I'm think of a new strat.
What are the differences between a maple neck and a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard.

I've heard countless people say that a Rosewood fingerboard is "faster" than the Maple, but, for me, it just seems SMOOTHER, and I'm more comfortable with them. Personal preference, really.

I should add that there are also some folks who say that the maple necks give a snappier/brighter sound than rosewood, but I've found a very negligible difference. I'd like to hear other's thoughts!

_________________
Visit ALL of the exhibits. I have!

I like rosewood because It feels to mee to be pretty darn solid and I like very solid straight necks I have one mapple though and it is great too ...

I've always liked rosewood, but coming from a flamenco background I prefer ebony if I can get it. That was why I bought an ultra in '92. I can't really say if the darker woods produce a "darker" tone, but the tighter grain and harder wood make for a very dependable playing surface.

Recently I bought a '66 reissue with maple everything, and it does seem to have more of a "snap" to it. Possibly the 7.25" radius and C-shape neck (the old baseball bat style) make more of a difference than the wood on the fretboard...I feel like I'm really wielding this guitar, not just playing it -- if that makes sense. Maple will also become played-in more rapidly (some might say worn out).

I would say rosewood for versatility and a smooth ride, maple for the wild man lurking within. Then again, some very tasteful players (I'm looking at you, Eric Johnson and Eric Clapton) have been known to favour maple.

I prefer maple. I find it much faster and far easier to maintain. Brighter sounds too. I like rosewood it has its place but find maple better for all round working guitars.

_________________
No no and no

Maple necks sound brighter, rosewood sound warmer.

_________________

"Brightness" and "darkness" are not audio terms. But let's pretend that they are, and say that "brighter" means "more highs and high mids" and "darker" means "more lows and low mids."

The relative brightness or darkness of a given guitar is the result of a complicated system of components, of which the pickups are the most important. The strings, body wood resonance, bridge material, and so on , are all far more important to the sound of the guitar than fingerboard material, which barely comes into play at all.

While there is no evidence that fingerboard wood actually changes tone, there is a huge amount of evidence that human perception is skewed by visual stimulus. (I'm sure you've all heard of the soft drink test where they convinced people that a carbonated sugar water tasted like fruit by simply coloring it orange.) When people say a maple-board guitar sounds "brighter," it's because their brain tells them it MUST, because it's visually brighter.

The way you pick has much, much more to do with the brightness of your guitar than any fingerboard wood. The right answer to the original questions is: "Fingerboard wood does not affect tone in any appreciable way."

I personally prefer maple. I have two maple guitars and one rosewood.

_________________
"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

...very well put. I've always preferred rosewood because I like the way it looks. I've heard there is a difference maple vs. rosewood, that being rosewood gives a 'darker' tone than maple. I've tried maple numerous times looking for a difference to see if it was something I wanted get into but have never been able to hear a real difference. So...I'm still a rosewood fretboard guy...because I just like the way it looks.

[quote="steviegee"][quote="SlapChop"]"Brightness" and "darkness" are not audio terms.

Hmmm, my amp has a "bright" switch on it. I'm not pretending.

Yeah, and maybe it's even got a "vibrato" knob on it. Just like your guitar might have a "tremolo."

Let me know when you see a "bright" switch on a studio console and we'll talk.

so timber doesnt contribute to the primary tone of a guitar?

Thats it lads fender must of been having us over the last 57 years. Lets ll buy parker's.

_________________
No no and no

sounds like a pepsi coke challenge....I don't live close enough to a music store to try it otherewise i would, but I'd like to see if someone would go into a store and tell a clerk to bring them a maple and rosewood guitar while they were blindfolded and play it and see if they could tell the difference.

I do agree with the 'how you pick' statement. However i view pickups and other components to only enhance not alter a guitars primary tone. Its why you cant make a strat sound like a maple capped glued neck guitar without putting a maple cap on it and altering the neck/body joint to accomodate a glue system. No matter what paf or stoptail bridge you put on it.

_________________
No no and no

Gosh, this subject often gets so cross, doesn't it? Nothing like very small differences to get people yelling at each other - in any area of life...

Cheers - C