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What fretboard do you prefer for Precision basses?

Maple or rosewood

  • Maple

    Votes: 167 65.5%

  • Rosewood

    Votes: 88 34.5%
  • Total voters
    255
#101
Doug Parent said:
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.
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You find rosewood to cut more? I find the opposite to be true. I did have a rosewood Jazz bass that was the brightest most aggressive bass I have ever played. For the most part, I find maple to be more consistently aggressive. But I also think I over analyze everything to do with my tone so I start thinking it's in my head.
 
#102
DD Gunz said:
You find rosewood to cut more? I find the opposite to be true. I did have a rosewood Jazz bass that was the brightest most aggressive bass I have ever played. For the most part, I find maple to be more consistently aggressive. But I also think I over analyze everything to do with my tone so I start thinking it's in my head.
Click to expand...

Oops I was not clear at all. Maple =more cut = better for P bass. I like this option. I think it's easier to turn down upper mids than to add them.
 
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#103
Fender experimented with different fretboard woods in '65 and African Padauk looked good:
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#113
peterpalmieri said:
We're talking about a P bass there isn't all that many pieces to the package.
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Beyond the material on the fretboard the is: Body color, pick guard material and shape, pickup cover color, ashtrays or not, finger rest / thumb rest material (color) present or not, hardware color and for some the color of string coating are all part of the overall visual package. There is a big world beyond black & maple or sunburst, tort & rosewood.
IME and a past sound comparison poll that was statistically too close to call, maple or rosewood make no tonal difference, everything else being the same. The difference is visual or the overall feel of an individual neck (and there is a wide rage of specs for P bass necks).
 
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#114
dewbass4 said:
Body color, pick guard material and shape, pickup cover color, ashtrays or not, finger rest/ thumb rest material (color), hardware color and for some the color of string coating are all part of the overall visual package. There is a big world beyond black & maple or sunburst, tort & rosewood.
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I mistakenly assumed you cared about how a bass sounds and feels over what it looks like.

No reason to argue over this as I have next to no interest in the visual package and focus on the sonic and ergonomic package. I know others opinions differ.
 
#115
peterpalmieri said:
I mistakenly assumed you cared about how a bass sounds and feels over what it looks like.

No reason to argue over this as I have next to no interest in the visual package and focus on the sonic and ergonomic package. I know others opinions differ.
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I originally said "It the whole package that's important, not a single component." Yes, sound/tone and ergonomics are critical factors but the entire package is dependent on many individual and interchangeable parts working together including but not limited to fretboard material.
My $0.02 & YMMV
 
#116
dewbass4 said:
I originally said "It the whole package that's important, not a single component." Yes, sound/tone and ergonomics are critical factors but the entire package is dependent on many individual and interchangeable parts working together including but not limited to fretboard material.
My $0.02 & YMMV
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And then you came up with a list that virtually has no impact on how a bass sounds or feels. And referred to the "visual package". You made no mention of a single item I'd consider critical.
 
#118
Someone is asking practically the same question on the Strings forum ( with string preference added, for extra acrimonious argument). So, here is my answer-again:
I prefer whatever fretboard came on my P-Bass (or any of my basses). Which, in the case of my '78 P, is (naturally) maple. To me, as long as it's smooth and I don't get splinters, a fretboard is just something that holds the frets, and covers up the rout for the truss rod. I really don't care what it's made out of. I set the bass's controls; set the amp's controls; and then just play the damn thing. That's what it's for...and yeah, no "Carrots" option, so the whole question is moot, anyway..;):smug:
 
#120
I would have to say (to the dismay of some) that I can't hear the difference between rosewood and maple fretboards. I mean, maybe if there were 2 identical basses (same pickup,electronics, bridge etc) and you did a side by side comparison but who the heck has that?

I think it is just a matter of looks. I like both and have both plus a Pau ferro.
 
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