Pono Sopranos possibly have laminated fretboards?

ajbelville

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I'm Jones'n for the $350 Pono solid mahogany soprano. But on close inspection of the fretboard, I see binding that is roughly matched in color around the fretboard. I know Bruce Wei binds some of his as I had one. Repaced the nut and there was a 4 decker sandwich of mixed woods going on. Does anyone know if this is the case with the Pono's?

Thanks!

Al
 
Older Ponos had rosewood fretboards. Newer ones have solid ebony. Though they're getting pretty streaky and light in color. I believe they experimented with a couple of other woods along the way. Pono puts a thin dark binding on the edge of the fretboard. Both to make it look more finished and to hide the embedded fret wire ends.

The HMS website lists it as an: "ebony fretboard". The bridge looks like rosewood.

Unless they have changed their builds radically in the last two years, it's a solid wood fretboard.*

If it worries you, call or email HMS and ask.

*Disclaimer: I have only Pono Tenors. So the Sopranos may have a slightly different construction.
 
Pono uses all solid woods including the fretboard. The ebony used for the bridge and fretboards is Macassar Ebony which many times has a lighter color with variations to it. The fretboards have ebony binding on the edges also to help seal the fret ends in.

I currently have mahogany and acacia sopranos in my store, and can confirm this.

You can see them at my website, Woodvibrationsmusic.com
 
I know Bruce Wei binds some of his as I had one. Repaced the nut and there was a 4 decker sandwich of mixed woods going on. Does anyone know if this is the case with the Pono's?

This has been a helpful insight for me, not that I have expensive instruments. I have replaced a few nuts over the years and occasionally have wondered if the faint pattern on the previously covered fret board end (by the nut) indicated a laminate construction. For some reason I’d convinced myself that the fretboard was, ‘of course’, all solid rather than laminate with heavily died sides and ends

I’m not that fussed by laminate or not, well so long as the material present is actually fit for purpose, but I’d prefer to know and to be allowed to make an informed judgement. At the moment I’d probably choose solid, but accept that some laminate material is actually better (in some respects) than all solid.
 
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