How does the neck affect overall sound?

[cubinicano]

I don't know if this has been asked b4 but I've seen somewhere on TB that neckwood affects the tone of the bass more than the body. I'm very curious as to how this is so, and which necks offer what kinds of tones.

[Syco_bass]

check this link: The Church of Dan Atkinson / The Wood Doesn't Matter Club

It should answer all or none of your questions.

Good luck.

[Jay2U]

I guess it's not the wood, rather the stability of the neck.

[alec]

The fretboard wood makes a difference. I A/B'd two Dingwall Combustions with same specs except one had a maple fingerboard, one rosewood.
I was really surprised how much brighter and punchier the maple was. Then I thought about it and it made sense. If the frets are fixed into a material that is soft, some of the overtones will be absorbed.

[john grey]

Jay2U & alec's thoughts are mine as well.
I once had an opportunity to play a maple and rosewood fretboard side by side through the same amp in the same configuration and I had a very tough time discerning any difference.
Neck pocket depth, solidity of the neck design, fret design & setup became much more critical if all else were the same (body wood, setup elements, string age did have an impact however).

STYLES of playing can have a separation element. If you Slap a very solid, dense neck, neck pocket and harder frets are obviously significant. If you are looking for a very particular sound (sliding to notes on a fret-less, strong harmonics, etc are where subtleties show themselves.

[darkstorm]

I dont really tthink the neck contributes more tone to the sound rather then the body. I think its more equal or close to that. Anyway, I find maple necks my fave, 3 peice as choice. Or 5 peice with maple walnut or maple rosewood. The latter more a strength thing rather then tone thing. Overall maple necks are brighter then mahogany necks. I allmost think fretboard contributes more to the tone then the neck itself. Rosewood being warmest, ebony brighter and snappier then rosewood but not as bright as maple fretboard. Tone tweak being small rather then large, but still noticeable.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by alec

The fretboard wood makes a difference. I A/B'd two Dingwall Combustions with same specs except one had a maple fingerboard, one rosewood.
I was really surprised how much brighter and punchier the maple was. Then I thought about it and it made sense. If the frets are fixed into a material that is soft, some of the overtones will be absorbed.

Except that rosewood is harder than maple on the Janka Hardness Scale, for example:

Brazilian Rosewood: 3000

Hard Maple: 1450

[alec]

Well it's not hardness then! (though Indian Rosewood is 1780 according to Wikipedia)
Tighter grain perhaps? There was a substantial difference in tone, but even though they were the same specs, they could have been made from different trees.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by alec

Well it's not hardness then! (though Indian Rosewood is 1780 according to Wikipedia)
Tighter grain perhaps? There was a substantial difference in tone, but even though they were the same specs, they could have been made from different trees.

Yes, the different rosewood and maples have different hardness ratings. I just picked the two of the more legendary of the neck/fingerboard woods from the list.

Don't forget that just because you're comparing two different fingerboards that you also have to take into account the fact that your are also comparing two different necks (not to mention bodies, etc.).

I'm currently working with two hard rock maple necks with integral fingerboards from the same manufacturer on the same body (same pickups, setup, hardware, etc.). The difference in tone when using the different necks is considerable.

I've also used those same necks on two bodies and the general tone of each neck followed to the second body which is something I didn't really expect to happen.

I've done the same thing several times with different necks and bodies, and the tone following the neck is quite apparent to me.

This leads me to postulate that the neck would have more influence than the body which makes sense to me since it is the component that's cantilevered from the body and could be subject to more vibration compared to the body.

YMMV

[john grey]

Mongo2:

If the contact points are the nut and bridge, isn't it possible that the comparison is influenced more by the initial contact points allowing that (string) tension and design are the same [as] principal elements - allowing the pick-ups (which would also have to be the same) to receive the same level of vibration? Could it be that string vibration and pick-up design have more influence than most anything else as measured by amp output (frequency & details)? It's a magnetic system yet we have always interjected an acoustic element to our measurements. This is where I believe we may be lead astray.

I believe that there may be a difference when the unit is played un-amplified. However when amplified the acoustic issues that would have to be primary are those that are influenced by magnetic idiosyncrasies & details.

When an acoustic guitar is amplified the pick-up design is microphonic in design; however an solid body electric guitar uses a different design. Our construct would have "wood construction influence" to a much higher level if we were using a microphone as a pick-up yet the "pole-piece" design focuses on string vibration which leans heavily toward the nut & bridge, string design & magnetic influences. If this were not the case we could use phosphor bronze strings and still get a wonderful sound.

[TheVoiceless]

Originally Posted by mongo2

Yes, the different rosewood and maples have different hardness ratings. I just picked the two of the more legendary of the neck/fingerboard woods from the list.

Don't forget that just because you're comparing two different fingerboards that you also have to take into account the fact that your are also comparing two different necks (not to mention bodies, etc.).

I'm currently working with two hard rock maple necks with integral fingerboards from the same manufacturer on the same body (same pickups, setup, hardware, etc.). The difference in tone when using the different necks is considerable.

I've also used those same necks on two bodies and the general tone of each neck followed to the second body which is something I didn't really expect to happen.

I've done the same thing several times with different necks and bodies, and the tone following the neck is quite apparent to me.

This leads me to postulate that the neck would have more influence than the body which makes sense to me since it is the component that's cantilevered from the body and could be subject to more vibration compared to the body.

YMMV

I agree with your conclusion. I think the body would effect more of the resonance. I agree with the others stating that Maple boards/necks are brighter/puncher. Rosewood boards are mellower IMO.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by john grey

I believe that there may be a difference when the unit is played un-amplified. However when amplified the acoustic issues that would have to be primary are those that are influenced by magnetic idiosyncrasies & details.

I used identical amp settings. Everything effects the resultant tone it's just a question of what a user does to mess with the natural tone of the instrument, including but not limited to pickups, eq, amp settings, fingers, pick, effects, hand position and attack, room influences, etc.

[maurilio]

In my (long) experience, generalizing for a bolt-on in order of importance (or sound influence) for a solid body:
1- neck construction
2- fretboard
3- electronics
4- body/strings/hardware

M