What is the difference Between Rosewood and Maple Fretboards?

bassmasta94 · Jul 21, 2009

Hello, everyobdy who is looking at this. The title says it all, i was just wondering, on your opinions, which fretboard is better. What are the Pro's and Con's of each. What are the similarities and differences.

UncleBalsamic · Jul 21, 2009

Although they may offer differences in sound, the popular belief being that rosewood is warmer whilst maple is brighter, I think these characteristics are overstated in so much as the fretboard wood alone will not change the sound a bass produces significantly (at least no more than any other part). If there is a change it also depends on the individual example of wood and I should imagine generalisations over an entire species may only give a rough idea at best. I wouldn't bank on the fretboard imbuing your bass with any predictable, distinct tonal characteristics.

Because of this, I would choose a fretboard firstly upon looks and feel, something which is particular to each person.

The only disadvantages would be if you were playing a fretless as maple, I believe (although please correct should I be wrong), get's chewed up more by strings unless it is given a very hard finish - something not everybody likes. Again, I would be hard put to come with any objective advantages or disadvantages with either of these woods; it's very much up to you.

Many people will disagree with me I'm sure, and as always, this topic has been covered a lot in the past, so it's worth doing a search. I'm sure you'll find comments from those more emminent, experienced or otherwise more qualified than me.

As always, YMMV and IMOs and IMEs apply were necessary.

cynical-rabbit · Jul 21, 2009

They look and sound different, of course!

Maple is extremely bright, rosewood is a little warmer. I personally think maple is kind of ugly, but my favorite is ebony. It all comes done to opinion, and there are a wide range of fingerboard woods worth looking into.

JTE · Jul 21, 2009

They look different. Other than that, there're too many variables to pin anything sonic to one or the other. People often cite maple as being brighter than rosewood, but that doesn't take into account many other things that could contribute to the difference. Comparing a Fender-style one-piece maple neck to a Fender-style rosewood neck (which is really a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard glued to it) utterly fails to account for the glue in the rosewood neck.

My Laklands (one has glued on maple board, the other had glued on rosewood board) were indistinguishable on recordings. And even side-by-side the difference was so slight that it was probably due more to the different body woods (ash with maple vs. solid alder). The only way to nail it down would be to build around two dozen necks as identical as possible with the exception of half having rosewood board glued on and half having maple boards glued on. Then bolt those necks onto the exact same body and listen to them closely.

But just to compare two, or two dozen totally different instruments (because there ain't no such thing as two identical wooden instruments) is pointless.

Go with what looks right to you if you have to choose. Or better yet, ignore the cosmetics totally, and just go by what SOUNDS right. Play enough basses and you'll find one that says "Hi, honey- I'm home!!" That's the one to get regardless of who made it where, what name is on the headstock, what old dead bassist or new hip bassist played/plays one similar, whether it's considered "correct" for any genre, etc.

Play the BASS, not the catalog!

jte

J. Crawford · Jul 21, 2009

Oy vey..

Maple=Light wood
Rosewood=Dark

IMO, thats the only difference. The feel, and density, maybe, but sound? Nah.

Ryan Mohr · Jul 21, 2009

Jordasch said:
Oy vey..

Maple=Light wood
Rosewood=Dark

IMO, thats the only difference. The feel, and density, maybe, but sound? Nah.

You don't think the fretboard has any impact on tone of an instrument? Maybe it's not huge, but it's there.

DeluxeRed · Jul 21, 2009

On older Fenders and the RI/Vintage stuff, the Map's have a smaller radius that the RWs. 9-1/2" vs 12", I think, enough that you can see and feel the difference.

BurningSkies · Jul 21, 2009

UncleBalsamic · Jul 21, 2009

Good God Burning Skies!

RavynWolf · Jul 21, 2009

BurningSkies said:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=531618
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=529207
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=519333
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511292
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=495822
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=490615
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486961
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479038
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=465869
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=472699
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464312
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385876
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459246
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446904
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=453700
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442211
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440780
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440551
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67268
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434807
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=424205
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=247977
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428388
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409725
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395275
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=405680
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=401710
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385840
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375757
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366282
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=365579
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346188
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315100
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299228
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309205
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78304
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=276014
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=266525
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=262997
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249972
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233090

Those ones.

J. Crawford · Jul 21, 2009

Opinions, opinions Ryan. We all have em.

And Burning Skies just owned this thread.

lousybassplayer · Jul 21, 2009

Jordasch said:
Oy vey..

Maple=Light wood
Rosewood=Dark

IMO, thats the only difference. The feel, and density, maybe, but sound? Nah.

Agreed. I have noticed a very slight difference if any if all other things are equal between to basses. Nothing that breathing on the tone knob wouldn't have made irrelevant.

Ryan Mohr · Jul 21, 2009

Jordasch said:
Opinions, opinions Ryan. We all have em.

And Burning Skies just owned this thread.

Yes but IME maple and rosewood sound different. One of the key factors that separates a sizzly, snappier, grindy, and aggressive '70s J bass tone from a warmer, fatter, mellow, and growlier '60s J bass tone.

UncleBalsamic · Jul 21, 2009

Ryan Mohr said:
Yes but IME maple and rosewood sound different. One of the key factors that separates a sizzly, snappier, grindy, and aggressive '70s J bass tone from a warmer, fatter, mellow, and growlier '60s J bass tone.

Not that pickup placement would do that...

:hiding:

RavynWolf · Jul 21, 2009

I am curious if there is a way to graph the response of the same note, played on the same basses, with the fretboards in question. That way, we could see for certain whether there is a sonic difference.

lousybassplayer · Jul 21, 2009

IF you got that technical, micrometer differences in paint thickness would make some kind of difference. Its the idea that it makes enough to matter that I have never gotten.

By the way, I know a million of these threads have been done, but give it a rest with that search feature crap. Who wants to read some 3 year old post? the whole point of a forum is to interact with live people. If its an old thread idea, start a new one if your so creative.

BurningSkies · Jul 21, 2009

RavynWolf said:
I am curious if there is a way to graph the response of the same note, played on the same basses, with the fretboards in question. That way, we could see for certain whether there is a sonic difference.

Only if you can guarantee that the note is plucked EXACTLY the same and that the neck is mounted on the same body, has the exact same setup and action that the neck woods are PERFECTLY identical with the same amount of tension on the truss rod...

BurningSkies · Jul 21, 2009

lousybassplayer said:
IF you got that technical, micrometer differences in paint thickness would make some kind of difference. Its the idea that it makes enough to matter that I have never gotten.

By the way, I know a million of these threads have been done, but give it a rest with that search feature crap. Who wants to read some 3 year old post? the whole point of a forum is to interact with live people. If its an old thread idea, start a new one if your so creative.

Because its the SAME ANSWER every time. There's nothing new to this discussion. And you're discounting the thousands of experienced TB'ers that have come before and expressed their well learned knowledge, experience and opinions. And its lazy.

lousybassplayer · Jul 21, 2009

True, but this isn't an encyclopedia, its a forum.

For example I bet if we searched it we'd find this same debate before, but I am not going to argue with a guy who may have died a few years ago via the internet when there is a living specimen here.

yellofury · Jul 21, 2009

Cmon everyone knows
that BLACK pickup screws make the bass sound darker
rosewood?maple? pssshaaawwww

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What is the difference Between Rosewood and Maple Fretboards?

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