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Light vs Dark
- Thread starter gravgaard
- Start date
I got kicked out of a metal band once because I insisted on playing sweet and bright maple boards. The singer felt it distracted from the atmosphere of doom "his band" was trying to create.
I killed a raven in a cemetery at midnight and mixed its blood with coffee grounds and tung oil to create a evil and dark treatment for the fretboard. I guess I didn't do the incantations correctly so I still lost the gig.
Pretty dark board tho. I'm not selling the bass so don't ask.
I killed a raven in a cemetery at midnight and mixed its blood with coffee grounds and tung oil to create a evil and dark treatment for the fretboard. I guess I didn't do the incantations correctly so I still lost the gig.
Pretty dark board tho. I'm not selling the bass so don't ask.
Was it French Roast? If not, there's your problem!
...and for a serious answer as well, I've got both that each work best depending on the bass as a whole - My Mike Lull Modern 4 & 5 Jazz basses with ash bodies and maple tops call for the "snapper" sound of a maple fretboard, while the alder bodies, maple tops of my Spector ReBop DLX FM/EX 4, 5 & 5 fretless have the traditional rosewood that Spector uses. I've only seen a handfull of (custom) Spectors with maple fretboards, and can't imagine how that tone would work with the rest of a Spector as they've typically got the high-end covered. But as a general statement, I prefer maple fretboards for the "snap" and high-end transients that *I* happen to notice.
It doesn't photograph, at least it doesn't photograph in our dimension. Probably something to do with the failed incantation.
Anyway, back to the discussion. My fault. I prefer rosewood boards, for aesthetic reasons.
- Aug 5, 2005
- 7,243
- 92
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses
It really depends on the bass' color, to be honest. Usually dark blues, greens, reds, and brusts I prefer a maple fretboard. With light woods, I like ebony fretboards. All of the other shades of brown and red don't really appeal to me, at all. Occasionally a wenge or paduak-boarded bass will pop up that turns my head, but it doesn't happen a lot.
I never met a fretboard wood I didn't like, but I slightly prefer the extremes in color of ebony or maple.
gravgaard,
Sorry to answer your question with another question. Best fretboard for what type of music?
Maple boards with maple necks will give you a bright sound, perfect for slapping. Example: Fender Jazz Bass Marcus Miller.
Ebony board with wenge neck won't be as brigth, but is up there. Very "modern" tone. Example: Warwick Thumb bass.
Maple neck with rosewood board will be warmer, specially with flatwounds, but still flexible tone. Examples: Fenders precision and jazz basses.
Pauferro boards will also provide a warmer tone, also very flexible.
Sorry to answer your question with another question. Best fretboard for what type of music?
Maple boards with maple necks will give you a bright sound, perfect for slapping. Example: Fender Jazz Bass Marcus Miller.
Ebony board with wenge neck won't be as brigth, but is up there. Very "modern" tone. Example: Warwick Thumb bass.
Maple neck with rosewood board will be warmer, specially with flatwounds, but still flexible tone. Examples: Fenders precision and jazz basses.
Pauferro boards will also provide a warmer tone, also very flexible.
sunburst finish on the bass = rosewood. Anything else = maple, maybe ebony if it's a black finished bass. Except cherry finishes like on gibsons, then rosewood is ok. But I hate black finishes with rosewood boards! And I hate maple necks with rosewood boards for some reason. Just looks hideous.
Was it French Roast? If not, there's your problem!
...and for a serious answer as well, I've got both that each work best depending on the bass as a whole - My Mike Lull Modern 4 & 5 Jazz basses with ash bodies and maple tops call for the "snapper" sound of a maple fretboard, while the alder bodies, maple tops of my Spector ReBop DLX FM/EX 4, 5 & 5 fretless have the traditional rosewood that Spector uses. I've only seen a handfull of (custom) Spectors with maple fretboards, and can't imagine how that tone would work with the rest of a Spector as they've typically got the high-end covered. But as a general statement, I prefer maple fretboards for the "snap" and high-end transients that *I* happen to notice.
No, no, ... the problem is, he was supposed to use owl's blood.
I prefer Maple.
