What is "Morado" and is it a good alternative to a rosewood fretboard?
Morado is just another name for Pau Ferro (literally Iron Wood) -- also known as "Bolivian Rosewood" though it is not actually a true rosewood.
And, yes, it is a killer fretboard wood: is has a dense grain and feels similar to the Kingwood fretboard on my PartsTele. I actually prefer the feel of Pau Ferro to typical Indian rosewood. The Morado fretboard on my 2013 Martin OOO 15M feels fantastic and, while it was a light brown when new, it has darkened beautifully.
Isn't Morado or Pau Ferro just a cheaper alternative to Indian rosewood? Didn't Martin use Morado just to save money? No, Martin switched back to rosewood to cut production costs. Indian rosewood fretboards cost about $10 a piece for the good stuff whereas Morado costs about $23. If you're buying an all-mahogany guitar, fellas, you're gonna want that Morado. I gotta have Morado! On my Martin OOO, that added snap is a real benefit for added articulation and authoritative attack.
Here's what Warmoth has to say about "Morado" or Pau Ferro:
Morado is just another name for Pau Ferro (literally Iron Wood) -- also known as "Bolivian Rosewood" though it is not actually a true rosewood.
And, yes, it is a killer fretboard wood: is has a dense grain and feels similar to the Kingwood fretboard on my PartsTele. I actually prefer the feel of Pau Ferro to typical Indian rosewood. The Morado fretboard on my 2013 Martin OOO 15M feels fantastic and, while it was a light brown when new, it has darkened beautifully.
Isn't Morado or Pau Ferro just a cheaper alternative to Indian rosewood? Didn't Martin use Morado just to save money? No, Martin switched back to rosewood to cut production costs. Indian rosewood fretboards cost about $10 a piece for the good stuff whereas Morado costs about $23. If you're buying an all-mahogany guitar, fellas, you're gonna want that Morado. I gotta have Morado! On my Martin OOO, that added snap is a real benefit for added articulation and authoritative attack.
Here's what Warmoth has to say about "Morado" or Pau Ferro:
An excellent dense, hard wood with a very tight pore structure. This means it’s fast, smooth and extremely durable. An excellent choice for fretless fingerboards. Not only is it resistant to wear, but often the wood figuring is striking with variations in color from light tan to a dark coffee. The tone is brighter than Rosewood yet warmer than Ebony with plenty of articulation and attack. One of our favorite woods for fingerboards! No finish required!