Hey all,I'm looking to purchase a new American Fender Jazz bass.If you had a choice,which neck you would you prefer,maple or rosewood?I know that a maple neck can be brighter.I play classic rock cover music as my Fender P's are maple necks strung with Rotosound flatwounds.The jazz bass will probably have the stainless roundwounds.Your opinions are valued.Dave
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Maple or Rosewood
- Thread starter Dave D
- Start date
You're going to get everybody's opinions. Personally I don't think it matters too much. I've always been a maple lover, but my new MIA jazz has made me a rosewood lover now too. Go with whichever one you like the look of the best, or the one you like the feel of.
Eagle Moon is right on the money. I have 3 electrics with maple boards, and 3 with rosewood. They all sound good. Unless you have a strong preference toward one or the other, I'd just go with the one that's:
A) Most aesthetically appealing to you if you're buying from a catalog or online. (or)
B) The one that sounds the best (if you have a bunch to try before buying).
Both Eagle Moon and I have Blizzard Pearl/rosewood '08 Jazzes, and are both very pleased with the tone. (I'm not "authorized" to speak for her, but I've seen her post favorable things about it!
) If I would have had a choice of rosewood or maple when I got mine, I would have probably gone for maple on the Blizzard Pearl, but only because I love the look. Personally, on every other color offered on the Am. Stds., I probably prefer rosewood. So get whichever speaks to you.
A) Most aesthetically appealing to you if you're buying from a catalog or online. (or)
B) The one that sounds the best (if you have a bunch to try before buying).
Both Eagle Moon and I have Blizzard Pearl/rosewood '08 Jazzes, and are both very pleased with the tone. (I'm not "authorized" to speak for her, but I've seen her post favorable things about it!
) If I would have had a choice of rosewood or maple when I got mine, I would have probably gone for maple on the Blizzard Pearl, but only because I love the look. Personally, on every other color offered on the Am. Stds., I probably prefer rosewood. So get whichever speaks to you.
Eagle Moon is right on the money. I have 3 electrics with maple boards, and 3 with rosewood. They all sound good. Unless you have a strong preference toward one or the other, I'd just go with the one that's:
A) Most aesthetically appealing to you if you're buying from a catalog or online. (or)
B) The one that sounds the best (if you have a bunch to try before buying).
Both Eagle Moon and I have Blizzard Pearl/rosewood '08 Jazzes, and are both very pleased with the tone. (I'm not "authorized" to speak for her, but I've seen her post favorable things about it!
I agree with everything you said, so you know me pretty well.
I think if I were to get another new MIA Fender I'd even go for the rosewood again, I love mine that much.
It's more about the feel and looks than anything else. Just try both and your hands and eyes will tell you what you need to know...
My brightest sounding production bass has a rosewood fingerboard.
I prefer the look of rosewood but I have both and both work equally well.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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Play both and see which one fits your personal music style, and aesthetic preference.
And then choose maple
And then choose maple
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As you can see, I'd go with rosewood!
LOL
As you can see, I'd go with rosewood!
LOL
Hi I purchased an 08 US Standard with maple neck & black body. I went thru some different strings. It is now strung with Stainless Rotosound Swing 45 to 105 and it sounds great. That combination gives you a great fingerstyle and slap bass sound. I will tell you that the maple necks are faster. The front is lacquered and the back has a smooth polished "satin" finish. Don't get me wrong the rosewood jazz models are great too, but I think the maple fingerboards have a little bit more going for them.IMHO. Hope this helps. This is now my main bass.
Ive always felt that the rosewood had a kind of roughness....like I could feel the wood grain under the string,whereas the maple felt smooth and hard.
Maple rules.
Maple rules.
I think I own 7 rosewood (or darker woods including wenge) and 6 maple.
I like both obviously.
On a Jazz? Same thing... both. I love the sound of a Geddy Lee Jazz and I equally loved the sound of my rosewood MIA 60th Anni Jazz I had a couple of years ago.
I like both obviously.
On a Jazz? Same thing... both. I love the sound of a Geddy Lee Jazz and I equally loved the sound of my rosewood MIA 60th Anni Jazz I had a couple of years ago.
They "feel" the same because you're not touching either when you play.
I am sorry but you are completely wrong. Your hand does touch the side of the rolled edges and there is less friction on the maple fingerboard when you are bending/vibrato. I have rosewood, ebony and maple fingerboard basses and they feel and play different.A fact when using a muted attack in slap your fingers do touch the fingerboard. I do find the maple fingerboard on the US standard basses smoother.
