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Fretboard question

Basso54

Basso54

Jul 22, 2003
601
50
45
Dalhart, TX
#1
Just wondering why Maple fretboards are the exception, and not the rule. I just don't like the feel of rosewood boards, personally. I've owned several wonderful basses with Rosewood fretboards, but my favorites have always been Maple fretboard equipped. I just question why companies don't make more basses with Maple fretboards rather than all Rosewood.
 
#2
Maple requires an additional finish on the top before fretting and doesn't "stay clean" like a darker hardwood. Since it's not a great fingerboard on a fretless, one should probably assume that it adds lots of steps on an assembly line.

Take the average Fender with a rosewood top. You don't need to finish it and you can fill the fret lines and make a fretted bass or fretless with minimal steps or changes.
 
#8
I remember reading an interview with Leo Fender a long time ago. He was asked why his early guitars had maple fretboards. He said something about the blonde maple look being very popular at that time (late 40's/early 50's). If you look at furniture from that time period, a lot of it is the blonde color. People seemed to like that look. There were a lot of big archtop guitars from that period that were all blonde except for the fretboard.

Plus, he was doing the minimalist approach. Form following function. Setting the frets directly into the maple was considered to be easier and faster than fashioning the board out of another wood, which required a large glue joint to attach it to the neck, and all the effort, time, and tools that requires.

It's a lot more work and milling to make a good rosewood board, in my opinion.
 
#10
Basso54 said:
Just wondering why Maple fretboards are the exception, and not the rule. I just don't like the feel of rosewood boards, personally. I've owned several wonderful basses with Rosewood fretboards, but my favorites have always been Maple fretboard equipped. I just question why companies don't make more basses with Maple fretboards rather than all Rosewood.
Click to expand...

In addition to the very valid answers you've received already, I'd like to add two more possibilities: rosewood/ebony/dark woods are the traditional standard for most stringed instruments. This includes acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, banjos and the violin family.

Also, a fretted rosewood or ebony board is unfinished, and doesn't require as much maintenance down the road, while the finish on a maple board can wear off with time and need refinishing.
 

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