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I wonder if they have found a way to impregnate black dye into a wood which accepts it, much like pressure treating wood to make it rot resistant.

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Rocky I think that's exactly how it's done. I am trying to get more info but it's a Rocky Road

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That process has been around since early 1950's. I have produced acrylic infused wood and burls for 15 years mostly for the knife handle industry. I processed over 500 electric bass FB for one client last year. I add dye directly to the infusing resin, but boards can also be dyed separately then infused. I have not offered this product in the acoustic market due to the well known "buyer reluctance" for non-traditional materials. Do a Google search for "stabilized" woods, but keep in mind there are vast differences in quality especially on Ebay.

Fascinating stuff. Bob have you weighted the blanks and compared the density to ebony or rosewood?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Ebano 13 oz. Ebony 15 oz IRW 13 oz.

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Tom West I think this might be homogenized because the grain appears to be the same on every piece.
It is not acrylic infused wood. They are reluctant to reveal their process for fear of Copyright Infringement

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

A view from the repair shop.

Real ebony sucks.... It's dense, it chips like crazy during refrets, and it's very dampening. The only thing that it's ever had going for it depending on the application is it's density and hardness AND it's jet black color. Since jet black ebony is difficult to score these days it's even less important in my view.

A black ebony alternative that does not chip like ebony, is not as dense and is sustainable is a very worthy offering in my view!

Happy 2016 Uncle Bob!

Thanks Hesh Much appreciated

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

+1 on what Hesh said, especially (it seems to me) really old ebony.

I have no problem at all if all it is is ink infused hardwood, I, or rather my customers, would want to know. And since I have found a small niche of selling about 4 guitars a year on the green, tree huggin', environmental, reclaimed wood bandwagon I welcome it.

Any basic hardness tests and results anywhere? Expansion/contraction with moisture change?

They do look good.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Jim scroll up for some weight comparisons. The process makes them very stiff. Expansion contraction is virtually nill.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Thanks for your efforts to answer questions, obviously there is an interest in the product. The only question I have left is possible toxicity. Some wood (dusts) are more irritating than others. After being in denial for a year now, I've concluded I have to stop working with rosewoods Any take on the Ebono and toxicity?

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Craig Bumgarner

Bumgarner Guitar Blog

Craig I can tell you from my own experience that after all these years of working with wood last year I started sneezing when cutting and sanding cocobolo and more recently IRW dust makes me cough. So far sanding this product has had no adverse effects on me.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Craig thank you for giving this fret board a try.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Thanks for your replies, looking forward to receiving and trying it.

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Craig Bumgarner

Bumgarner Guitar Blog

Larry Davis wrote:
"I have not offered this product in the acoustic market due to the well known "buyer reluctance" for non-traditional materials."

The biggest problem with ebony substitutes is that they are not ebony.

I think the non-traditional argument is certainly out here and something to be dealt with but I also think that with the difficulties these days in getting really black ebony and the fact that ebony is not a great choice for Lutherie anyway that there's room for innovation here.

Our hands are tied on the repair side in that we have to replace what was with what was and since we don't participate in the bottom feeder side of the repair business alternatives for us where clients would not care would be something that our clients would not go for.

The opportunity here and it is very much an opportunity in my view is there are more and more folks these days who are keen to be dialed into the idea of what's good for our planet. Once a few notable makers sign on for this alternative I am sure that at some point the market will start to understand the value of an alternative for ebony. Look what's happened with the torrified materials - people are trying it, liking it and buying it.

The lower mass is attractive from a performance stand point too where you need something black but don't want a 60 gram bridge....

If this stuff chips less than ebony it would be a boon for fret boards too especially for folks who actually play their guitars.... and eventually need fret work. Old ebony is a really pain to work with and chips can lift and fly across the room never to be found again at any point... Not good.

If I were still building I would try this stuff, do some gluing tests, etc. and then roll it out as a "feature" claiming superior environmental sustainability and improved serviceability in time too with the added benefit of it's not likely to be added to CITES or get you a cavity search at an international border.

To me the concern is not CITES, but Lacey.

I'm guessing Stratabond like product color infused then sliced sideways to give that fake grain. Martin and Gibson have experimented with it but it has been used in a lot of industries including gun making and others for years. Just my guess.

Sent from my HTC Desire 626s using Tapatalk

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Stratabond. The grain of each veneer runs parallel to the next, but does not line up perfectly, giving a subtle offset grain structure and a wood grain appearance.

Rocklite. The grain of each veneer runs parallel to the next, but DOES line up perfectly, so I don't think it is mfg the same way.

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Received my first Rocklite Ebano fingerboard blank. Have not worked it yet, but on first blush, it looks good. Jet black, even color, no noticeable flaws. When I look close, I can see strata of some sort (laminated?). It will be interesting to see what it looks like shaped and polished up. Weight is three quarters of the ebony boards I have which a good thing for me. Not as light as EIR I've been using, but it will do and I can avoid whatever EIR is doing to my skin

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Craig Bumgarner

Bumgarner Guitar Blog

Following up on the post above from three weeks ago, I built up my first Rocklite Ebano fingerboard and the customer and I have both been playing it off and on for a week now while the guitar is in the white. We are both very pleased with it. From my perspective, the material is very uniform in appearance, blackness and grain Planes well, sands well, polishes nicely. Seems very stable. From working it, it is not as hard as ebony but hard enough. I tried stabbing the cutoff with various things and it seems at least as hard as EIR which I've used for fingerboards for years. The board took frets well and did not deform at all when seating frets. Feels good under fingertips when playing.

I still don't know what it is or how it is made and share the concerns of others in this thread in that regard. It is certainly wood and when sanding you can see what appear to be laminates about 1mm wide, but these do not show when polished. Regards the "green" aspect, as I don't know anything about its makeup or manufacturing, I can only hope in that regard. What I read about most ebony harvesting suggests that is most certainly NOT green.

In spite of what I don't know, what I do know is sufficient for me to keep using it, I've ordered more.

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Craig Bumgarner

Bumgarner Guitar Blog

Craig thank you for the honest review and also for the order.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Hmmm.
What about bindings?
I loves me some black bindings but the water based finish I've been using plays only marginally nice with plastic.

Steve

No bindings yet.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498