Hi. I am getting a Musicman Sterling, but I am unsure of weather to go with a maple or rosewood fretboard. I tend to play on rosewood fretboards on guitars, but I am just new to bass so I am not sure. I want to get a bass that will allow me to play fast and that is really smooth. What is easier to play fast on...maple or rosewood? (I expect a flame-out, unfortunately. LOL)
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Fastest fretboard material???
- Thread starter fatbassturd
- Start date
I'm not sure one is "faster" than the other, though I really have no idea. I think makes more of a difference how the neck is finished, and how "broken in" the neck is. My Rickenbacker has a maple neck with a bubinga fretboard, and both the neck and fretboard have this glossy lacquer-type finish (i.e. not satin or unfinished). It started out super-fast, then it got a bit of that gunky hand residue for just a couple weeks, and then it was perfect again and has been ever since.
Fretboard material is more to do with looks and tone, methinks, than with speed.
Fretboard material is more to do with looks and tone, methinks, than with speed.
Faster fretboard? Is that how they do it with guitars? 
It's more like the back of the neck finish. Satin is nice and smooth. neck profile adapted to you also help (thin, I would think, if you are coming from a guitar background). Also the flatness of the fretboard. Some have more curvature. And the fret profile. It's all mostly a comfort thing. In any case, it's a personnal thing.
Fretboard woods are more about sound colours, attack and brightness. Maple = more attack and brightness, rosewood = mellower. Apparently.
Oh yeah, head to Warmoth for a info about wood choices (fretboard, neck and body).
It's more like the back of the neck finish. Satin is nice and smooth. neck profile adapted to you also help (thin, I would think, if you are coming from a guitar background). Also the flatness of the fretboard. Some have more curvature. And the fret profile. It's all mostly a comfort thing. In any case, it's a personnal thing.
Fretboard woods are more about sound colours, attack and brightness. Maple = more attack and brightness, rosewood = mellower. Apparently.
Oh yeah, head to Warmoth for a info about wood choices (fretboard, neck and body).
Fretboard wood won't make you play faster on a fretted bass, it might make somewhat of a difference on a fretless. However, >.00001% of the guitars are fretless so I'm going so assume you're talking about a fretted bass.
What has an effect on how "fast" a bass feels are those factors SurrenderMonkey mentioned above, and what string you use. Rough monstrous cables aren't gonna make you feel like flying around the neck IMO.
What has an effect on how "fast" a bass feels are those factors SurrenderMonkey mentioned above, and what string you use. Rough monstrous cables aren't gonna make you feel like flying around the neck IMO.
It doesn't make any difference. On bass, much less (if any) of your finger will touch the fretboard. But you'll spend a small fortune on finding strings that suit you. 
Also I'm gonna have to also give a not toward smaller frets as well, seems to give a faster feel as well.
If you're looking for speed, it's in the quality of the fret job, pitch of the neck, relief, and choice of strings.
If I understand your question correctly, speed is a question of technique. The other posters have correctly identified fingerboard material as inconsiqential when considering finger speed. Your fingers should primarily touch the strings.
Perhaps the technique forum would give a some pointers on development of chops.
Perhaps the technique forum would give a some pointers on development of chops.
Faster fretboard? Is that how they do it with guitars?
I'll rephrase: By "Faster" I meant "Smoothest and not sticky. i.e. allows your fingers to glide along the fretboard with the most ease and least encumbrance."
Okay, that's cool that the material doesn't seem to matter as far as playability is concerned. I like the look of maple. I also like a clearer sound on the bass and less muffled. More bite, less mud. What do the pro bassists seem to prefer? The bass greats I mean.
Just to be argumentative, I actually find that floppy strings to be a hindrance to quicker playing. Ex: Give me some Chrome flats and I can blaze out some machine gun style notes. With a floppy string like TI flats, I find anything quicker than an 8th note to be a chore. Bottom line, it is all about personal preference.
Still, fingerboard material isn't going to affect the "speed" at which you play.
No this is a valid point and I just wasn't clear enough with my fairly uncommon example.
I can see that you're smooth high-tensions can allow you for some speedy licks. I seemed to be able to kick my playing speed up a notch with a bass that I recently played with some Sad. Flats. Real Smooth...Really, I was just poking fun at some extremely cheap, and very rough feeling rounds someone gave me at my local music shop. They were guages 110-50 or something like that for detuned tunings. These things made the neck of my bass bow quite a bit on my beater bass (obviously) tuned EADG. They felt like my fingers were going to bleed with each note I played.
Of course I didn't keep them long, but they seemed like the perfect string for helping build calluses.
But yeah TI flats are way floppy for me. In practice, I tend to prefer slightly heavier tension combined with low action for a fast feel.
In terms brightness and clarity, many agree that the more common fretboard woods go something like Maple -> Ebony -> Pau Ferro -> Rosewood (maple having the most bite, rosewood having the most warmth). However, there are some people who don't believe fretboard wood to affect the sound in any appreciable way. So don't throw away your money on what others say.. go out and play 'em.
yeah id say maple, i have a maple neck on my ibanez. must i say it is quite slick. fretboard material. Hm i say ebony. But im one of those ppl who think fb material doesnt matter simply becasue throughout my life ( thats right 15 years so far) ive only played rosewood, but i didnt once play a maple one. sounded prety slick but i wasnt plugged in HAHAHA.
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