am now completely reassured that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the quality of the wood used for this fretboard.

And as said I don't mind the prominent black pores at all, and I even thinks the slightly figured and generally darker color of this particular piece of wood makes for a quite beautiful fretboard, with a certain lively play of light in it and sense of depth, to a degree where I actually think I might even prefer this fretboard over if it had been made of Rosewood, unlike just about every other Jatoba fretboard I've ever seen, which has otherwise always seemed somewhat dull and boring in comparison to this particular one, and which, unlike this, in my opinion fits basses with black finish particularly poorly.

I have fallen deeply in love with this, my first 6 string bass ever, in the about just a week I have owned it by now, and it has earned the spot as my new main, playing and sounding absolutely beautifully, so would have hated to learn something was not quite right with it.

Astonishing bass period, not just for the money, though that aspect makes it even more of a sensation.

 

Also I apologize for if it seems like I am spamming my excitement for this bass all over this forum, seemingly trying to squeeze a mention of it into every thread possibly with just a remotely fitting topic, and even starting a couple myself with it featuring as the main topic (my "New 6 string ordered" and "Sound test" threads, along with this one), though this thread was voicing a genuine concern I had that I felt I needed reasurement of, so hope I have not made people feeling too fed up with me and my new bass by now. 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[naxos10]

Glad you found out that the wood should look like that rather than there being a problem.

I know the colour in photographs is not always accurate but I like the look of that fretboard finish.

Edited January 3, 2021 by naxos10
Spelling

[Lfalex v1.1]

Wenge exhibits much larger pores and is frequently used (particularly by Warwick) for fretboards. Macassar Ebony often bears red stains and is an excellent fretboard wood.

I'd be concerned about visible knots, damage or unnatural staining.

That said,  the worst fretboard I've experienced wasn't wooden. It was phenolic.  

[Baloney Balderdash]

3 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

Wenge exhibits much larger pores and is frequently used (particularly by Warwick) for fretboards. Macassar Ebony often bears red stains and is an excellent fretboard wood.

I'd be concerned about visible knots, damage or unnatural staining.

That said,  the worst fretboard I've experienced wasn't wooden. It was phenolic.  

Well, examining the 5 piece laminated Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple neck I actually discovered what, as far as I can tell, might be a tiny knot in the center piece of Maple towards the lower end of the neck (as in just about right before the neck joint), not sure if it is actually in fact a tiny knot though or just a small discoloration and minor abnormality in the grain.

 

Looks like this (in the red circle) :

 

And zoomed in really close (to the point where it is actually magnified considerably) to what I believe might be a tiny knot :

 

So does that look like a tiny knot to you, or just a minor discoloration and abnormality in the grain that I probably shouldn't have any reason to worry about at all?

 

And yes, I do realize that this might all look like silly needles worry to someone who knows there would be nothing to worry about, I don't however, but am generally concerned as I love this bass and like to know if there is any possible valid reason to worry about the long time stability of the neck, based on these what to me look like abnormalities, even if they might very well actually all be within perfectly normal variations in wood that should't cause any need for concern.

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[MNY]

I wouldn’t worry about the slight marking in the neck. Cort know what they are doing when it comes to building what are arguably some of the best value for money basses and guitars on the planet. Just enjoy playing your new bass. 

[OliverBlackman]

I think you will be better off with an all graphite/ carbon guitar, wood clearly isn’t for you. 

[Reggaebass]

1 hour ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

So does that look like a tiny knot to you, or just a minor discoloration and abnormality in the grain that I probably shouldn't have any reason to worry about at all?

I wouldn’t worry about that baloney, an actual knot is where there was/is a branch , and there’s no centre to the one you’ve got, which is good, I would say that section has been cut well away from the knot and looks very stable, especially with the lacquer 🙂

[krispn]

On 03/01/2021 at 05:27, Baloney Balderdash said:

Also I apologize for if it seems like I am spamming my excitement for this bass all over this forum, seemingly trying to squeeze a mention of it into every thread possibly with just a remotely fitting topic, and even starting a couple myself with it featuring as the main topic (my "New 6 string ordered" and "Sound test" threads, along with this one), though this thread was voicing a genuine concern I had that I felt I needed reasurement of, so hope I have not made people feeling too fed up with me and my new bass by now. 

You’re not the first believe me and you’ll not be the last. 😀

[Lfalex v1.1]

19 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

I think you will be better off with an all graphite/ carbon guitar, wood clearly isn’t for you. 

You'd be surprised. My worst bass for construction/ self-deconstruction issues was a Status with no wood in it at all. The only good thing about it was the neck stability.