Ebony query

mart

mart

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Ok, this is a guitar not a bass (let alone a Warwick), but my question is about wood, and I reckon the Warwick forum probably knows wood better than almost anybody else. :d

So, what is going on here:

What is the fingerboard wood, and what has caused the lighter patch? :confused:

The photo is, apparently, of a Martin D-28. The seller says "the dye has rubbed off the wood", but if that's the case, it looks as if it must have rubbed off before the frets were put on. And Martin say the fingerboards of their D-28s are "solid black ebony" - but that wood looks more like rosewood than ebony.

What are your thoughts, folks?
 
P.S. I'd be really happy to see replies from Dorothy or Loretta! ;)
 
for me, it looks like a perfectly fine ebony that hasn't been dyed. In nature, it very rarely is solid black.
 
True dat. There's different types of ebony too. I wouldn't worry about it Mart.
 
It lookslike ebony to me too. But I don't want to be called "Loretta" again... They say ebony does not float, you can do the floating test.
 
Cheers guys!

I'm still not quite sure. I've got 5 Warwicks with ebony fingerboards, and although some have some lighter streaks of colour, none have patches like this. And all mine have a very smooth look - almost glossy, whereas this has the matt look that I associate with rosewood boards.

And I suppose my real problem is I'm looking for a reason NOT to buy this! :) I want a D28, but I know I don't need one at the moment, and I know the look my wife is going to have if I tell her I've just bought another instrument!:lol:
 
Some manufacturers dye ebony to get that solid black look. some dont. I have played a few martins, and worked for a place that sold them and one thing i can tell you is they are not ones to f**K around when it comes to material quality on their good stuff. If its a genuine Martin D28 its more than likely to be simply a natural variation in the wood, more than a dye. Also the matte look of the ebony can be due to the way it has been polished, the way it has been oiled (sometimes wood that has dried out and been re-oiled can get a uneven texture) or even some muppet in its past taking to it with a scouring pad to clean it and leaving a matte finnish.
 
Florin said:
It lookslike ebony to me too. But I don't want to be called "Loretta" again... They say ebony does not float, you can do the floating test.
Click to expand...

Isn't that a witch test? :)

My '47 Kay upright had what they called an "ebonized" board. Probably not what's going on here, but I had to stay relevant to the topic. Sorry Mart, and good luck with the wife. LOL
 
Ebony on my jazzman fretboard looks like this one, without the lighter patch.
 
Like previous posters have mentioned, ebony is often dyed black. The tigerstripe ebony is a mire natural representation of the natural wood grain.
 
Samuel said:
Like previous posters have mentioned, ebony is often dyed black. The tigerstripe ebony is a mire natural representation of the natural wood grain.
Click to expand...
Yep, this is certain - not all ebony is pure black, and probably most is not.

The question (or at least, part of the question :d) is whether the wood in the picture has been dyed. Martin say their D28s have "solid black ebony". If by that, they mean that they take any old ebony and dye it black, then they are being a little naughty. I take it to mean they carefully select bits of ebony that don't have lighter patches or streaks. In which case, is the pictured fingerboard not a genuine Martin?

Thanks -kC- for the comment about another ebony fingerboard that looks like this. I thought that with 5 ebony boards I might have seen all the variety that there is, but evidently not!:)
 
mart said:
Yep, this is certain - not all ebony is pure black, and probably most is not.

The question (or at least, part of the question :d) is whether the wood in the picture has been dyed. Martin say their D28s have "solid black ebony". If by that, they mean that they take any old ebony and dye it black, then they are being a little naughty. I take it to mean they carefully select bits of ebony that don't have lighter patches or streaks. In which case, is the pictured fingerboard not a genuine Martin?

Thanks -kC- for the comment about another ebony fingerboard that looks like this. I thought that with 5 ebony boards I might have seen all the variety that there is, but evidently not!:)
Click to expand...

I think you are right. As far as my knowledge goes, there is no such thing as solid black ebony...
 
mart said:
Thanks -kC- for the comment about another ebony fingerboard that looks like this. I thought that with 5 ebony boards I might have seen all the variety that there is, but evidently not!:)
Click to expand...

Lol, in fact, I've always wondered the opposite,asking myself why my ebony fretboard doesn't look smooth and glossy!:lol:
 
mart said:
Cheers guys!

I'm still not quite sure. I've got 5 Warwicks with ebony fingerboards, and although some have some lighter streaks of colour, none have patches like this. And all mine have a very smooth look - almost glossy, whereas this has the matt look that I associate with rosewood boards.

And I suppose my real problem is I'm looking for a reason NOT to buy this! :) I want a D28, but I know I don't need one at the moment, and I know the look my wife is going to have if I tell her I've just bought another instrument!:lol:
Click to expand...

I've seen ebony like that before...
 
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