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Post subject: Rosewood vs. Maple
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:30 am
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I plan on purchasing a fender american standard strat and I was wondering if someone could please inform me on the differences between the maple fretboards compared to the rosewood fretboards. Thanks


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:37 am
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Maple is bare wood, rosewood is wood on top of wood. Rosewood requires more care. It's a matter of preference and feel. You most liekly will not be able to hear a difference in tone.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:39 am
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Maple reflects more light than rosewood.

Other than that, whatever.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:46 am
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One difference between maple and rosewood is the feel. Maple tends to be 'stickier' to play than rosewood - especially sliding up and down between frets. Some people like this more than others. I'm more inclined towards rosewood but my Peavey EVH Wolfgang has a nice non-rosewood fretboard.

As noted, rosewood should be cleaned/oiled with lemon oil occasionally (can't remember offhand, but once every three or six months depending upon usage - a good time is when changing out strings).


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Post subject: Re: Rosewood vs. Maple
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:23 pm
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bojangles wrote:
I plan on purchasing a fender american standard strat and I was wondering if someone could please inform me on the differences between the maple fretboards compared to the rosewood fretboards. Thanks


It won't make a difference in sound.

You may be able to feel the difference, Maple feels smoother to me.

One may look better to you than another.

Rosewood is harder than Maple but not by much and the amount of wear difference from your fingers pressure would be negligible (you'd probably die first or the guitar would turn to dust) ;-).

Another thought from a conservation standpoint is that:
Rosewood comes from foreign(non-USA) Rain Forests and is in short supply.
Maple on the other hand is domestic and is farmed.

I just got a new Strat with a Maple fretboard but my Ovation has a Rosewood fretboard.

Not many manufacturers use Maple, Fender does.

I like that the entire maple neck is one piece of wood and not laminated with glue.

Well there are a few ideas anyway, Good luck with your choice.

JBC


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:13 pm
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I dig both.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:45 pm
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I just went to a Official Fender Service center today for my '72 Thinline Telecaster to have it "set up". Once there, the Guitar Tech told me that maple necks require more hours of servicing for a re-fret job than a Rosewood neck. He told me the additional work required could cost up to $400-500 for a re-fret. Told me I might be better off buying a new neck (cheaper) than having the work done. For that reason alone, I think that I would go Rosewood from now on (I've always liked the look of Rosewood anyway).

The guitar tech told me that the grooves (where the frets are set) were unfinished, with maple. He went on to tell me that because of the finish, placed on the maple neck...it would all have to be sanded off......then stained to match the tuning head color...that is why it costs more.

All my guitars are Rosewood anyway....The Telecaster is maple, because there was no choice between Rosewood and Maple. So now I'm dreading when it's time for a re-fret. I've been told this by several guitar techs. Is that wrong info? I don't think he was trying to "take me" to the cleaners, because my Tele isn't there for a re-fret anyway. He was just giving me a "heads up".


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:24 pm
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I still dig Maple. The neck on mine is killer, if and when I need a re fret I'll probably go for it. I have a Custom Shop Strat and CS necks are expensive.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:45 pm
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Syeklops wrote:
I just went to a Official Fender Service center today for my '72 Thinline Telecaster to have it "set up". Once there, the Guitar Tech told me that maple necks require more hours of servicing for a re-fret job than a Rosewood neck. He told me the additional work required could cost up to $400-500 for a re-fret. Told me I might be better off buying a new neck (cheaper) than having the work done. For that reason alone, I think that I would go Rosewood from now on (I've always liked the look of Rosewood anyway).

The guitar tech told me that the grooves (where the frets are set) were unfinished, with maple. He went on to tell me that because of the finish, placed on the maple neck...it would all have to be sanded off......then stained to match the tuning head color...that is why it costs more.

All my guitars are Rosewood anyway....The Telecaster is maple, because there was no choice between Rosewood and Maple. So now I'm dreading when it's time for a re-fret. I've been told this by several guitar techs. Is that wrong info? I don't think he was trying to "take me" to the cleaners, because my Tele isn't there for a re-fret anyway. He was just giving me a "heads up".


I live in the now, and don't fear tomorrow. Tomorrow I could quit playing altogether or worse I could die and my wife give my guitars to some butthead(not Bevis). I do things based upon where my head is at today. I'll face whatever the future holds when I get there. Who knows I may move next door to a Old Wizard of a Luthier that does all my guitars for free because I remind him of his son. He may teach me how it's done so I'll never have to rely on a service tech again. :-) You never know what tomorrow may hold! (It's better to burn out than fade away) ;-)


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:48 pm
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amen to that sir 8)


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:00 pm
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Gravity Jim wrote:
Maple reflects more light than rosewood.

Other than that, whatever.


Gotta wear shades.

_________________
"is that a real poncho...i mean
Is that a mexican poncho
Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:14 pm
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Syeklops wrote:
I just went to a Official Fender Service center today for my '72 Thinline Telecaster to have it "set up". Once there, the Guitar Tech told me that maple necks require more hours of servicing for a re-fret job than a Rosewood neck. He told me the additional work required could cost up to $400-500 for a re-fret. Told me I might be better off buying a new neck (cheaper) than having the work done. For that reason alone, I think that I would go Rosewood from now on (I've always liked the look of Rosewood anyway).

The guitar tech told me that the grooves (where the frets are set) were unfinished, with maple. He went on to tell me that because of the finish, placed on the maple neck...it would all have to be sanded off......then stained to match the tuning head color...that is why it costs more.

All my guitars are Rosewood anyway....The Telecaster is maple, because there was no choice between Rosewood and Maple. So now I'm dreading when it's time for a re-fret. I've been told this by several guitar techs. Is that wrong info? I don't think he was trying to "take me" to the cleaners, because my Tele isn't there for a re-fret anyway. He was just giving me a "heads up".


You weren't getting a BS story. 1972 was one of those years where fender used to slide the frets into the their slots in the fingerboard from low to high E rather than putting them in top-side. To remove them is challenging in itself, without even getting into the problems the finish on the fingerboard will present.

Even properly masked, etc. the finish can and will flake and chip and as the fret has to be heated before being removed, the finish could burn just a touch here and there due to the globs of finish Fender just slathered over the fingerboard back then once the frets were installed. Further, thick blobs of finish butt up against the sides of the frets and also were used as filler if there were any divots in the wood. Consequently, the fingerboard's finish will indeed need some degree of touch up upon completion of the job and if you want the fingerboard to look brand spanking new, the fingerboard would indeed, have to be refinished. On the other hand, if you want it to have the relic look, you could always tell the tech to do the best (s)he can in terms of preserving and leveling the finish prior to and after installing the new frets and to not bother refinishing or even touching up the fingerboard upon completion of the fret job. Of course, YMMV.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:19 pm
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From what I`ve heard, Maple gives you a brighter tone and Rosewood a warmer tone. I have a maple neck/fretboard on my strat. Its my first guitar set up this way and I not only like the sound, but the look also.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:43 pm
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dejavu...maple for teles, rosewood (and any other type of guitar for that matter) for strats. My preference has nothing to do with looks either.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:02 pm
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My preference is mostly base upon what finish the body is. One looks better with one body than the other. Honestly how long does it really take until you have to refret anyway.


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