Maple fretboard...or darkwood

[animus.terry005]

I have no preference. I agree with some of the others here, it depends how it looks with the rest of the instrument. For me, anyway.

 

[ScrewDevil]

Aesthetically, it depends on the bass to me. I like how rosewood feels, personally.

 

[dmac1961]

Six rosewood, one ebony, one wenge. I like dark meat.

 

[scubaduba]

Ebony, Pau Ferro, Wenge are my dark woods of choice. Maple is OK too though. Not really a fan of rosewood cosmetically or tonally.

 

[Killens84]

If a bass is black or natural, a maple FB is the only way to go, for me.

 

[gazzatriumph]

I've owned basses with maple, rosewood and ebonal fretboard and personally don't believe they have any real noticeable affect on sound, not when you take in to consideration strings, pick ups, amp settings the way you play etc. I like the look of black bodies with a maple neck although I don't own one at present.

 

[scubaduba]

If a bass is black or natural, a maple FB is the only way to go, for me.

Agree. Or gaboon ebony which is typically consistently dark black with little to no variation.

 

[ELG60]

Different strokes. My favorite ascetic is maple/black bound and blocked, but tactily, I prefer a rosewood fingerboard.

My upcoming build will be this one:

And I bolted this together a couple of months back:

 

[Oneud]

Different strokes for different folks. I strongly prefer the appearance of maple boards to rosewood/other darker woods, but I think both feel equally good to the touch.

 

[SunnBass]

I used to be lost in the pointlessness of aesthetics, believing dark fretboards looked best.
Then I played a poorly lit show.
Function over fashion.

 

[porterbass]

Yes. I prefer rosewood and ebony, but maple looks great on certain body colors, especially black. Definitely ebony on fretless...the Elrick below is macassar ebony.

 

[EtoBb]

For about 10 years I had to have maple. Dark wood was a deal breaker. My most recent bass purchase was a bass that I liked in spite of its crummy dark wood board. I even schemed to replace the neck because maple would look so much better.


Two years, tons of gigs and rehearsals later, I'm thinking maple boards look kinda funny.

 

[Laurie Bass]

2 of my Maple Fenders...but there are a tiny bit more....hee hee (VM Jazz 70s...Modded Bronco...) Hands down the VM is one of my Favs

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I borrowed it from the seller I bought it from...

 

[MegaSwing]

Partial to maple. It makes a bass look longer.

 

[beatlebass64]

I agree that the look is an important part. My main bass is the one pictured, a Birdsong CBass with s cypress body and maple fretboard. I was going for the black and blonde look from early Fender P-basses.

I have two more basses being built and both of those will have rosewood fretboards. One will have a Spanish Cedar body (5 string) and the other a blackwashed walnut (fretless). I like how the 5 will have a lighter body with a darker fretboard, and the fretless will be all dark woods which to me fits the tone of the instrument.

 

[JBoogy]

Maple master race reporting in!

 

[Nephilymbass]

Looks of the bass are very important to me long with the usual sound and feel. I just can't help it.....I just DO NOT like the way a maple fretboard looks. Any darkwood does it for me. Rosewood, Wenge etc. Ive owned one bass in my 35+ years of playing that had a maple fretboard.
What about you? Anyone else not like the way maple looks?

Prefer maple or ebony. Like the tighter grain, smooth feel, how they look, and how they hold up over time. On solid color bolt ons like Fenders, musicmans and dingwalls I prefer maple, on natural finish /coffee table basses I prefer ebony. Never been a big fan of Rosewood or Pau Ferro. Purpleheart and wenge are sorta in between for me

 

[ClassicJazz]

Maple looks awesome on my basses!

 

[Myzee]

Mind you, I like the way this ABZ6 looks. If the fretboard was maple, it would be a deal breaker for me unfortunately.