That's why I stay neutral! It's safer! I must confess that I have 3 maples and one rosewood and bought them without thinking about tone but looks alone!

No doubt about that.

To lay my cards on the table: I firmly believe I can hear a tiny difference between fingerboard materials. And I'm a fella that's quietly sceptical on a range of other "tone hound" issues, such as lacquer type and thickness.

However, I think the difference is very small: so much so that it is lost beneath other factors such as pickups, amp types and settings, and as has been mentioned above even the setting of the guitar's tone knob.

I believe the difference is genuine - but utterly tiny and unimportant.

If one feels better than another under the fingers choose that way. Otherwise, go with what looks nice!

Them's my thoughts, anyhow.

Cheers - C

I think think Maple is Bright and Rosewood is Warm. But also the quality of the wood the neck is made of can have a enormous effect to the sound so how would you determine what the defining reason for a necks tone is? many of us have taken a maple neck off and put another maple neck on and the tone is different.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I have one of each and don't notice any difference other than appearance.

I have replaced necks in the past for people and they have come back and said they thought it was way different. I have noticed it a few time myself. Facters are never the same when you change them no matter how hard you try. Most times is because the old neck had worn frets and the new of course does not then the nut, the setup. Some have the ear for it.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I'm sure if I replaced a neck on one of my guitars there would be some difference, frets, nut, etc... but as far as feel or speed on my maple and rosewood necks with med-jumbo frets and bone nuts I don't feel any difference.

I try very hard to set peoples necks up to match so that the feel is there for them. Sound wise well My hearing is not what it used to be, between guitars and and shooting at the range every week or so ( I do wear My ears protection though) and hunting no ear protection then. You no how it is.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Well here we go into that dance again....the tonal qualities of different neck compositions and body woods. It's an interesting study. With respect to necks...you might want to treat yourself to a copy of Duchossoir's book on the Stratocaster which provides an interesting chronology of the evolution of the construct of the Fender necks.

Rosewood vs maple is too simple in this matter. Rosewood itself varies in point of origin. Maple necks can be solid maple, or with a maple board as in the Clapton guitar. I would expect that the kind of grain in a maple neck will also affect the tonal quality. Necks will also differ in mass depending on radius and type of headstock. If you follow Eric Johnson, the neck on his guitar must be of quartersawn wood. Then there are the different types of truss rods which Fender used over the years. We could go on and on.

I would say that, in general, maple is believed to be brighter, and that would be solid maple. What matters more is how an individual guitar speaks to you.

The rule most of us follow around here is: "Play alot of them and take home the one you love best." In all honesty, with all the processing that goes into most of the signal chains out there, the average audience will never know the difference in the tone and will likely be too 'tanked' to care.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

[quote="Ceri"][quote="nikininja"]
Anyhow: here's the thread with Ed's YouTube vid:

That was an excellent link on your part. It pretty much reitterated everything that needed to be said in the matter. Running through it again, I find that my take on the issue hasn't changed.

It also made me aware that we haven't heard from Ed in a dog's age. He was a valuable contributor. Do any of you on your side of the pond have contact with him elsewhere?

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

But wait a minute - what about a MIM maple fretboard vs a MIA rosewood one???

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Ignorance IS bliss - and I am the happiest person here!

I dont really want to strip the hotrod or it would be american rosewood verses american maple. Its mexican maple (and yes my favourite neck) vs customshop rosewood.
I could just test the hotrod against the customshop both have the same pickups but different bridges and finish's. So to my mind it doesnt seem equal.

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No no and no

From an informational point of view, I cannot urge you strongly enough to obtain a copy of A.R.Duchossoir's book on the Fender Stratocaster, referencing fretboard materials. I cannot, in all fairness to the author, reproduce that paragraph herein.

With respect to the question, you're talking apples, oranges, and pears with respect to solid maple, maple board, and rosewood board, also with respect to their methods of manufacture. Point of origin may not figure into this mix. If my facts are correct, all necks originate in California and are shipped to Ensenada for assembly. There again, it would likely come doiwn to the source and quality of the wood.

As always, any further contributions with respect to accuracy are welcome.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

No, he disappeared abruptly after that thread. It was the very moment of the end of the university year, so I wondered if he'd show up again come the autumn. But no...

Shame: he seemed a nice fella. Several useful photographs of guitar related coffee cups from him on the "pics of your Strat" thread, if memory serves.

More seriously, he identified my 1920s Selmer guitar as such for me. Owe him for that...

Cheers - C