Ah now, Niki's being too modest on that. He himself started and oversaw the best thread we've had on the subject of fingerboards. This one:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=21521

A lot of that is more sensible than this particular discussion usually manages. Take a canter through its 13 pages (so far)... and then choose the fingerboard you think looks nicest.

BTW: somhairle, really it would be a fool's errand trying to recommend a guitar to someone else. But don't discount that Classic Player '60s on grounds of origin or price. It is extremely well made and spec'd at its particular price point, and more significantly will give you a chance to handle a Fender neck with a 12 inch radius and a C shaped back: a rare combination.

At least a useful setting out point.

I certainly have no experience of guitar shops in the Glasgow area. But Forum user Snowy lives in Glasgow and has an enviable collection of Fenders which I believe he has sourced locally. He is more often to be found over in the Fender Lounge part of the Forum: I'm sure if you posted a thread there asking he'd be able to advise you on good places to try for Strats in your area.

Which might be more local knowledge than you'd hoped for on an American website, eh?

- C

+ 1 Here .... I have rosewood which i prefer over maple ... but i would definitely prefer ebony as a first choice too.

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Member # 85477

"Remember"

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Member # 85477

"Remember"

Merchant city music in glasgow appears to be a great shop. Snowy has a great shop he uses in Glasgow. Perhaps its time for a well placed plug?

Snowy?

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No no and no

Jay you are a card.

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No no and no

somhairle,

I am sure you have had a lot of responses to this question. I prefer the Rosewood. I just like the feel of it. I found that maple is a little hard to maintain and tends to look worn quickly (my opinion). I have no advise for the other fingerboard as I never owned one.

The real answer to this deebate is it is truely, "its a personal choice". Play guitars with all three types. The one YOU like will be obvious to you. If you ask three people this same question you might have three different answers. I wish you well on your search and please let us know what you have decided. Welome to the Forum.

RK

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Thanks, to everyone for helping. It is as clear as day that I need to sort this one out myself. When I asked the question, I did genuinely think the response would be along the lines that rosewood plays well from the start but that maple settles and is softer, more mellow, faster - whatever!

The link to the youtube test was useful although I found myself having different opinions from many if not most on the thread and I won't say what my opinion was in case it provokes responses here.

So off to the local shops to be intimidated by young chaps who know infinitely more than me at a half my age!

All response is welcome. This is a discussion forum after all.
Theres not a lot in it. Feel of the board is highly speculative. I notice no difference in feel, or atleat compensate for it without thinking. Tone difference is minimal at best.
Myself i prefer the 50's look so favour maple, i like the 60's look too so have a rosewood boarded strat also. What i'd do is play as many as you can find without any preconception of which wood does what. Then buy the one you like the most. The fretboard really is a small part of the overall guitar and what contributes to its playing/sound factors.

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No no and no

Well, decision made! A couple of days ago I picked up an Eric Johnson RW and, although I'm still getting used to it, I am very happy with the neck. It is nice and flat and plays well. The frets are quite chunky making it smooth to play. It is the first bound board that I have seen on a Fender and think that, other than some 'specials', they have not had bound boards since the 60s. A nice finish but I assume that it may have been required to bind a fairly thin layer of rosewood. I'm not sure but think that the thinner layer of rosewood may play faster?

Anyway, I'm happy

Ha! Well that's a great guitar - love that bound fingerboard. And I'm sure a 12 inch radius will suit your classical guitar background well.

Congratulations on a nice purchase. Now: go forth and rock!

Cheers - C

[quote="somhairle"]

Sounds like a good choice.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

OOH OOH Post some Pictures Sonhairle. Ive been lusting after one of those new EJs since they came out. I've grown rather fond of the 12" radius since I bought a Gadow (local guitar maker).

PS congrats and welcome...

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

I'd be interested to know if the neck profile of the ('c' -shape) American Delux, is the same as on the American Standard? I'd kind of assumed they were the same, but I get the impression reading this thread that they're not!

I'm a maple man to the end, both for tone and appearance.