I use a thin layer of Ebony, 1/8 to 3/16", when the fretboard material is a relatively soft wood such as cedar, or popular. It helps me feel comfortable the frets will stay embedded and does add a nice contrast to the parent woods (if you like that sort of thing). 
Jill, I think Martin uses Richlite, a product very similar to micarta. Neither should expand or shrink at all, unlike ebony. They require no care whatsoever.
Interestingly, both can be colored in any way, but everyone uses black so that they look like ebony. But there's no reason you couldn't have a purple overlay or hot pink or whatever.
Thanks Dusty and Susie. I never thought about the pick marks on the fretboard. I didn't know that Martin uses micarta - and I was concerned that it would expand/shrink at a different rate than real wood. Susie, your cherry Ginger is lovely. I'd like to have Jim (he's still at McSpadden for now) make one for me that is very similar. My hand issues have been annoying and I need shorter and shorter scales as time goes on. I have a lovely koa/redwood standard McSpadden that I decided to sell - scale is just too long for me these days.
Thanks for not talking me out of the micarta LOL! Looking forward to ordering from Jim.
We discussed this a little bit over on the ED Facebook page (I'm the one that posted the picture of the cherry Ginger with a Micarta fretboard). One thing I wanted to add was that Micarta is not new for use on fretboards. It has been used on guitars for years (Martin, for example). I love it as an alternative to ebony, for playability, and it is much more economical. The other reason I like the McSpadden Micarta fretboard is the inclusion of fret markers (ebony fretboards too). I just like having them. I think it's because being a guitar player for 47 years, my eyes are used to seeing them. I know it's strictly personal as to what you like from a visual standpoint, but I love the contrast that a fretboard overlay gives a dulcimer, just like Dusty.
I just realized, I didn't do a good job talking you out of micarta. 
Jill, I bought a dulcimer from Ron Ewing several years ago and he talked me out of the ebony overlay. I trusted him since he would have gotten more money out of me with it added, but I've regretted not having that overlay ever since. I am sure Ebony is not the only material that can be used, and the artificial materials like Richlite and Micarta might work even better, but personally I like the extra hard surface both for ease of fingering and also to prevent any pick damage. Sometimes I pick rather energetically, and my dulcimers without ebony overlay have little marks where my pick routinely hits the fretboard. And because ebony is so much denser than walnut or the other woods, your fingers slide over the fretboard much more easily. The Micarta and Richlite options might even be better in that regard since they are non-porous materials.
And for what it's worth, I LOVE the contrast of the ebony (or micarta) over the lighter woods, cherry being my favorite for its fine looks.
YMMV. Less aggressive players than I might have no need for a fingerboard overaly at all.
Hello friends,
I'm ordering a Ginger from McSpadden. I have a walnut/sycamore already - sold my older cherry to a friend so I'm replacing it with another cherry (different tunings between the walnut and cherry). I've always had an ebony - or at least a dark - fretboard. But on this new cherry I'm leaning toward no ebony or micarta overlay. I know ebony is a harder wood which is why luthiers like it for fingerboards. Please talk me into or out of the ebony or micarta overlay. Partially I'm not sure I like the looks of the "black" fingerboard on cherry (purely aesthetic), and partly is due to the extra cost. Thanks!
