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Jbass Maple vs rosewood fingerboard?

ccsfuse77

ccsfuse77

Dec 21, 2006
48
0
Chicago
www.sparepartsmusic.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Eden Bass Amplification
#1
I play an '89 USA jazz bass. I've been playing it since 1995ish. There is nothing wrong with it at all, but Im beginning to think it just sounds "tired". I slap a lot and do a lot of muted playing with my thumb etc..and have heard a maple fingerboard is a harder surface and better for slapping. Is it possible a maple (or ebony?) fingerboard would produce a more lively sound? (thinking of switching to steel strings instead of nickel also). I have nordstrands and an emg pre in there also, but was just wondering if anyone has any experience swapping necks or advice on maple (or any other wood) fingerboards in general. Was thinking warmoth.
 
#2
The cost of switching to a neck with a maple fretboard will be high and will likely make a small to negligible difference.

The cost of switching to a snappy set of steel strings will be low and will likely make a far bigger difference.
 
#4
There is no way to predict what the result of a neck swap will be. It's about the WHOLE neck and it's wood and construction, not just the fingerboard. Also, you should know that rosewood is MUCH harder than maple, in spite of the myth to the contrary. Having said that.......

Warmoth necks tend to be bright and snappy, but it's mostly because they are very stiff and somewhat on the heavy side, due to the steel stiffening bars they contain.
 
#7
Finger board wood....Generally speaking, the differences are real but subtle. Maple, a bit more snap and attack, less mids
Rosewood, still bright but a little warmer in the midrange.

Your playing style and touch has more to do with your tone that the differences fingerboard wood makes.
Steel rounds are very bright and zingy. That probably will make a big difference for the couple of weeks when they are new. After that, they get mellow.
 
#9
From my experiences, if you want that bright slap type tone a good choice is a jazz style bass with 70s specs....Ash body, Maple Fingerboard, 70s pickup spacing, a high mass bridge and a set of Stainless steel strings. Ala Marcus Miller. You could also try a preamp pedal like the Sadowsky, Alleva-Coppolo or Fodera outboard pre if you don't have active electronics installed, typically a bass and treble boost will help you along.

All of these factors can help to give you the tone you are looking for. I'd start with a set of DR Hi Beams and trying to lower your string height to accomodate this style of playing better. If that doesn't get you where you want to be I'd suggest looking for a new bass that is spec'd closer to what I've described above...
 
#10
peterpalmieri said:
From my experiences, if you want that bright slap type tone a good choice is a jazz style bass with 70s specs....Ash body, Maple Fingerboard, 70s pickup spacing, a high mass bridge and a set of Stainless steel strings. Ala Marcus Miller. You could also try a preamp pedal like the Sadowsky, Alleva-Coppolo or Fodera outboard pre if you don't have active electronics installed, typically a bass and treble boost will help you along.

All of these factors can help to give you the tone you are looking for. I'd start with a set of DR Hi Beams and trying to lower your string height to accomodate this style of playing better. If that doesn't get you where you want to be I'd suggest looking for a new bass that is spec'd closer to what I've described above...
Click to expand...

Definitely gonna try steel again, was also wondering if the mm-j pickup configuration a la the lakland 4-94 would make a difference. Anyone ever done that modification to a fender j?
 

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