What advantages does Maple have over Rosewood?

[GreyBeard]

Maple has a lighter yellow color and rose wood has a dark brown color with courser grain. With 2 otherwise identical basses but one with maple and the other with rose wood finger boards, it has been my experience that the maple will sound brighter and the rose wood will sound darker. However, some judicious EQ'ing can make either one sound like the other. (jmho) So, I see no advantage in either just buy the one you like the most.

 

[watspan]

I have a theory that you always prefer the opposite of what you were first "stuck with" until you could get additional basses. In my case, I have a '74 P w/ maple neck that was my only bass for 20+ years. I now prefer rosewood on all the new basses I get. I think it feels better, looks better and sounds better, although I admit this is primarily psychological. Afterall, even a rosewood fb neck is 80% maple anyways!

 

[thumpbass1]

I've had both and while there are some slight tonal differences, I've found no advantage of one over the other in terms of playability imho.

 

[gmstudio99]

I have a theory that you always prefer the opposite of what you were first "stuck with" until you could get additional basses. In my case, I have a '74 P w/ maple neck that was my only bass for 20+ years. I now prefer rosewood on all the new basses I get. I think it feels better, looks better and sounds better, although I admit this is primarily psychological. Afterall, even a rosewood fb neck is 80% maple anyways!

I subscribe to that theory as well...my first instrument (from the JC Penny catalog!) had a rosewood fretboard that actually gave me splinters...so I was on a maple board kick for the next 20 years...it was only in the last 2-3 years that I've started playing rosewood again...

 

[BigBassBob]

I have a theory that you always prefer the opposite of what you were first "stuck with" until you could get additional basses. In my case, I have a '74 P w/ maple neck that was my only bass for 20+ years. I now prefer rosewood on all the new basses I get. I think it feels better, looks better and sounds better, although I admit this is primarily psychological. Afterall, even a rosewood fb neck is 80% maple anyways!

That's interesting because my first bass was a p-bass with a rosewood board. Once I got my first "proper" bass (American Dlx P-bass) my preference has been for maple fingerboards but after years of using that bass, I miss the slightly softer feel of rosewood. It sounds sad, but I'd personally pick based on the other aesthetics of the bass (construction, colour, hardware).

For instance, I'd find a rosewood board p-bass in surfgreen with a mint or pearloid pickguard to be made of pure sex. But, if you're talking about a natural, ashbodied p-bass, I'd say maple all the way. I'm currently gassing for a 6-string fretless and my next choice is ebony.

 

[lpdeluxe]

i have never seen a fretless bass with a maple fretboard. why? or i haven't just not yet looked far enough?

Here ya go: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19652150@N02/2068468907/

Maple vs rosewood fingerboard material is a commonly debated issue. Me, I've owned ebony, rosewood and maple fingerboard instruments and now I have all maple.

The main reason I like it is appearance. Although I prefer satin finish (such as the Tribute L2000 I owned) I'm happy with gloss. There are at least two reasons for my preference (speaking of the looks, here): first, when I was coming up the best basses were Fenders with maple fingerboards, so I associate value with them; second, I'm a fool for natural light wood (ash, maple) and to me an all-blond P is beauty personified. I recently acquired a blond Epiphone Sheraton II and if it had a natural maple peghead I'd be in heaven (but it still ain't ugly).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19652150@N02/2608180029/

I don't get into debates about how fingerboard material affects sound because I consider that purely academic: when you buy a bass, you're buying the whole thing and not just one component, and you've got to be happy with the sound or why buy it?

The fretless Precision pictured in the link above came with a fretted rosewood fingerboard. The fretless is a Warmoth (the phone rep was nice enough, but a little incredulous that I wanted both the P width and unlined maple fingerboard). I played it with the fretted neck at band rehearsal and thought the sound was not that good compared to my Classic '50s P (both have Basslines Quarter Pounders and TI Jazz Flats) but once I installed the new neck it came to life.

This may be due to any number of factors: 1) the density of the new neck, or the differences in construction compared to the Fender original; 2) perhaps the difference in finger pressure required by fretless playing; or 3) the change in fingerboard material.

Who knows? But it sounds and looks terrific, all for under $1KUS

 

[CapnSev]

Also, maple is better on pancakes than rosewood syrup.

This is my new sig! Total classic!

 

[Mushroo]

This is my new sig! Total classic!

Sweet!

(pun intended)

 

[squarewave]

Rosewood is a lot easier to re-fret, since you don't have to deal with a finish.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I have both but my all-time favorite is a maple neck with wenge fingerboard. My Warwick Dolphin II and Dingwall AB I both sport the combination.

Riis

 

[sidster]

I actually first found talkbass because I was looking for the real story on this topic. The thread I read on it (sorry, don't have a link) was really interesting - someone played similar basses and had everyone vote on which was which. A few variables aside, it looked like it was nearly impossible to distinguish them by sound. I personally like the look of maple better.

I did learn one other bit of insight when I was googling around - it makes a much bigger difference to guitarists. Because of their tiny little strings, their fingertips spend more time in contact with the fretboard. A glossy maple board is more likely to tear their callouses off. So, for us I don't think it makes that big a difference. Besides, I play both sides of the fence. My P-bass and my Stingray are maple and my Jazz is rosewood. It seems like most of what stores keep in stock is rosewood.

 

[JanusZarate]

lefty007 hit the nail on the head.

I still think I prefer the rosewood I was just curious
and can you really play faster on a maple?? is that because its harder??
cause i know i cant play faster with a glossy maple fretboard, but maybe ill try out a satin finish maple for my next bass...

Play faster on a maple?

That has nothing to do with the wood, and everything to do with the neck design, finish, and construction. i.e., satin finishes are easier to move across, but if the neck is really thick and your hands are small, it'll still be a pain to move around on. Same applies to the curvature of the neck, which is why you'll find everything from the classic "C" shape to asymmetrical neck shapes which are designed to make high-fret playing easier.

"Quicker attack" is a reference to the sound, and it's a terrible description of what's going on because it's really misleading... but it makes sense to most of us.

Anyhow...

For me, I simply prefer the looks of fretboard woods like maple and ebony. But the other day, I had the opportunity to A/B my black/maple single-humbucker Stingray to a black/rosewood single-humbucker Stingray with the same strings. My Stingray was built between 2006 and 2007; the one in the store was likely a 2008. I set the EQs flat, maxxed out the volume, I ran them into the same amp, and tested them both with my fingers and one pick.

The concept... comparing only the effects of the fretboard difference.

It was a bit of a surprise... mine (the maple-necked one) DOES sound brighter. I was going to cite the strings, but my strings were worn-in Slinkys, to the same spec as what comes on stock Stingrays.

Perhaps if I knew how old the strings were on the rosewood Stingray in the store, I could be confident in the results of my comparison. But it was literally the cleanest (and thus, the newest) looking Stingray in the shop... so it couldn't have been that old or played much at all. And I hadn't seen it the last time I went there, about two months ago.

Whatever the reason, there was a slightly noticeable difference, and while I'm not 100% certain that the fretboards were responsible for it, there's certainly some evidence in favor of citing them as the explanation.

But at the same time, it's a subtle thing. And an EQ adjustment could make up for the difference rather easily...

 

[mongo2]

I have both but my all-time favorite is a maple neck with wenge fingerboard. My Warwick Dolphin II and Dingwall AB I both sport the combination.

My Sukop also has a Wenge fingerboard on a maple neck (with one walnut and two purpleheart stringers).

 

[ausf]

I had a maple fretless and it was a dream to play.

Just tried Fenders seriously for the first time and all the maples made me want to 'trowup, ehhh, jus like dat'. I went through everything they had up to a Geddy Jazz and they only reminded me why I never considered a Fender in my earlier days. Slow grippy necks.

Then I picked up a Highway One P, rosewood with flat finish on the back of the neck as well as the carcass and fell in love.

That's just going by feel, not sound. I don't think I have enough experience with different instruments to detect those subtleties.

 

[GlennW]

I didn't see where anyone mentioned it, but the advantage of maple is it's low maintenance.

 

[JanusZarate]

I didn't see where anyone mentioned it, but the advantage of maple is it's low maintenance.

I disagree... because of the finish on my Stingray, I wouldn't dare call maple necks "low maintenance"...

Of course, if it has a gloss finish, that's another story.

Which brings me to my point... again, it's not the wood, but the finish! A good body and neck finish can cope with dents, dirt, etc.; for example, my Stingray's body has a really tough finish, and it has hardly a mark on it. And believe me, it's been through some abuse... but it's not showing it!

 

[GlennW]

Most maple necks are clear coated in lacquer or clear poly, so the finish is implied. Most rosewood 'boards aren't coated in a finish, so the nakedness is implied. It's a lot easier and faster to clean a clear coated maple 'board than an unfinished rw 'board, and the rw also needs oiling which the maple doesn't.

 

[JanusZarate]

Most maple necks are clear coated in lacquer or clear poly, so the finish is implied. Most rosewood 'boards aren't coated in a finish, so the nakedness is implied. It's a lot easier and faster to clean a clear coated maple 'board than an unfinished rw 'board, and the rw also needs oiling which the maple doesn't.

Agreed to an extent. But again, it's finish - not necessarily wood - dependent. Although admittedly, Stingrays and Sterlings are oddities among basses out there... as are Rickenbackers with their glossy rosewood fretboards.

Otherwise, I wouldn't need to keep a bottle of lemon oil in my gigging toolbox.

 

[Rathead123]

Im surprised no one mentioned that the visability of the fret markers is better with a maple board. You know, with stage lights, live show etc..

 

[smperry]

Yeah, I used to have a (Gibson) Tobias Renegade and the maple neck/fretboard was unfinished (or just oiled maybe) and I hated the dirty maple. Combined with a matte black body...ugh, that thing was dirty all the time!

M