What is the difference Between Rosewood and Maple Fretboards?

[Gord_oh]

IF you got that technical, micrometer differences in paint thickness would make some kind of difference. Its the idea that it makes enough to matter that I have never gotten.

By the way, I know a million of these threads have been done, but give it a rest with that search feature crap. Who wants to read some 3 year old post? the whole point of a forum is to interact with live people. If its an old thread idea, start a new one if your so creative.

+1

 

[T. B. Player]

Rosewood is harder than maple. Check the Janka Hardness Scale linked below to verify.

Janka Hardness Scale

See - I'm not an expert in this, and I'm proven right once again (that I'm not an expert)! This could also explain why my fretless rosewood board sounds so good with a Bartolini preamp, and why you see more fretless rosewood boards than fretless maple boards.

Indeed, more information makes you a more learned person.

This is a VERY good resource to have for those checking out a custom build.

So if rosewood is harder than maple, why aren't necks made out of rosewood to add more stability to the instrument?

Z

 

[mongo2]

So if rosewood is harder than maple, why aren't necks made out of rosewood to add more stability to the instrument?

Z

My guess is because rosewood is more expensive and may not be as readily available.

In the past Fender (and IIRC G&L) have offered limited runs of rosewood Telecaster guitars (ASAT for G&L) (neck and body of rosewood) and Warmoth has offered rosewood guitar and bass necks for quite a while.

 

[Engine207]

So if rosewood is harder than maple, why aren't necks made out of rosewood to add more stability to the instrument?Z

Does the hardness of a wood bear on it's brittleness (is that a real word?) If so, perhaps using harder woods may be prohibitive in ways other than cost.

For example, if you had a neck made of Brazilian Walnut, would there be enough felexibility in the hardest of all woods to withstand the compression of adjusting a truss rod on a bowed neck?

 

[mongo2]

Does the hardness of a wood bear on it's brittleness (is that a real word?) If so, perhaps using harder woods may be prohibitive in ways other than cost.

Production and tooling maintanence costs reflect the ease of machinability of the wood. Harder woods are harder to machine and wear tooling faster. So not only is the rosewood itself more expensive due to the market, production costs using that any harder wood may be higher as well.

 

[BurningSkies]

Also, remember that Rosewood doesn't need a finish, while maple does, making it more expensive to use as well. That finish also is prone to wear, no matter what type, so rosewood tends to look better longer than maple.

 

[mongo2]

rosewood tends to look better longer than maple.

Which is one of if not the primary reason Fender switched to rosewood fingerboards for guitars and basses.

 

[BurningSkies]

Which is one of if not the primary reason Fender switched to rosewood fingerboards for guitars and basses.

I believe that there was also some tail-chasing with Gibson involved...As were the block inlays.

 

[GregC]

People that plug in to a rig that scoops out all of their mids and gives them just the low range classic p-bass + ampeg tone probably think maple and rosewood sound exactly the same. Because in that configuration they do.

That combo is all about mids and low-mids, not scooping.

Plug the same two basses into say something like a solid state head, with accugroove cabs and you will find quite quickly that maple is brighter.

How can you tell that maple isn't any brighter than rosewood at 2.5khz-4.0hkz when your rig won't produce any sound over 800hz. Why does your limited experience not only make you form an opinion but somehow transform your own idea into self-dellusioned logic that must be shouted to all the perceived morons of the world. Why must it not be allowed to rest until you have metaphorically burned the villages and pillaged the women of truth, logic and scientific evaluation. Even to the point that when the science stares you in the face you deny its existence.

Is it possible for a bass with a rosewood fingerboard to be brighter than one with a maple? Of course it is. Does that somehow prove that maple adds nothing to the sound whatsoever? Of course not. Is it possible to find a jazz bass that has a better classic P bass sound than some if not most P's? Of course it is. Does that mean that all Jazz basses sound more like P's that P's do? Of course not. It is idiotic to to use simple case scenarios to make sweeping generalizations about something.

Might I suggest that before you haul off on a rant about something having no measurable difference in your extremely limited experience that you simply do a little research and ask a professional their opinion. I think you would have a very hard time finding any custom bass builder that didn't think fingerboard wood had a sonic influence.

And aren't those the people who's job it is to know? Aren't those the people who night after night day after day breath life into something that didn't exist before and see what it screams to them at birth.

Perhaps someone who has constructed hundreds if not thousands of instruments out of raw materials would have some perspective on the subject worth hearing.

Then again the fact that you own a rosewood fingerboard and an ampeg combo and your cousin eddie came over that one time with his maple boarded squire and YOU couldn't tell the difference was all the evidence the world needed.

I'm pretty sure this post is going to fall on the same deaf ears but there you have it.

Some day you might know more and look back at this moment and realize just how little you knew. Maybe think about that before hitting reply.

-Rav

I already posted the thoughts of one veteran luthier who feels it doesn't make much difference.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7712329&postcount=61

 

[mongo2]

I believe that there was also some tail-chasing with Gibson involved...As were the block inlays.

Yes, that was another reason. The blocks came several years after the switch to rosewood and only on the higher end products such as the Jazz bass and Jazzmaster/Jaguar guitar.

 

[Dubista]

Similarities between Rosewood and Maple? They both come from trees.

:hide: