He has designed his signature guitar JEM series with Ibanez. He mixes, engineers, produces, arranges and plays on his albums. Steve Vai is music incarnate. and more »
Steve Vai широко известен неповторимой, не имеющей аналогов техникой игры на гитаре и своим собственным уникальным дизайном гитар серии Ibanez Jem. 
What's the difference between the rosewood and ebony fretboard on the ibanez jem guitar?
i'm seriously considering buying a jem, but i want to know the difference between the ebony and rosewood. why did they switch to rosewood?
The differences can be merely cosmetic, but there is actually some tone change between woods. Rosewood tends to be slightly lighter in color than ebony. Rosewood's tonal properties, though, are different than ebony. Rosewood tends to sound slightly brighter than ebony, which holds a deeper tone (maple, which is almost white, has a bright tone). The reason why they sound somewhat different is the resonance (how they vibrate). The fretboard doesn't lend too much into the sound itself (that's the body's job.) Only those with very discerning ears can truly hear the slight difference between fretboard woods. Rosewood is also cheaper to manufacture than ebony, which in turn lowers the overall price of the guitar. You shouldn't worry about the fretboard too much, as it contributes a small role to the tone of the guitar.
