Ebony

A very dense, fine-grained hardwood, usually almost black, used where the hardest possible surface is wanted.

Its tight grain polishes to a glassy finish and resists the grooves that string contact cuts into softer fingerboards, so a heavily played instrument stays smooth for decades. It adds mass to the neck and brightness to the attack. Clean black boards are scarce and expensive, which is why pale-streaked ebony and dyed alternatives now appear widely, and the species is subject to trade controls.

Example: a classical guitar with an ebony fingerboard keeps a bright, even tone through years of daily practice where a softer board would wear into dips.

typical use: Fretboards, especially on high-end acoustics and archtops, plus bridges and tailpieces.

Ebony

See also