Why are Maple Fretboards unpopular for bass?

[woodyng]

I would love to try out a Ric with a maple fretboard,now THAT is relatively rare.

[JimB52]

I used to play exclusively maple necks. Since the early '70s, I preferred the brightness of tone and the esthetics of the light wood with black markers. I still do, and think figured maple is the prettiest common fretboard wood, but these days there are more and more rosewood boards on my basses.

Perhaps Rosewood boards are a creeping menace, like communism.

[Mike M.]

Lot's of love for maple fretboards around here. The last three basses I've bought have maple fretboards.

[LostInSauce]

I've asked questions in the past about the availability of maple over rosewood in the past and was told:
- First, maple is great (especially with black markers or blocks) to see in low light conditions; such as a dark stage.
- Rosewood in naturally oily so it won't dry out fast. However, running some lemon oil (or oil of your choice) on a maple fingerboard once every 4 weeks or so will be fine.
- Rosewood is a dark wood when it's oiled. All the conditioning oil in the world will not hide any of the wood imperfections found on maple. Streaking, knots and color imperfections can be virtually invisible (or even sought-after) in rosewood.

[Jeff K]

I don't think I planned it this way, but all of my P-Basses have maple boards. Three of my four Jazzes have rosewood. Like I said, I didn't really plan it that way, but I love all of them.

[Snakeman1066]

I love maple boards...

perhaps it's because they show dirt much easier than other materials..lol

[line6man]

Perhaps it is because one-piece necks are uncommon on everything but four-string bolt-ons, and it looks silly to glue up two of the same species of wood.

[Edward G.]

I love the look of the maple, but my own favorite basses have mostly been darker fingerboards. I'm pretty sure it's just coincidental, because I've handled some maple necks that were truly amazing.

Unpopular? Absurd.

[Vince Klortho]

With the last two basses I bought I had no choice because the only ones I was interested in had only rosewood fretboards. If I had a choice I would definitely have picked maple.

[Steveman]

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

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

Money, maple is a harder wood and eats through tools faster. Also, maple fretboards have to be finished.

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by mcblahflooper94

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

I don't. Or if I do, the difference in sightings is negligible.

I really think there's no issue here...

MM

[sven kalmar]

i have one of each. the roadw p with maple has a warmer richer sound when rolled off than the other. big fat onepiece maple neck.

[lolmont]

I have a p bass of each flavor, I prefer my maple p bass of the two.

[Rip Topaz]

I have three P-basses. All maple fretboards.

I wouldn't call them unpopular at all.

[JoeWPgh]

I think the reason you see more rosewood boards is that they were more popular for some time. I don't think that's still necessarily true, but it would make for more rosewood basses in circulation.

[cnltb]

Maple unpopular?

[Shardik]

I have two basses. One defretted fretless with a maple neck, and one fretted all wenge neck. No rosewood in sight on my basses. But I must admit that I chose the wenge necked bass partially because of looks.

The defret job on the maple neck looks like h... but I like the way it feels and sounds.

[darthplagis]

my p bass is maple as is my sandberg

i love maple boards on p basses but i think j basses suit RW more, and MM should not even offer RW as an option LOL

[Road-Dog]

Maple Unpopular? When did this start? Maybe you just travel in a very small circle of the bass world.

[lomo]

Maple boards have to be sealed and rosewood boards do not, so there's a bit more work (and therefore expense) in building with a maple board. I prefer maple esthetically and although fretboard material affects tone, IMHO that effect is small and dwarfed by string choice, eq and other variables. One might differentiate 2 identical basses with different boards when playing them alone, quietly. In a mix, however, or without the direct, immediate A/B comparison, any difference will be trivial.