Rosewood Fretboard or Maple ?

[Frederickbass]

What Would Suit Best on a FRETLESS JAZZ BASS, a rosewood fretboard or maple ?

 

[Mushroo]

Rosewood is the classic for fretless jazz basses. Can't go wrong.

 

[UncleBalsamic]

Maple is quite an unusual wood for a fretless althogh some people use it. I think this may be because it is softer although I'm not sure on that.

The most usual option there is rosewood and that's what I would choose as well.

 

[nrssab]

Ebony!

 

[Mushroo]

Maple is quite an unusual wood for a fretless althogh some people use it. I think this may be because it is softer although I'm not sure on that.

The main reason is that maple gets dirty from your fingers, unless you put some kind of hard, clear finish over it. There are some lovely fretless maple fingerboards here on Talkbass though, search around and you'll find a whole thread on the topic!

Also Jaco played a fretless jazz bass with a rosewood fingerboard, and I'm sure that is a big reason it caught on as the standard.