Necks: Maple or Rosewood?
Necks: Maple or Rosewood?
"It's funny the way most people love the dead. Once you are dead, you are made for life." - Jimi Hendrix
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!
Guitars:
Fender 2006 MIM Fender Stratocaster HSS in 3TS
Ibanez RG 570 with a bridge Invader
ESP M II Deluxe with a Tune-o-Matic bridge
Eleanor, the magical, mystical Road Worn wonder Tele
Blackstar HT Club 40
I think both are good, in my oppinion maple necks look better but I voted for equaly good.
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
Electrics: Hagstrom Ultra Swede (Gold Eagle Burst) Gretsch 5120 Electromatic (Orange) Custom Nashville Blackout Telecaster (Black, Stat mid/neck p'ups; Lil Puncher (Modern Vintage) bridge p'up; Wilkinson Compensated Bridge w/ 3 brass saddles, Warmoth Vintage Modern Birdseye Maple Neck) Fender MIM Stratocaster (Blue Agave, Rosewood Fretboard, Fender Tex-Mex p'ups; GFS Trem/Block Kit) Highland Spitfire (semi-hollow, flame maple top w/ bubinga inlay)Acoustics:Washburn D10CEQSB, Yamaha FG160E
Bass: Westone Spectrum ST, Warwick Rockbass Corvette Basic Active
Amps: Vox NT15H/V112NT Night Train, Peavey Bandit 112, Hartke HyDrive 210C Bass Amp, Vox DA5
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...
Last edited by Cranium; July 14th, 2006 at 07:03 PM.
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.
The Law of Gravity is nonsense. No such law exists. If I think I float, and you think I float, then it happens.
Master Guitar Academy - I also teach via SKYPE.
i have no personal preference, though all my guitars were rosewood. I would like to have a maple fretboard fender in the future
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
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.
"No Tele For you." - The Tele Nazi
Ha! Tele-ish now inbound.
I dont have a maple neck guitar right now but I vote maple anyway.
I can't say that I've given up on a flanger cause I've never liked the effect either. I also can't say the same about Tremolo. I hate them both equally. - Tone2TheBone 2009
I say...maple! Maybe just because my Tele is my favorite, though.
Glenn
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.
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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
For those who dare to be good, it aint enough, therefore you should strive to be great!!!
Maple is just soooo smooooooth.
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
Main Rig - Reverend Wolfman > Korg Pitchblack tuner >Vox Clyde Wah > MXR HW Script Phase 90 > MXR 108 Fuzz > Diaz Texas Ranger > Nova Drive > VL Analog Chorus > ModTone Analog Delay > Vox Night Train > 60's Vox 2x12 (Scumback M75 and Hellatone 30)
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.
Guitars/Bass - MIM Fender Classic 50s Strat, MIM Fender Standard Strat, Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epi '56 Gold Top Les Paul, Martin DSR acoustic, Sigma Martin Auditorium electric/acoustic, Squier Jazz Bass.
Amps/Cabinets/Modelers - Model 2558 50 watt Marshall Silver Anniversary Jubilee combo w/ Celestion Vintage 30s, 4x12 Marshall cabinet w/25 watt Greenback Celestions, Fender Blues Junior w/ a couple of Billm mods, Line 6 POD 2.0, Roland Micro Cube
Pedals/Effects - Cry Baby Classic Wah, Boss TU-2, Boss NS-2, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ross Compressor, MXR Micro Amp, Danelectro FAB Echo, Danelectro FAB Chorus, Danelectro Chicken Salad, Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Marshall Echohead, Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer, Digitech Digiverb, Digitech Bad Monkey, Dunlop Fuzz Face, Homemade Loop Bypass pedal, Duhvoodooman's Sonic Tonic (Maxon SD-9 clone +), Voodoo Labs Superfuzz
Maple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ude:
The Law of Gravity is nonsense. No such law exists. If I think I float, and you think I float, then it happens.
Master Guitar Academy - I also teach via SKYPE.
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!Originally Posted by Robert
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.)
Steve Thompson
Sun Valley, Idaho
Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay
love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
- j. johnson
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.
Guitars:
Fender 2006 MIM Fender Stratocaster HSS in 3TS
Ibanez RG 570 with a bridge Invader
ESP M II Deluxe with a Tune-o-Matic bridge
Eleanor, the magical, mystical Road Worn wonder Tele
Blackstar HT Club 40