Maple vs. Rosewood

Jam10

Sorry guys if this has been brought up already, I tried doing a search and couldn't find what I was looking for. What is the difference between a Maple fretboard and a Rosewood fretboard. I know it all comes down to personal preferences but I was just wondering on everyone else's thoughts. I am looking to buy an American Strat and was wondering the difference between the maple and rosewood. I don't want to rush this purchase, I want to make sure I make the right decision.
Thanks

Anon

It all comes down to personal preference. In relation to tone, the maple is more brighter, and rosewood is softer and warmer.

Personally i prefer rosewood. I'm not big on hi-gloss necks like maple. I don't like the sticky feeling.

westsidepie

Here is a link to Tom Anderson guitars Neck Wood library.

http://www.andersonguitars.com/tonelibneck.cfm

I think the descriptions are pretty accurate. Neck woods effect how the string vibrates and produces nodes, which determines the tone. I have two strats, one with plain maple and one with maple/rosewood fingerboards. The tone is different on each guitar. However, if you asked the average person if they sound different, they would probably not notice any difference. They do feel different when playing.

keeponrockin

Personally, I'm a fan of rosewood.

kitfoo

Pj_Gurl wrote:

It all comes down to personal preference. In relation to tone, the maple is more brighter, and rosewood is softer and warmer.

Personally i prefer rosewood. I'm not big on hi-gloss necks like maple. I don't like the sticky feeling.

X2 on maple feeling sticky. (Maybe it's leftover sap from the tree lol) I don't know what it is, but rosewood necks seem so much smoother.

Pauk

Personally I like Maple necks on fenders and rosewood on gibsons. Playing a tele or strat with rosewood fretboards just feels wrong to me!

Jkingy

fowls wrote:

Personally I like Maple necks on fenders and rosewood on gibsons. Playing a tele or strat with rosewood fretboards just feels wrong to me!

Couldn't agree more, I think you've also got consider what the guitar's better suited for or intended for, I have a Tele which I use mainly for lead so I reckon it's maple neck is well suited for producing bright tone and ease of movement around the fretboard, and I reckon that the rosewood neck on my Gretsch Electromatic hollowbody gives that extra bit of depth to the semi-acoustic tone.

exhausted

fender's all maple necks i just don't like. at least on the american standards. too thick. over the years, lots of cracking/flaking around the frets on mine. much prefer the maple with rosewood board.

they lacquer them (the maple board necks) *after* the frets are in. it's ridiculous.

ianvomsaal

As what's been said already . . .
Maple has a brighter snappier sound, Rosewood has a much warmer smoother sound.
Personally, I prefer rosewood - I don't own a Fender post-60's with an all maple neck.

Jam10

It looks like more people like the Rosewood on the Strat.

mccreadyisgod

Keep in mind that *most* maple fretboards are finished in a glossy lacquer finish, while *most* rosewood / ebony fretboards are treated periodically with an oil. This makes the maple play like it's covered in plastic, while the rosewood feels more like a natural wood finish.

However, it is possible to keep a maple fretboard un-lacquered, and treat it with oil just like you would treat a rosewood fretboard. It's not very common, but it is possible.

Jam10

On Fenders website, it looks like most of the top end guitars are maple.

exhausted

not necessarily. i see a pretty even split.

Snake

Im kinda stuck in between. I like the way rosewood feels, but I also like the smoothness of the maple. And looks wise I still cant decide.

But its all what you like best pretty much.

mccreadyisgod

Jam10 wrote:

On Fenders website, it looks like most of the top end guitars are maple.

The vintage-style reissues are often maples in Fender-world because the first Fender guitars were all one-piece maple necks. So, an Esquire or '52 Tele or early-50's Strat will all have a maple fretboard. Some of the artist models also have the maple neck (Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, et. al.). Beyond that, most of their expensive models offer choice of either fretboard. The later 50's Strats had rosewood 'boards, and a lot of artist models do as well. So it's not a conclusive difference.

Ultimately, it all comes down to looks, feel, and feature-set. I like rosewood, but prefer the feel of a Les Paul mahogany neck with ebony fretboard... but I also have a '72 Tele Deluxe RI that was only available with a maple fretboard, and it's my favorite guitar. My Strat is rosewood, my LP is ebony. I also have a friend who flat-out refuses to play anything with a maple neck... he says it throws him completely off just looking at it.

jcmark611

Why not just have one Strat with Maple and one with a Rosewood neck?

Anon

jcmark611 wrote:

Why not just have one Strat with Maple and one with a Rosewood neck?

what a good idea. i think you're onto something here. and if he's not sure what color to get, well, no biggie, buy one in ever color. that will solve that problem too.

funnily enough, i still think it's easier to just go to the store, pick up a couple and play them. see what feels right. that's the plan sam.

edited for the
just in case you think i'm serious. (about the one in every color that is!)

seanw1010

i would never buy a rosewood fender. thats just me. i keep to maple for the fenders, and the rosewood for the les pauls. i think a strat looks a lot nicer with a maple fretboard than rosewood anyway.

btw, the original fretboard wood used on strats was maple. they started to use rosewood arouind 1959 because people saw the fretboard wear less on rosewood than maple.