D
Based on memory, without actually going through all my basses:
50% rosewood
30% "other" (bubinga, wenge, pau ferro laurel, walnut, ebony...)
20% maple
Yeah, I prefer rosewood. The smell, the looks, how it feels under my fingers... I love it.
And then there's TONE... which is where things tend to get a bit controversial.
Most of my favorite sounding basses have rosewood boards. Basses with rosewood boards seem to have a slight softening of highs/transients, and a slightly softer, "bouncier" feel (dynamics) that I personally like. But is this REALLY because of the rosewood board? This is hard to say for certain with all the variables involved. The only way to REALLY know, would be to remove the rosewood fretboard, replace it with a maple board, keep everything else 100% the same and record the bass before/after. And even then, the performance will make a difference. Move the plucking hand even just a tiny bit either way, or pluck the strings at a slightly different angle, will make the comparison void.
I can't remember ever seeing a documented recording of an actual fretboard comparison. The closest I've seen are comparisons between rosewood and maple board NECKS, which isn't really a fretboard comparison at all, because even two "identical" necks will have different stiffness and mass, and therefore different dynamic and tonal properties. Which means that every single "fretboard" comparison I've ever seen has been close to worthless. Not to mention the "fretboard" comparisons where two different instruments with rosewood/maple boards are compared. That's not even remotely close to a fretboard comparision, even if the basses are the exact same model. That's a comparison between two different basses.
All I know is that I prefer the tone and the dynamics/"feel" I get from MY rosewood board basses. They seem to share certain characteristics (tonally AND dynamically) that I happen to like. Coincidence? Maybe... But based on playing LOTS of different basses over the years, my preferences definitely seem to be leaning towards rosewood, even when I try to avoid "listening with my eyes". My least favourite fretboard wood for basses SEEMS to be ebony, based on the fact that every single ebony board bass I've played has felt too "fast" and bright for my taste, no matter what I did the the pickups/electronics.
I'm not saying I don't like maple board basses. I do. But overall, when comparing similar basses with maple/rosewood, I do seem to prefer rosewood.
My favourite sounding electric guitar has a laurel board though, and a gorgeous looking one at that! It doesn't smell as nice as rosewood though.
50% rosewood
30% "other" (bubinga, wenge, pau ferro laurel, walnut, ebony...)
20% maple
Yeah, I prefer rosewood. The smell, the looks, how it feels under my fingers... I love it.
And then there's TONE... which is where things tend to get a bit controversial.
Most of my favorite sounding basses have rosewood boards. Basses with rosewood boards seem to have a slight softening of highs/transients, and a slightly softer, "bouncier" feel (dynamics) that I personally like. But is this REALLY because of the rosewood board? This is hard to say for certain with all the variables involved. The only way to REALLY know, would be to remove the rosewood fretboard, replace it with a maple board, keep everything else 100% the same and record the bass before/after. And even then, the performance will make a difference. Move the plucking hand even just a tiny bit either way, or pluck the strings at a slightly different angle, will make the comparison void.
I can't remember ever seeing a documented recording of an actual fretboard comparison. The closest I've seen are comparisons between rosewood and maple board NECKS, which isn't really a fretboard comparison at all, because even two "identical" necks will have different stiffness and mass, and therefore different dynamic and tonal properties. Which means that every single "fretboard" comparison I've ever seen has been close to worthless. Not to mention the "fretboard" comparisons where two different instruments with rosewood/maple boards are compared. That's not even remotely close to a fretboard comparision, even if the basses are the exact same model. That's a comparison between two different basses.
All I know is that I prefer the tone and the dynamics/"feel" I get from MY rosewood board basses. They seem to share certain characteristics (tonally AND dynamically) that I happen to like. Coincidence? Maybe... But based on playing LOTS of different basses over the years, my preferences definitely seem to be leaning towards rosewood, even when I try to avoid "listening with my eyes". My least favourite fretboard wood for basses SEEMS to be ebony, based on the fact that every single ebony board bass I've played has felt too "fast" and bright for my taste, no matter what I did the the pickups/electronics.
I'm not saying I don't like maple board basses. I do. But overall, when comparing similar basses with maple/rosewood, I do seem to prefer rosewood.
My favourite sounding electric guitar has a laurel board though, and a gorgeous looking one at that! It doesn't smell as nice as rosewood though.
