Does switching from rosewood to maple visually throw you off?

[Thom Fioriglio]

Hey there bass friends! Just curious if this happens to anyone else. I’ve been a maple fretboard player for years and recently got a Lakland 44-02 with a rosewood fretboard. When I play it, I sometimes feel like I am thrown off a bit as to where the frets are. Meaning it takes a little adjustment visually to get my bearings. The maple fretboard with the black side dots are easy to see. The rosewood board with off white dots sometimes takes getting used to. It’s just a visual thing. It could also be that the 44-02, when played sitting sits a little further back than my Jazz bass with the maple neck so my positioning is off by a fret. I think I explained that clearly.

 

[Five or Six]

I've always played rosewood or the like necks. My Fender Dimension came with a maple neck. I didn't care for it in feel and visually it was just different. I ordered a Fender replacement in rosewood (I believe) and all is fine. I guess that's backwards from what your question is but, for me I'm not a fan of maple. To each their own, whatever works for you!

 

[Geri O]

I don’t think so, in my case….

My preference in fretted basses is always maple fretboards.

But my fretless bass has a rosewood fingerboard.

And my issues playing my fretless aren’t related to the difference in the fingerboards…

 

[Mechayoshi]

My issue is if the side dots are too small or indistinct against the wood. I have a dark Wenge neck, gorgeous, but with tiny dots that I’m thinking to adding stickers to. Generally rosewood or ebony vs maple in itself isn’t an issue.

 

[Koshchei]

Hey there bass friends! Just curious if this happens to anyone else. I’ve been a maple fretboard player for years and recently got a Lakland 44-02 with a rosewood fretboard. When I play it, I sometimes feel like I am thrown off a bit as to where the frets are. Meaning it takes a little adjustment visually to get my bearings. The maple fretboard with the black side dots are easy to see. The rosewood board with off white dots sometimes takes getting used to. It’s just a visual thing. It could also be that the 44-02, when played sitting sits a little further back than my Jazz bass with the maple neck so my positioning is off by a fret. I think I explained that clearly.

I'd suggest putting some practice hours without looking at your fretboard -- I started by watching myself playing, reflected through a window. That way I was satisfying my "need" while also developing the "feel" for it at the same time. Over a few months, I gradually cut out the window and now only need to check the fingerboard once in a while. I'd stick to only one bass while you do this - developing automaticity depends on keeping as many things the same as you can, so that your body can "learn" them.

 

[Jogobass]

Played a rosewood fretless and maple fretted interchangeably for years. Never was a problem because my focus is on the strings, not on how it looks visually.

 

[Ggaa]

Regardless of fretboard material, nice visible side markers are great.

 

[WG Plum]

No, it's never been an issue for me.

 

[Cleezmo]

My main 4 strings are both maple, but I also have basses with rosewood, ebony (fretless) and composite (Modulus). No issues with visual references. The only thing that is an adjustment is going from 34" scale to the 35" scale of the Modulus, it hangs a bit differently on the shoulder, so between that and the longer scale it's a bit of a reach to the first few frets, but within a couple minutes I'm good.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hey there bass friends! Just curious if this happens to anyone else. I’ve been a maple fretboard player for years and recently got a Lakland 44-02 with a rosewood fretboard. When I play it, I sometimes feel like I am thrown off a bit as to where the frets are. Meaning it takes a little adjustment visually to get my bearings. The maple fretboard with the black side dots are easy to see. The rosewood board with off white dots sometimes takes getting used to. It’s just a visual thing. It could also be that the 44-02, when played sitting sits a little further back than my Jazz bass with the maple neck so my positioning is off by a fret. I think I explained that clearly.

I can’t say I have. I did play a gig once with a rental bass (I think it was a G&L) where the stage lighting washed the side markers out.

 

[Grinderman]

I have and had both.

The only problem I've ever had in this regard is with new/ish faux clay dots on a Fender vintage reissue type neck with rosewood board.

The dots were too dark aesthetically for reproduction sake and functionally in dark or dimly lit spaces. In instantaneous moments to reset initial bearings in low light was less easy. Looking for the white bone nut in low light was better to re-establish connection and coordination with the neck.

I replaced Fender's faux clay dots myself with much more natural or accurate, lighter colored, aged clay dots I purchased from Musikraft. The neck turned out perfect.

 

[smogg]

......It could also be that the 44-02, when played sitting sits a little further back than my Jazz bass with the maple neck so my positioning is off by a fret......

IMO you answered your own question right that thar.
I have a pair of non identical twin basses, one maple board one pau ferro. No issues at all switching between them as they hang the same whether sitting or standing.

 

[No Malarky]

It does not throw me off.

 

[sleddogn]

No, i've always played with my eyes closed anyway, the feel is different for sure, but doesn't change the ease of play

 

[P. Aaron]

My Precision V (maple) and Dimension Deluxe 5 (rosewood) necks are slightly different lengths. THAT throws me off...a little.

 

[Tanner5382]

No.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Not visually ... It's textural. I don't get on well with Maple necks.

 

[MonetBass]

One of my Jazz basses has a rosewood fretboard, the other has a maple one. It makes no difference to me when playing either.

 

[Hawk256]

I think it may be more of where the neck sits compared to the other one. If you have a lot of time with one, I could see how the position change would throw you off.

 

[JRA]

maybe, a little bit, IIRC. when i finally got my maple/maple necks i think there was a moment or two where i thought i had to make sure i was 'oriented' and that my hand/finger positions were trustworthy --- and it definitely was a visual thing --- adapting to something that looked different than my previous, habituated experience (e.g., ebony or rosewood). but since they're all interchangeable to me now, more or less, it couldn't have been too 'offputting' for this particular brain.


FWIW: it was an easier adjustment than say, to a lined fingerboard (which i avoid for learning curve/adjustment reasons), because i'm not used to seeing lines...just like i'm not used to seeing frets. my brain tells me to "go for the dot" and lines obfuscate that 'directive'.