GAIATONE: Nature's Melody via Sustainable Woods

An affordable alternative to Ebony

Fingerboards I Tailpieces - For Violins, Viola, Cello, and Bass

GaiaTone: the most environmentally sound alternative to ebony. Made from 100% post-consumer paper bound with non-petroleum bio-resins, GaiaTone offers a beautiful aesthetic, without use of rare or endangered natural materials. Luthier workshops will find GaiaTone to be economically and visually similar to ebony.

GaiaTone fingerboards are sufficiently porous to bind with hide glues. The stock shape can be adjusted with sandpaper, rasps, and planes along the top and bottom surfaces. The dark, black color is consistent throughout the product. GaiaTone fittings have similar technical specifications to ebony, but are more stable. GaiaTone fittings are available in non-black colors as well for kids, rockstars and players desiring an alternative look and personality.

GaiaTone Fittings are milled in Vermont, USA. Fingerboards have scoop, undercuts, rounded edges---ready to install.

FINGERBOARD SPECIFICATIONS

TIPS TO INSTALL THE FINGERBAORD FITTINGS

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

“I think the idea of using recycled paper to make sustainable fingerboards with such high craftsmanship and quality is a fantastic idea! From a player perspective, I do not notice any big difference between the wood version and the recycled paper version; perhaps, the only difference is that the latter’s surface feels smoother and without visible veins from the wood. This does not bother me at all and overall, I think this would be a nice alternative that is more environmentally friendly without compromising the quality. ”

“Sonowood and GaiaTone are both valid replacement options for ebony as the fingerboard, saddle, and nut material.

Since our industry is facing continuous pressure in investing in ebony alternatives to comply with current and future CITES designations in appendixes 2 and 3, I am very grateful that these new materials exist and can be incorporated into instrument making.”

SHOP TESTIMONIALS

“We have put fingerboards on instruments. Our luthiers liked them a lot. Jonathan especially has had a lot of fingerboard experience and he really loved working with it. Charlie too loved working on it and it glued on beautifully.”

COMPARISON CHART

SHOP SONOWOOD FITTINGS

*Definitions

GaiaTone X = horizontal

GaiaTone Y = Vertical

GaiaTone Z = Depth

m/s is the symbol for metre per second,

1 Newton per Square Millimeter (N/mm2)

The kilogram per cubic metre (Kg/m3)

SHOP GAIATONE FINGERBOARDS

SHOP GAIATONE TAILPIECES

Sonowood and GaiaTone Are Sustainable Alternatives to Ebony

GAIATONE FITTINGS

Density (and relative weight) similar to Ebony
Sound velocity lower than Ebony (3500 vs 4500 m/s)
95% post-consumer paper combined with bio-resins. No petroleum and no plastic component
Hardness slightly higher than ebony
Look and feel similar to Ebony
Compatible with most workshop tools
Hide glue compatible
Costs similar to Ebony
100% made in the USA