Maple, rosewood, ebony or other?

[Kevan Campbell]

I voted “Other” but not because I have a preference for another wood than was listed. In my limited experience I’ve found that while I may generally enjoy rosewood the most on regular production basses there are a number of other factors to the sound of an instrument that also influence its tone.

For instance, I’ve never been a fan of how bright a maple-fretboard J sounds and prefer rosewood here, but a rosewood-fretboard P sounds a bit too dark and dull to my ears. Ebony on a Thunderbird gives it a nice little zing or clarity on the top end that I don’t hear with rosewood, and though I don’t own one I like the sound of a maple-fretboard MusicMan over any other option on that platform. To be clear, I don’t have that refined an ear so the differences may be in my head but to me they are present.

Just as important to me is also the look. Now that I’m getting into custom builds I generally choose a fretboard wood not just on it’s tonal characteristics but also on the overall aesthetic of the instrument specs and final vision of what the instrument was supposed to be.

 

[roccobass]

Have both ebony and rosewood on each of my fretless basses. Rosewood on my fretted. Not keen on the maple. Just my preference.

 

[SoulReflection]

Where does Pau Ferro apply in these options? Lumped in the Rosewood or Other?

 

[DwaynieAD]

I prefer maple because of how it looks, but i play them how they come

Of my 7 basses I think only one is maple

 

[5StringBlues]

1. deja vu

 

[coyote1]

On the upright, ebony or equivalent. On my electrics? Rosewood.

I don’t care for maple, largely because it almost always has layers of finish that prevent me from feeling the wood.

 

[Hounddog409]

It’s not about what is better. It’s about what you prefer. Expand in the comments if you like. Play nice - no choice is wrong.

Really dont care. Whatever is on the bass.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Ebony, mainly because I like the look. And because I used to play a lot of classical guitar, which usually has an ebony fingerboard once you get above a certain quality level.

 

[gregmon79]

The harder the fretboard material, the better IMO. Ebony all the way.

That's just preference. Maple would be my usual. Rosewood is great too though.

 

[eddybuzzard]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/what-is-your-favorite-fingerboard-wood.1624773/

Hope this helps.

1. deja vu

Gave me a chance to vote in the other very recent thread too, ha!
I feel so much better now

Thanks!

 

[rojo412]

Katalox
Phenolic
Granadillo
Those are my current faves.

Love ebony, but it's too expensive to build with. And the fact that Katalox does everything it can do and more (similar janka rating, similar machinability, similar response), for drastically less money, that's what makes it my current go-to on builds.
Phenolic is great for reliability. A bit pricier, a pain to work with in some respects, but when it's done, it's magical and lasts forever.
Granadillo is the reddish/brownish look and that's cool. Lots of chatoyance, too. But it's oily, so it can be a pain to work with. The end result is hot though.

As for maple, I don't hate it, but I do laugh a little bit when people say it's "super hard."
- Hard maple has a janka rating of 1,450
- Rosewood is more like 1,780
- Ebony is 3,220
- Katalox is 3,660
By comparison, maple is a soft wood.

 

[sc_precision]

I have one of each. Rosewood. Ebony and Maple. Like them all.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I have three of rosewood and one of laminated bamboo.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I like darker boards, purely for aesthetic reasons, but maple has to be competely sealed or it starts to look grungy quick. Some peple like that worn-through finger-funk look, I'm not one of them.

 

[mdogs]

Have them all, plus Bubinga. No preference, they all work just fine.

 

[onda'bass]

I like the brightness of maple, rose sound kind dead to me. Ebony sounds good on my fretless but never had on a fretted bass.

 

[Killing Floor]

I voted Other because I think it depends on the finish of the body and sometimes the headstock.
I really prefer not to have 3 finishes in a line, body, board, headstock.

So IF the fingerboard and headstock are the same OR the headstock matches the body I like the “tone” of whatever color wood it is.

The bass sounds the same no matter what fingerboard is used unless it’s fretless. Otherwise you are hearing with your eyes.

 

[G On Bass]

Don't care. I have all 3. For me, it's about how the neck and frets feel, not what wood it's made of. I will fully admit that I can't tell the difference tonally between any of them once I factor in strings, electronics/preamps, pedal, amps, cabinets and technique.

 

[Rib 13]

For me the general thumb rule is: rosewood is the softest feeling and absorbs some resonance (? Don't know the science) so it responds warmer.....a finished maple board is harder...and a finished Ebony, like on my Stingray, is even harder. Theres a response difference for slap style especially...that being said, it's only a rule of thumb as I've handled rosewood basses that respond brighter than a maple one.....I'll also add that, when these differences are noticable, they are minor in the overall picture as a bass is usually the sum of its parts......because I like bright basses, I prefer maple or harder fretboards paired with alder bodies: As a rule of thumb for myself, they tend to be the brightest but it isn't a prerequisite for me

 

[logdrum]

I like grimy almost grey and distressed maple on Telecasters