Does fretboard wood make a consistent difference in tone that you can hear?

[LiveToWin]

"
Does fretboard wood make a consistent difference in tone that you can hear?"

No. People hear what they want to hear. When they see ebony fretboard they instantly think : "Oh, it must be bridght !" and so on ...
Want proof ? Do a blind test. Everyone will fail, I assure you.

Now for me - I would prefer stronger wood for fretboard just for stability. So Ebony or maple for me. But Chechen on my 4003 looks badass !

 

[Wisebass]

It's obviously an old and tired question

Hi Gorn

Regarding CITES, fretboard materials have to be discussed!
(and "Zombie threads" won 't help )

Will we choose by "looks only" or by "ear"?
Or will we just take materials, that are hard enough,
so they don' t suffer, when we play rounds on our fretless basses?

And who can resist to vote on a poll, that has such a great.....
"Highly figured birdseye quartersawn carrotwood" option

greetings

Wise(b)ass

 

[navijaz]

The keyword is "consistent"...

 

[saabfender]

" Do a blind test. Everyone will fail, I assure you.

Everyone or just you?

 

[LiveToWin]

Everyone or just you?

Everyone. I just don't care
Blind test :
One guitar with easy neck replacement (bolt on).
It will be funny (while this blind testing) to tell people there are various fingerboard used (10 or so) while using only one Watch the reaction and dispersion in answers

 

[Gorn]

It's pretty close. The carrotwood is fighting hard.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

I believe the well known master luthiers who say it matters. Especially since I have never heard such a person say the opposite. Might be some who do, i haven’t seen it.

Some have said, in response to this logic, “that’s just marketing, they all do it to sell instruments”.

But it seems implausible that so many otherwise honest and reputable luthiers would all collude to keep a lie alive.

That said, none of the above constitutes proof. But that line of thinking, plus my own observations, put me in the “does affect it” camp.

 

[Gorn]

But it seems implausible that so many otherwise honest and reputable luthiers would all collude to keep a lie

The options aren't only they're correct or they're lying.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

The options aren't only they're correct or they're lying.

I left out "don't know what they're talking about" or "are delusional" because that doesn't seem valid if we're talking about world-class, highly-regarded master luthiers at the top of their game.

 

[FugaziBomb]

A few years back I changed the neck on my P Bass from rosewood to maple. A few weeks later I decided to swap the necks back and forth and record so I could appreciate the difference in tone. After listening to both of them back to back, there was zero difference between the two.

 

[Gorn]

I left out "don't know what they're talking about" or "are delusional" because that doesn't seem valid if we're talking about world-class, highly-regarded master luthiers at the top of their game.

There's also "wrong." Experts with the best intentions and decades of experience can still be wrong. That applies to any subject.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

There's also "wrong." Experts with the best intentions and decades of experience can still be wrong. That applies to any subject.

Not sure how "wrong" and "don't know what they are talking about" (with regard to this issue) are different concepts.

 

[Mertle72]

Absolutely, yes. Maple (brighter) and phenolic (brightness/clarity). Rosewood/ebony (mellow/warm) IMHO.

 

[Gorn]

Not sure how "wrong" and "don't know what they are talking about" (with regard to this issue) are different concepts.

People who know what they're talking about can be wrong.

 

[bolophonic]

I love to read threads where people describe all the subtle nuances of wood tone, as though they are at a wine tasting or something. Especially when they are cataloging a custom build that they will be selling at a loss when their alchemy of sound results in a bass they just can’t seem to bond with.

 

[Bassbeater]

Every time I play a new song for somebody, they say something like. "Oh hey that bass sounds really great, what kind of wood is your FB made of?"

 

[A-Ro]

Even if it does matter...it doesn’t, becuse we have the ability for so many eq options on our amps, basses, peddle board, FOH, changing the attack via plucking finger placement, etc...

This is why I literally choose the fretboard for asthetic purposes only. If it looks good, I’m cool with it.

 

[smtp4me]

I believe it does. And I believe I can hear the difference.

 

[petrus61]

Every time I play a new song for somebody, they say something like. "Oh hey that bass sounds really great, what kind of wood is your FB made of?"

Is that before or after they ask why your guitar sounds so funny and why does it have those big strings on it?

 

[Wisebass]

The carrotwood is fighting hard.

Which leads us to the most importend question:

What is the best fretboard wood for metal?


Wise(b)ass