the age old debate: maple or rosewood?

[Bassmingo]

for those who have read my other threads, i'm building a jazz frankenbass in the new year. i currently own a 3eq stingray with maple board, and i'll also be buying a stock geddy in the new year.

so with 2 basses with maple necks, should i build a third? they've always been my favourite neck, but i'm wondering if i should break with tradition to have something different. or is there any real difference?

what would you do in my position?

 

[jsingles]

i would

a) disregard the supposed sonic differences and get whichever is better aesthetically for the bass
b) read the 483957435 threads on here about fingerboard wood.

 

[Marlat]

One of each:

Alder / rosewood is a great combination for that vintage vibe. The PJ4 is strung with flats and it kills for a vintage P tone.

 

[jsingles]

honestly, i think maple looks better but both of my basses use rosewood and pau ferro, because they look better on my particular basses than maple would

 

[Bassmingo]

yeah, i must admit i have a thing for black basses with maple boards. i was also considering a aerodyne type neck too, what wood is the board on that?

 

[EricF]

I have some maple and some rosewood. I don't have a strong preference either way, and sonically, I haven't noticed that either makes enough of a difference in my sound to care. I go for looks.

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[Fetzu]

I say maple, I like how they look.

 

[Fresh Eddie]

I have found a big sonic difference between my maple and rosewood necked basses, but I think it has to do more with the heavy finish Fender put on the Maple fingerboards in the '70s. It would be interesting to finish a rosewood board and see if it sounds any different....

 

[tmw]

yeah, i must admit i have a thing for black basses with maple boards.

Me too!

 

[Baryonyx]

I'd go for phenolic!

 

[Danny R.]

 

[beggar98]

Honestly, why limit yourself to the two "standard" options? If you're building your own, you can get pretty much any wood out there. I like wenge myself, but YMMV.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I have always thought the sonic argument is silly - if there's a difference sonically between Rosewood and Maple, it is trivial... And I have *always* preferred maple... And Birdseye is even better! Best yet - Birdseye with big old J bass MOP or abalone blocks!

Yum!

 

[Bassmingo]

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that g&l on the right is SWEET, please tell me more about it.


and tmw thats a sweet collection, i love the fretless at the back.

 

[jaywa]

Eric - nice collection.

TMW - that P on the far left, back row - is that about a 77 or 78? It looks just like mine (or I should say, how it looked before I modded it, anyway).

To the OP - I have only ever played my maple board P, and mostly have loved it though at times wish it didn't have quite so much "clack" which I attribute to the maple. But if that's what you want, go for it. Whichever board you choose, if you can afford to you might want to have another bass in your arsenal with the opposite fingerboard, just for versatility. I'm saving my shekels right now for a rosewood board Stingray to give me some of those other sounds I can't get out of my maple P.

 

[dvh]

i would

a) disregard the supposed sonic differences and get whichever is better aesthetically for the bass
b) read the 483957435 threads on here about fingerboard wood.

+ 1 million.

I like maple.

 

[vinxbass]

I was wondering when this month's maple or rosewood thread was going to appear. That being said, I've owned both throughout my bass playing days and maple does seem brighter and rosewood is darker, think JPJ.

 

[mrhardy]

Me too!

I'll PM you with my mailing address for that fretless P. It can be my Christmas present.

 

[LDonnie]

I don't have a strong preference for one or the other, though I think a non-painted headstock looks better with maple. Painted headstocks look better with rosewood necks. Ofcourse this just another opinion.

 

[martyman5000]

Maple...never a fan of rosewood. I find it easier to play also.