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What fretboard do you prefer for Precision basses?
- Thread starter Sean775
- Start date
All my fenders are rosewood, P, J, frets or fretless. Just feels better to me. But I have a MM Sterling that is unfinished maple and that is my go-to bass, usually. Guess it really must not matter to me, in the end.
MAPLE.... It just " break-in" different in a way I prefer. It's been so long since I've played rosewood I really don't remember it sounding different. But it definitely " feels" different......
At the end of the day I don't think it makes a big difference. For people with bad vision like me, maple is nice for finding frets on dimly lit gigs.
Personally I think the real deciding factor is matching the fingerboard with the color of the body, not so much for tone qualities, although I'm not suggesting that there is absolutely no tonal difference.
Personally I think the real deciding factor is matching the fingerboard with the color of the body, not so much for tone qualities, although I'm not suggesting that there is absolutely no tonal difference.
sound wise I like the nice midrange and mellow sound that rosewood provides, but I also like the "snap" that maple has. I'm lucky to have both. playing live in a loud band, It is only about the looks as I doubt anybody would hear a big difference.
Either ... but they must have frets!!!!
Seriously, much depends on the finish/color. Heck, they're like women ... they all look good to me!
Seriously, much depends on the finish/color. Heck, they're like women ... they all look good to me!
Maple. I'm crazy about maple. My acoustic guitar is flamed maple. My first electric was a Squier Deluxe Strat, Daphne blue with a maple fretboard/neck. I have a chrome red Precision with rosewood, and that's about the only thing I'd change on it.
I know you mean. Not to derail thread, but Ps just feel like home to me.
I understand some people don't care for them or see their appeal.
It's great there are so many options out there, many very un-Fender like basses available.
I myself have owned and played many different types of instruments.
But I feel like Ps were made for me. Feel like home.
I have way more basses than I need (or deserve). It's probably just coincidence, but all of my P's have maple boards; and all of my Jazzes have rosewood (except my AV RI '75). But it's probably just aesthetics in my case.
For example, I love that Shoreline Gold/rosewood BigDan T posted. So IMO, it all depends on the color scheme of the bass & pickguard.
For example, I love that Shoreline Gold/rosewood BigDan T posted. So IMO, it all depends on the color scheme of the bass & pickguard.
Maple. Some Rosewood seems real hard and looks cheap and plastic-looking. Kind of like phenolic. Maple seems a little softer.
A few years ago, I would've said rosewood without batting an eye. But now I also have a couple of maple P-Basses and like them, too. Maple is said to be brighter than rosewood, but I'm spending a lot of time with my maple '75 mocha P, and it's tone couldn't be more wonderfully warm.
I've never really understood why (or frankly, even put too much energy into puzzling it out) but I've always preferred rosewood boards on bass, while enjoying maple on guitar. It may have something to do with tone, or something to do with the feel but in either case, it is what it is. I've tried it the other way around and have enjoyed certain instruments that don't fit that mold but overall for me, on a bass, it's rosewood all the way.
Rosewood for fiesta red body + tort pickguard.
For others, maple.
The best combination with maple is : maple + 3T sunburst + gold anodized pickguard.
For others, maple.
The best combination with maple is : maple + 3T sunburst + gold anodized pickguard.
