Fretboard

The flat or curved surface of wood or composite on the front of the neck, into which the frets are set and against which the strings are stopped.

Also called the fingerboard, it wears under string contact and is chosen for feel and hardness as much as tone: dense, fine-grained species resist the grooves that form under repeated playing. Its radius decides how the neck feels across the width, and its scale length is set by where the frets are placed. Inlays along it mark the positions, and its edges are where fret ends must be dressed to keep the hand comfortable.

Example: a rosewood board feels slightly softer under the fingers than a maple one, and on a maple neck the finish itself is what the string touches.

Fretboard

See also