Maple vs. Rosewood
Jam10
Posts: 654
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
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Personally i prefer rosewood. I'm not big on hi-gloss necks like maple. I don't like the sticky feeling.
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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.
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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.
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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.
they lacquer them (the maple board necks) *after* the frets are in. it's ridiculous.
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.
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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.
But its all what you like best pretty much.
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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.
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.
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just in case you think i'm serious. (about the one in every color that is!)
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.