I respect Dave's opinion.
Like Dave with this non-wood issue,
I don't care if the Fender Jazz Bass is possibly the most versatile, best overall sounding and cost-benefit bass out there, I will never buy one for myself.
No matter what people say about how good it is.
Thanks, Daniel.
As you said, it's not a matter of what anyone else thinks.
Why not? 'Just because'? is there a good reason not wanting them, without you've ever tried them? Short sighted.
I can imagine you don't like the looks of a bass or string spacing or whatever. But hating all non-wood fret boards 'just because'.... I don't get that. Especially cos you don't feel, hear, see any difference. Or hardly. I don't like the sound of some very active basses, but with a reason: the sound.
I didn't say "just because" or say I had never tried them. I've tried a Martin with Richlite, a Moses neck with some kind of synthetic, ebonol Kramer and probably more if I stopped to think about it.
If you don't feel hear or see any difference, that's fine. I do, and I agree with Ilan about the fretboard being the second most important sound factor after electronics.
Even so, I don't need a reason to justify my choices, any more than Chris Martin IV needs to justify his decision to save $5 in manufacturing cost on a $1500 Martin by substituting Richlite for wood. Good for him, but I won't be buying.
In any case, wood is a renewable resource and there's no shortage of suitable woods that are stiff enough and have enough surface hardness to use as fretboards.