Why are Maple Fretboards unpopular for bass?

mcblahflooper94 · #1 01-22-2013, 07:52 PM

It seems for every maple fretboard I see on a bass, I see two or more rosewood fretboards. I know that they're a bit snappier (fretboard wood, IMO, is much more of a determining factor to tone, if the body wood type makes any) but I think they look really nice, sound nice and I feel like Maple would be much easier to get than Rosewood or Ebony, but I have no evidence. Is it more expensive? Do they require more maintenance?

king_biscuit · #2 01-22-2013, 07:56 PM

Maple boards are very popular, and yes the fingerboard wood does affect the tone. I love maple!

Arial Bender · #3 01-22-2013, 07:57 PM

Some people think rosewood is warmer, I think maple is more popular than you think it is.

lowphatbass · #4 01-22-2013, 07:59 PM

Maple boards are really popular, maybe a little less common. It is possible, depending on manufacturing techniques, that a neck with second piece of wood for the fingerboard/fretboard is less expensive to produce. With a one piece neck the truss rod is installed through the back of the neck and that slot needs to be filled and smoothed which may be more expensive/time consuming than dropping the truss rod in through the front...again it would really depend on the manufacturing process.

smcd · #5 01-22-2013, 08:01 PM

There are gazillions of maple fretboards out there. They're extremely popular.

alembicguy · #6 01-22-2013, 08:02 PM

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I like them!

PaperbackRyder · #7 01-22-2013, 08:03 PM

who says they're unpopular? i see them everywhere. Prefer rosewood myself.
maybe start a poll?

two fingers · #8 01-22-2013, 08:03 PM

They are not unpopular at all. There may not be quite as many as there are rosewood, but they are plenty popular.

mcblahflooper94 · #9 01-22-2013, 08:03 PM

I think I should rephrase my question: Why do you see more rosewood than maple?

king_biscuit · #10 01-22-2013, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

I think I should rephrase my question: Why do you see more rosewood than maple?

Aesthetics. Some people simply prefer the way darker fingerboards look.

vegas532 · #11 01-22-2013, 08:05 PM

I actually prefer Maple for instruments with low tunings. That extra *snap* really helps it to cut through! I used to keep an old G&L SB-2 JJ with a Maple board tuned to Ab, F, Ab, Eb.

electracoyote · #12 01-22-2013, 08:05 PM

It seems for the longest time MIM Fender Standards were rosewood only.

Around '09 they started offering maple boards. I was all over it and bought two Precisions and a Jazz.

SactoBass · #13 01-22-2013, 08:05 PM

Maple fretboards are unpopular???

When did THIS happen???????

drummer5359 · #14 01-22-2013, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

I think I should rephrase my question: Why do you see more rosewood than maple?

I have no idea...

Quilbert · #15 01-22-2013, 08:06 PM

I think most mid range manufacturers make them the same way as a rw neck i.e. glue a maple fretboard onto a maple neck and smooth off the edges. I have a maple neck stingray and this was how it was done. You have to really closely though. Some signature p basses are made from one piece. I don't know if there's a difference in the sound but I think the maple neck looks cooler. Unless the neck is lacquered though they can get very dirty. I had this problem with the stingray, it had a very light satin finish and it got very grimy.

SactoBass · #16 01-22-2013, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

Why do you see more rosewood than maple?

I don't.

I see equal numbers of both.

And I like both. I have one of each.

gurensan · #17 01-22-2013, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drummer5359

I have no idea...

I'll take the two on the left. And could you throw in some fries?

I'm getting to hate rosewood. My warwick has ebony, my squier maple. Take a guess which one is in my hands tonight.

drummer5359 · #18 01-22-2013, 08:15 PM

I have a MIJ P that has a rosewood board, but I love maple boards.

**Ric5** · #19 01-22-2013, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

It seems for every maple fretboard I see on a bass, I see two or more rosewood fretboards. I know that they're a bit snappier (fretboard wood, IMO, is much more of a determining factor to tone, if the body wood type makes any) but I think they look really nice, sound nice and I feel like Maple would be much easier to get than Rosewood or Ebony, but I have no evidence. Is it more expensive? Do they require more maintenance?

Rosewood has a warmer tone.

I have 8 basses with maple boards, one bubinga, and 4 rosewood.

**jet_king** · #20 01-22-2013, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

It seems for every maple fretboard I see on a bass, I see two or more rosewood fretboards. I know that they're a bit snappier (fretboard wood, IMO, is much more of a determining factor to tone, if the body wood type makes any) but I think they look really nice, sound nice and I feel like Maple would be much easier to get than Rosewood or Ebony, but I have no evidence. Is it more expensive? Do they require more maintenance?

I had the same question long ago. To this day i still have a hard time finding maple neck/fretboards. I find that maple while warm gives your tone a nice high end punch. i own a maple neck silver-tone guitar and a maple neck fender jazz bass. Both my first maples and love them very much.