Ebonol

A synthetic ebony substitute of resin and fibre, made for fretboards where real ebony is too costly.

Ebonol is a hard phenolic composite dyed black and sold in board form, designed to give the look and the wear resistance of ebony without the cost or the trade restrictions of the real timber. It is uniform, stable, and easy to slot and radius, and it feels smooth under the fingers, so it does the job of a fretboard adequately. It is commonly described as sounding harder and brighter than the rosewood substitutes, with a slightly glassy edge, and it does not move with humidity. Players object to it over looks rather than tone: it shows no grain whatever, and its uniform black surface reads as plastic up close.

Example: An entry-level instrument with an Ebonol board looks at a glance like ebony and plays consistently in any climate.

typical use: Fretboards on budget instruments, and occasionally nuts.

Ebonol

See also