Anyone bought a new guitar recently with Pau Ferro fretboard?

RaymondLin

Notice that Fender has chosen this wood to replace rosewood to side step CITES.

Anyone has any experience of it?

John_A

Bought a Pau Ferro Mexican tele neck a while ago, looked and felt pretty much like rosewood

Elwood

I've had it on a guitar previously, a jaden rose.  I've always thought as Pau Ferro as an upgrade. 

 In fairness to Fender they have been quite open about it's use, and the whole purpose of CITES is to reduce demand and exploitation. 

Paul_C

I've owned Musicman basses with Pau Ferro fingerboards - the frets stayed in, they looked and sounded great.

Whitecat

Fender is only using it on their MIM stuff. USA stuff has either stuck with rosewood or switched to ebony in the case of the Elite series. 

Lots of high-end builders use it so there’s nothing wrong with it per se. Gibson is even using it as an option on their 60th Anniversary 59 Les Paul reissues, but marketing it as “Bolivian Rosewood”. If those cork-sniffers are cool with that then I’d say it’s fine... :-p

tony99

got a cp 60's strat but can't tell if it's rw or pf and I'm unsure when they switched, anyone know how I can find out?

stonevibe

Last one I owned was the SRV Fender model. Was nice, made Sweet Fanny Adams difference to how the guitar played or sounded.

Winny_Pooh

Its usually a bit lighter coloured and looks more open grained. Interestingly, it's actually harder than rosewood, which is why Musicman use it on their fretless basses. 

Fuengi

My Squier Jaguar SS Bass has a PF board, it feels great. Definitely has a more washed out appearance than rosewood and it doesn't suit all guitars but darker guitars look good with it imo. 

Neil

It seems to come in various shades, just be clear on what you want.

A lot of it seems very pale and red-ish which not a great look for me but may suit you. 

chris78

Pau Ferro is great. Fender seem to have found the lightest shittiest looking stuff possible for their guitars though, which is a shame

darthed1981

tony99 said:

got a cp 60's strat but can't tell if it's rw or pf and I'm unsure when they switched, anyone know how I can find out?

If you can't tell, why worry about it?

earwighoney

tony99 said:

got a cp 60's strat but can't tell if it's rw or pf and I'm unsure when they switched, anyone know how I can find out?

Post a picture of the fretboard.  IRW is generally pretty easy to tell by it's pore sizes, it has quite large pores. 

Blueingreen

Have Pau Ferro on a Suhr Hollow Classic.  Normally I'm a rosewood guy (ie I much prefer it to maple) but I like the Pau Ferro better and would regard it as an upgrade.

It was lighter than rw when I first got the guitar but the wood darkens with use.  I think the pattern of darker wood on the "busy" parts of the board vs the still slightly lighter bits that get less use looks great.

Feel-wise I'd also say the PF is a bit better than RW. I've always liked the feel of an ebony board and the PF is a bit more ebony-like.

tony99

darthed1981 said:

tony99 said:

got a cp 60's strat but can't tell if it's rw or pf and I'm unsure when they switched, anyone know how I can find out?

If you can't tell, why worry about it?

I'm not worried though

thegummy

Pau Ferro has a 0.1db dip at 3KHz compared to Rosewood but half a millisecond more sustain.

thegummy

darthed1981 said:

tony99 said:

got a cp 60's strat but can't tell if it's rw or pf and I'm unsure when they switched, anyone know how I can find out?

If you can't tell, why worry about it?

Maybe he wants to take it to another country?

tony99

I suppose I'd prefer knowing in case I ever sell it. someone asks what's the fretboard made of I can give a more in depth response than "yeah, it's got a wooden one"

can't post pics, Imgur just ain't playing today

english_bob

I've got a PRS Starla X with a pau ferro fretboard - looks lovely, hasn't created any problems and the guitar sounds good. 

The X series guitars were the precursors to the S2s- the non-traditional woods were part of the whole "USA PRS for sensible money" design ethic. The rest of the guitar is limba, which I understand is the same thing as korina, and it's liiiiight.

Philly_Q

english_bob said:

I've got a PRS Starla X with a pau ferro fretboard - looks lovely, hasn't created any problems and the guitar sounds good. 

The X series guitars were the precursors to the S2s- the non-traditional woods were part of the whole "USA PRS for sensible money" design ethic. The rest of the guitar is limba, which I understand is the same thing as korina, and it's liiiiight.

I think the bodies on the X series were obeche, although PRS called it "African basswood".  It is very very light!

Whitecat

english_bob said:

I've got a PRS Starla X with a pau ferro fretboard - looks lovely, hasn't created any problems and the guitar sounds good. 

The X series guitars were the precursors to the S2s- the non-traditional woods were part of the whole "USA PRS for sensible money" design ethic. The rest of the guitar is limba, which I understand is the same thing as korina, and it's liiiiight.

Just to be a pedant, the Starla X guitar body is made from obeche, not limba, and the neck from Sipo. Both very lightweight but not terribly mainstream woods.