 The tonal characteristics are said to be between rosewood and ebony, with a slightly "snappier" sound, being "slightly brighter than rosewood but with the same depth and warmth".Fender has utilized pau ferro on many of their instruments in recent years due to the increasing cost of rosewood due to CITES laws.The Stevie Ray Vaughan Signature Fender Stratocaster was one of the company's first instruments to feature a pau ferro fingerboard.