Necks: Maple or Rosewood?

[tremoloman]

Necks: Maple or Rosewood?

 

[Katastrophe]

All of my guitars have Rosewood fretboards.... But I like maple as well. My first electric had a maple fretboard with a glossy finish, and played very well for its price range. My ESP was supposed to have a maple board, but they screwed up on the order. I did get a good discount, though, for my trouble .

My next guitar WILL have a maple board, however!

 

[Cranium]

I think both are good, in my oppinion maple necks look better but I voted for equaly good.

 

[t_ross33]

They each have their own qualities that make them unique. My Peavey has a rosewood fretboard, so I'm GASing for maple on my next one (SX SST57 perhaps?).

Have to let my wife get over my new Washburn acoustic first :R

 

[Cranium]

Maple necks dent a little easier but look better and they can be covered in diffrent laquers and such, rosewood I think can only be covered in some sort of oil but are more durable, I think...

 

[Robert]

Maple, maple! Well, I AM in the land of Maple Leafs.... but seriously, I find that brighter, snappier tone more exciting than the darker rosewood tone.

 

[Iago]

i have no personal preference, though all my guitars were rosewood. I would like to have a maple fretboard fender in the future

 

[M29]

Hello,

I have always wanted a Strat with a maple neck but ended up getting a Squier Strat with a rosewood neck. I really like rosewood but always wanted maple. The neck on the '51 I have is very nice and I liked it so well I bought a used '51 neck off the web to put on my Squier Strat. I guess I like them both now.

M29

 

[Spudman]

I'll go you one more Robert. Maple, maple, maple! I have some great feeling rosewood and other "brown" wood necks and I like them, but it is always the maple fingerboard that lights my fire. It spanks, it pops, it's bright and articulate and I seem to find my positions easier too. There seems to be a bit more live character that comes with the notes from a maple fretboard.

Watching Jimi Hendrix on Youtube I noticed a distinct difference in tone between his rosewood and maple fretboard necks. Mine don't seem as starkly different as his, but nonetheless...maple for me.

 

[SuperSwede]

I dont have a maple neck guitar right now but I vote maple anyway.

 

[oldguy]

I say...maple! Maybe just because my Tele is my favorite, though.
Glenn

 

[duhvoodooman]

Seven months ago, I would have said "Maple!" unreservedly, based upon my Strat experience. But my Epi LP plays so well with its rosewood fretboard that I have to consider it a toss-up now.

 

[ibanez_freak36]

maple or rosewood reply

Well the debate will go on I am sure for some time. Differences of opinion will be exercised by alot of musicians, myself included. Now I am by no means a Berkley grad or someone who attended NYU for music theory or anything like that. I will say however after 16+ yrs of playing and learning I have played almost all fretboards available, including a custom made Mahogany fretboard on a old Gretch White Falcon I had years ago. I am just not a fan of anything but Maple, solid maple stained with finger acid residue and smooth as silk. I am generally not a fan of Fender Guitars in general ( I will get some negative feedback on that I am sure) but for the most part their Strat series and Telecasters are usually maple fretboards. I love the way the maple feels, it slides well and when I need to really dig in on a note with a shake or a vibrato it holds true and then lets my fingers flow freely to move to the next note or scale. Lateley I have considered trying a Rosewood or Ebony again because it seems that Maple fretboards on the Guitar of choice for me is hard to find. I love the Ibanez Wizard necks with the Maple fretboard, and also the Strat neck with Maple fretboard. Other than that I would have to sold pretty hard on anything else, and then I would probably refuse and play Maple still. Rock on people and the Ibanez freak in me says "Maple or bust". See ya soon

 

[kerc]

Maple is just soooo smooooooth.

 

[Riley]

I like both. I've owned more rosewood boards than maple. Actually my only maple board guitar right now is a Squier '51. I'd like a maple board Strat someday though!

-Peace
-Nate

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Wow can't believe I missed this post. All I had was rosewood and ebony before I got my 50s Strat and the neck I sold Robert. I'd have to say I love both because both sound different from each other and have their places. Both.

 

[Robert]

Maple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :reallymad: :reallymad: :reallymad: :reallymad: ude:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Both!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You Need Both!!!!!!!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Maple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :reallymad: :reallymad: :reallymad: :reallymad: ude:

LOL!! I was reading your reasoning above in your prior post and was saying to myself, "Aha, that is why he wanted to change out his neck on the new blue guitar." Then, this. LOL!

I voted both, because I think they each have a place, and I am a Libra, so it is always hard for me to choose just one. But, if it is a one guitar and desert island scenario, I am bringing my maple necked guitar. How's that for waffling and hedging! ;-) (all the smileys were used up by the forum boss.)

 

[Katastrophe]

It's a good thing this thread was resurrected...

For my money, from here on out, I will be buying guitars with maple FBs. My rosewood guitars are great, but they just don't have the "feel" that the Strat neck does.

 

[Lev]

Can I be different and say I prefer Rosewood!!

 

[tunghaichuan]

I find that rosewood is warm, maple is bright. I primarily play Fender strats and/or copies. With stock, bright single coils, I like to use a rosewood board; it takes some of the edge off of the pickups.

My main guitar has a maple neck with a separate maple fretboard. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Hot Stack Strats which aren't as bright as true single coils as they are stacked single coil sized humbuckers. I find the brightness of the maple neck compliments the pickups. Although, I've never tried it, I'd think that single coils would be too bright in that guitar.

tung

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Depends on the ax, solid body single coils want maple and semi-hollows work well with rosewood.

That's my opinion.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Can I be different and say I prefer Rosewood!!

But of course! Different is good! And I like the sound of everything you have posted with that nice rosewood fretboard strat you play.

I find I waffle on this question and come back to "it depends". On my Fully, that I want to be basically a garage rocker guitar with some versatility, I want the rosewood. When I tried strats when I was buying last year, the Highway One strat I passed up in favor of mine had a rosewood fretboard and was much duskier in tone. I chose the brighter, chimier strat I have. Other things like pups and body finish, etc. may have contributed to that perceived difference. So I left my vote for both the same. If I had to take one guitar only, I pick maple.

 

[Plank_Spanker]

While maple is nice and has it's place, I prefer rosewood - or better yet ebony. Two of my Gibsons have ebony boards and I love the feel of it. I think rosewood sounds great on Strats. It sorta tames the wild side highs they tend towards.

 

[pes_laul]

depends on the guitar and music you like maple goes good on strats rosewood goes good on ibanez except for the 350MGX which is awsome