I notice an increase in the use of roasted maple for necks on production basses. Even low cost production basses. Do you think all maple necks will eventually be roasted?
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Only roasted maple in the future?
- Thread starter darwin-bass
- Start date
No. Not always the most aesthetically pleasing to my eye, so hope not too.
I hope not either. They look cool on some basses but there is also nothing like a nice clean maple board
- Jun 30, 2010
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Pluses are lighter, stronger and more resonant. Those who favor that will want that.
Hopefully, both will be available. I like the lighter non-roasted fretboards because sometimes playing in a dark venue, I need the contrast of black dots on a light fret board, and visa versa. Particularly, side dots. I'm not always looking at the neck, but when I do, I want to know where I'm at.
I prefer standard maple in terms of appearance on most basses, but that's quite likely because it's what we've been seeing for decades. Roasted maple is new and looks different, but it has definite advantages, so I think it's here to stay.
All my basses (save one cute little short scale) Have roasted necks. They cost more, but the stability is worth it. One note - if you want the most stable neck you can get, you want it in roasted maple, with a roasted maple fretboard. With a regular fretboard, you get some back and forth movement, as the fretboard and the rest of the neck don't move the same. With both roasted, you can pretty much set and forget your action.
Yes, they're lighter and more resonant as well. The one thing that vintage basses may have over new ones, in an objective sense, is that wood really does change as it ages. Want a "vintage" bass off the rack? Buy it with a roasted neck and body. I have a bunch of those, and they are a bit different.
Yes, they're lighter and more resonant as well. The one thing that vintage basses may have over new ones, in an objective sense, is that wood really does change as it ages. Want a "vintage" bass off the rack? Buy it with a roasted neck and body. I have a bunch of those, and they are a bit different.
There will always be a need for a most affordable option. In this case, it is non-roasted.
Seeing where you are at on a roasted neck isn't difficult, if you do this:
I play on a lot of very dark stages, and this helps me a lot.
I also have no position markers on my fretboards - when I'm playing, I'm never in a position to see them anyway, so I go with uninterrupted wood grain for maximum stiffness.
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I'd bet that a majority of the players would go for a roasted or stained neck. The bright white necks just stand out in an odd way. Kinda like when I put on shorts for the first time this year and you all have to look at my albino white legs.
hasbeen
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- Sep 23, 2004
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That's only if they go through the "correct" process.
A friend owns at least two dozen basses, including 3 or 4 with roasted necks. He's done some testing and is convinced that roasted maple has a softer tone, with less edge/presence/brightness as non-roasted. I haven't seen much talk about this, but if he's correct, I'd prefer non-roasted for tone alone, even though I think roasted looks gorgeous with the right build.
I fully believe that both roasted and non-roasted maple will remain available going forward. However this won't be true for every model of every bass. Meaning: some models will only offer one or the other, rather than a choice.
I fully believe that both roasted and non-roasted maple will remain available going forward. However this won't be true for every model of every bass. Meaning: some models will only offer one or the other, rather than a choice.
Roasted necks are more brittle and can't survive the same impact levels normal, moisture-filled necks. This is why they went out of favor. Back in the 2020"s they didn't understand this - The Future
Going to do a Franken Pbass build. Here's my new neck..
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People who only like tort pickguard on P's, sunburst body with rosewood fretboard dislike roasted maple necks. 
I put roasted maple necks in pretty much the same category as gravel bikes.
