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What fretboard do you prefer for Precision basses?
- Thread starter Sean775
- Start date
Maple for looks and feel. I like the finished feeling it gives.
For tone I say maple. But to be honest, I don't know how much a thin piece or rosewood changes the tone.
For tone I say maple. But to be honest, I don't know how much a thin piece or rosewood changes the tone.
I don't own a P yet but I do have fingerboards/fretboards out of maple, rosewood, wenge, and Pau Ferro. Honestly, they all sound great but a P just looks right with maple to me.
Always had rosewood basses but recently got my first maple. OHHHH I'M IN LOVE! Never going back!
Option "both" is missing, that would be my vote. I have both, one is alder + rosewood and the other ash + maple. I use roundwounds on the rosewood bass to brighten it slightly and flats on the maple-neck are good for taming the bright top end a bit.
Maple for the looks. But I don't want to miss my CAR/rosewood P either! And I actually believe there is a tiny, subtle difference in tone. 
It depends on the other characteristics of the bass. There's nothing sweeter than a maple board on a black precision, but it doesn't really suit sunburst. Rosewood however looks incredible on sunburst, but it's mainly personal preference. My favourite fretboard in general would be something like wenge, ebony, or flame maple, but those don't come as stock for Fender basses.
Maple. I'm sure we've all heard about the supposed brighter tone that a maple board results in, but I haven't heard a ton of actual evidence when I have switched out necks. Maybe if you literally had the fretboard on a particular neck changed it would sound a bit different, but I'm willing to bet that the actual bulk of the neck and the physical dimensions will have more effect on tone. Not to mention every single piece of wood resonates differently. But I DO love the way maple looks!
OK folks, it's not all about looks alone.
RW sounds a bit warmer.
Maple a bit brighter, with more attack.
It's subtle, but it's there.
I only have one P and it's RW.
If I had another it would be maple with rounds
and I'd go flats on the RW one, for some contrast.
RW sounds a bit warmer.
Maple a bit brighter, with more attack.
It's subtle, but it's there.
I only have one P and it's RW.
If I had another it would be maple with rounds
and I'd go flats on the RW one, for some contrast.
I like my Precision with rosewood a lot better than the one with maple. Strictly for tone. The one with Rosewood is mellower. I'm sure there are other factors. I like the way my maple one looks a lot better, but I am not bonding with it as much because it is way too bright sounding. Both say Fender, both have TI Flats. Glad they make both options because people like different stuff.
I haven't played the rosewood one in a couple months because I really want to give the maple one a chance.
I haven't played the rosewood one in a couple months because I really want to give the maple one a chance.
Doug Parent
Supporting Member
I guess it also depends on how thin the fretboard is. I use a lot of Warmoth necks/bodies and the fretboards are much thicker on a Warmoth compared to a Fender. Maple vs Rosewood (or another other wood) is much more obvious to me tonally speaking. Maple seems more forward in the upper mids compared to rosewood. Maybe thats why people like them on a P. I go the other way and go for as much cut as I can with a P.
