One of the densest of woods, Ebony is chosen for fingerboards for its resistance to wear, compression strength parallel to the grain, and for its blackness which provides a uniform contrasting background for inlay work. It also holds the fret tang well. Ebony seasons slowly compared to other woods, but once in service is very stable.

Improved accountability in the supply chain ensures that all African Ebony products coming into LMI have advanced from acceptable to excellent with regards to Lacey Act compliance. Our sources have also increased efforts to manage the forests in Cameroon (the country of origin for West African Ebony) to ensure that ecologically and socially responsible harvesting practices remain in place and to maintain a steady supply into the foreseeable future. In order to do this, we expect (and accept) steady price increases and a wider range of acceptable qualities in our grading. This usually just means more color in the wood. We have no more Madagascar Ebony left and we do not expect to be able to bring in more unless a third-party certifier is established in Madagascar.