Guitar fretboard materials have always been a hot topic of discussion amongst gear heads. Whether you’re after great looks or outstanding tone, one thing remains constant about your fingerboard- it needs to be high-quality and durable.
Rosewood, ebony, and maple have always been tried and true, but what about something new and different?
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Introducing – Jatoba Wood
Jatoba wood is a fretboard material that many may not have heard of, but that is quickly changing. It compares most similarly to rosewood, which is a good thing. Rosewood is getting close to becoming endangered, and regulations are becoming more strict to protect it.
Once treated and ready for a guitar, jatoba has a dark brown appearance with hints of red to it. Its hardwood nature means jatoba is generally left unfinished, (there is no clear protectant over it).
Since it is a relatively dry wood, this means it will require a little extra maintenance to keep it from drying out too much. Jatoba is a relatively strong wood, however, so just a little care can go a long way.
In the tone department, jatoba leans to the warmer side, with a little sharpness in the mid-range. The extra mid-range makes it a prime candidate for overdriven and high gain sounds. Solo work will especially benefit from this to cut right to the front of a mix.
Rosewood vs Jatoba
As you might guess, these two are pretty similar. In looks and in tone they share a lot of the same properties. The differences are subtle and you may have to look close to find them.
Rosewood, while also a warmer sounding wood, lacks the midrange character of jatoba. It makes up for this in a different way with a slightly fuller bottom end.
There’s less upkeep with rosewood, as it’s naturally more oily and less porous. You’ll also notice a smoother appearance when up close, compared to jatoba.
Be aware that rosewood has a moderately higher cost than jatoba. It’s to be expected since rosewood is less common and has tighter regulations surrounding it. Expect to find jatoba in place of rosewood on a lot more entry-level to mid-range priced guitars in the near future.
Maple vs Jatoba
Here we have the opposite end of the spectrum. Maple and jatoba are very different in appearance and sound. When it comes to a choice between the two, personal taste is going to play a huge role.
We already know a bit about how jatoba sounds, and maple is about as far from jatoba and rosewood as you can get!
Maple is well known for its brightness, with a sparkling high end that can really shine with clean tones. It’s not without a decent midrange, but it’s not aggressive like that of jatobas.
Maple has a very light-colored and smooth appearance. It’s much softer than jatoba, and even more so than rosewood. Because of this, maple always has a clear finish over it to protect it. The benefit here is that there’s almost no upkeep, just keep it clean and you’re good to go.
When it comes to cost, there are a lot of factors that can drive up the price of maple. Flame, birdseye, or quilting will make it a more expensive option. The particular species of maple can also affect the price, but generally, plane maple will be similarly priced to jatoba.
Other Uses of Jatoba Guitar Wood
Most commonly, jatoba is being used as a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to rosewood for fingerboards. Many guitarists feel it’s actually an improvement over rosewood in this regard, but what about the rest of the guitar?
Generally, the body of the guitar is probably not a place you’ll find jatoba. With the exception of some custom shops, rosewood has never been a popular choice for the body itself.
There have recently been a few bass guitars to offer jatoba as part of their neck material. Expect these to have an even more pronounced growl in the mids. Some examples can be seen in the Ibanez SR605E or the ESP LTD B-204SM.
So, is Jatoba Actually Any Good?
The age-old question: “is such-and-such good for my guitar?” Well, the only one who can really answer that is you! If you’re looking for a rosewood alternative that’s a little more aggressive, I’d say you’re heading in the right direction.
The extra midrange is what’s really appealing to many, especially those of us who want to rock the house. Jatoba is really going to sing with distortion, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a light crunch or a chunky metal rhythm sound.
For lead work, that midrange may even become a necessity in time. Jatoba has a real chance to become the next “holy grail” that guitarists are after. Its durability and cost-effectiveness are simply added bonuses to the killer sounds it can offer.
Where Can You Get Your Hands on a Jatoba Fretboard?
Several well-known companies are now using jatoba for fretboard material. Ibanez is one of the most prominent, featuring guitars like the RG420HPFM and the RG421HPAH.
ESP has also begun offering several guitars as such, even acoustics! Check out this TL-6FM to get a great idea of how great jatoba can really look.
What to Expect Going Forward
In the future, it’s likely we’ll see more and more brands offering jatoba fretboards. With rosewood being more regulated (and even more costly as a result), many brands already have these available on their low to mid-price range instruments.
It wouldn’t be surprising to get to a point where rosewood is only offered on top models, with the price tag to match.
The question is, do you want to stay traditional with the same old sound we all know and love? Or do you want to crank it up a notch with something a little different?
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Follow your ears and find what best suits you, your music, and your playing style, and you can’t go wrong.
To anyone that thinks the fret-board doesn’t make a difference. You have bad ears. Eddie Van Halen didn’t like Rosewood and Steve Via Loves it. Amps with 6V6 tubes sound different than amps with EL34. Floating bridges sound different than Hard Tails. You should research what expensive Martins, Taylors, etc. us to make a solid wood guitar. EVERYTHING matters on a guitar.
What “care” is needed to keep Jatoba fingerboards in good shape? Will lemon oil do the trick like rosewood or is there another type oil needed?
Thanks, Steve
Hi Steve, Tracy here. I have an Ibanez AR520H and I’ve found that a generous coat of orange oil on the fretboard keeps it in very good shape. Load it up, then wipe off the excess and let it set for an hour to soak in. I use orange oil on all “porous” fretboards: rosewood, ebony, and jatoba. Good luck!
Great Article and comment. I agree with what you hit on, if you are not opposed I would like to possibly use a quote or 2 on my site. I use Jatoba for fret boards quite often these days and I prepare and sell some blanks as well. I could not have said it any better than you have. Let me know if that would be acceptable. Thanks for your time.
BCH Guitars
Sure, Brian!
Finger boards do not have a tone. The strings make the tone. The fingerboard has a feel and a response to the strings tone, but the fingerboard does not make a sound.
Grant, you are a funny man… well, we can all say that your hands does not make a sound either. Neither tubes, or cabinets, not even the strings, as you say. Just the speaker, but is not even the speaker. Sound is basically the movement of air between the speaker and your eardrums. And if we go one notch further, is your brain that interprets the electrical impulses from your ear. Technically sounds does not exists, is all made up by the brain and limited by the ear’s frequency response.
PS: I can be a smart ass like you if I want to or even worst. Obviously the article refers to the harmonic difference between different woods. But I think you did not get that either.
Bone-Nut got a different tones as a plastic-Nut. The Frets are holding from the Wood. It makes a difference.
I have to agree. Any difference people hear is placebo. It’s right up there with “tone woods” on electric guitar bodies. If there IS a difference, it’s so minute it wouldn’t be perceivable… probably. Does not matter unless we’re talking acoustics.