When did Fender switch from rosewood to pau ferro?

In 2017 when CITES imposed restrictions on instruments featuring rosewood, Fender made a few changes. Now that those restrictions have been lifted, Fender use a combination of rosewood, pau ferro and ebony. So how do these tonewoods compare? Let's take a look at the differences.

When did Fender stop using rosewood fretboards?

Then in 1992, Brazilian Rosewood was added to the CITES treaty, banning its exportation. Guitar manufacturers (and anyone) were banned from using it, unless they could prove it had been exported prior to the 1992 CITES treaty decision.

Why did Fender stop using rosewood?

Fender Musical Instruments is officially moving away from using rosewood fingerboards in the manufacturing of its Mexican made instruments due to the recent CITES regulations (see our previous post on CITES here).

Is pau ferro as good as rosewood?

Pau Ferro has a tighter density than rosewood, meaning slightly less frequencies are absorbed into the fretboard. This results in a brighter, snappier tone, while still retaining the depth of rosewood designs. The feel of pau ferro is comparable to that of ebony, meaning an effortless, smooth playing experience.

When did Fender start using rosewood fretboards?

In August 1962, Fender began using a curved-base veneer rosewood fretboard, which became thinner the following year.

Fender Stop Using Rosewood? Isn't Pau Ferro Rubbish? Guitar Player Logic

Did Gibson stop using rosewood?

Since 1991, Brazilian Rosewood has been listed as an endangered species and has therefore been used sparingly by guitar makers. However, there have been some small runs here and there of Gibson guitars that do have Brazilian fingerboards, particularly during 2001-2003.

When did Fender start using alder?

After 1956, Fender started to feature Alder on its instruments, including their famously innovative Precision Bass. This change is most likely due to the availability and cost of Alder, but after hearing and seeing the results it has become the mainstay for Fender instruments.

How can you tell rosewood from pau ferro?

Firstly, pau ferro has a tighter grain than rosewood. This affects its appearance, and also results in a slightly snappier tone with a sharper attack. Rosewood is slightly softer sounding when the note is initially struck. In terms of warmth, pau ferro and rosewood are evenly matched.

Is pau ferro a good tonewood?

A great wood for instrument fingerboards, pau ferro is a South American tonewood with a smooth feel and sonic characteristics similar to rosewood, but lighter in color and harder.

Is pau ferro brighter than maple?

In short, maple is brighter sounding and cuts through the mix easier, while pau ferro sounds warmer and 'fuller'. Maple has a much lighter color, while pau ferro is darker and looks similar to Rosewood with a reddish vibe.

Does Fender use real rosewood?

Fender is committed to the continued use of Rosewood in American-made solid body guitars, such as our American Professional Series.

When did Squier switch to Indian laurel?

Now that CITES regulations have kicked in, the 2018 version sports an Indian Laurel fretboard, replacing the rosewood used on the original guitar.

Is pau ferro endangered?

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and many of the species within the Machaerium genus are reported by the IUCN as being of least concern.

Are rosewood fretboards banned?

In January of 2017, the CITES convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Geneva, Switzerland passed a ban on the use of rosewood and Bubinga as tonewoods, making it more difficult to ship or travel with musical instruments made with any amount of these endangered ...

Is rosewood still used for fretboards?

Official Fender statement

The American Elite series is transitioning to ebony fretboards with dealers and our inventories. Rosewood is still used on many series of instruments, as it is a historically accurate tone wood. The changeover will be somewhat fluid in the market, there is no set date at this time.

When did Brazilian rosewood stop being used in guitars?

Supplies grew extremely thin in the late 1960s, however, and Martin and others stopped using Brazilian rosewood in 1969, moving over to Indian rosewood, then other varieties. In 1992, Brazilian rosewood was added to the CITES treaty, strictly banning its exportation.

Is pau ferro good for guitars?

Pau ferro is a good electric guitar tonewood but only for the fretboard. It's rarely even considered for bodies or necks.

What was on the back of Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar?

Wirz built it in late 1983, and placed a neck plate on it engraved "To Stevie Ray Vaughan, more in '84". It had three Danelectro lipstick pickups. This guitar often was used during "Life Without You", which was itself said to be written as a tribute to Charley Wirz.

What type of rosewood does fender use?

Indian rosewood was first introduced by Leo Fender in place of maple and from then on has become the standard, and is nowadays the most common wood used for fretboard construction. Indian rosewood tends to darken the tone a bit, adding warmth to the neck and generally to the whole instrument's tone.

What is the best wood for a fretboard?

What wood did Fender use in the 60's?

A small number of instruments with mahogany bodies were made in 1963 and 1964, and several mahogany-body instruments are made today. Many Japanese-made Fender instruments of the 1980s and '90s had basswood bodies, but only very few models are made of basswood today.

Why did Fender stop using ash?

In an interview with Guitar World, Fender's Executive Vice President of Product, Justin Norvell, revealed that the difficult decision was made largely because of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle, a non-native invasive pest that has been destroying the unique "swamp ash" found in the American South - favored by Fender for ...

Is Swamp Ash lighter than alder?

Alder is a lighter hardwood. Most quality guitars made with ash use Swamp ash, which is usually slightly lighter than alder. Swamp ash is the bottom part of an ash tree that has its roots underwater.