Every once in a while I buy a guitar with a maple fretboard just to make sure my feelings haven't changed. I voted for Rosewood because I seem to prefer it at the present time. Here are the takeaways: So what about you? The oldest one in my opinion has to be either a 1968, 69 or 1970, which was turned into a 1971 with the 3-bolt style Neck [I know they're actually Screws but I'm gonna go with Bolts okay people]. we have no idea what the basis is for that. This keeps the wood grain healthy and in good condition. I prefer them as well. Featured on guitars with many different kinds of necks, But it is a bright, tight sound, and in my opinion not suited for everything I play. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Are backup vocals the key to most hit bands like Fleetwood Mac. You can learn more About Us here. My Fender deluxe jazz 5 string has maple fingerboard which I found to be better than the Rosewood on the low B string and the pups of course. On the other hand, silver maple is a lot easier to find and isnt as expensive because of how readily available it is. If youre really looking for a guitar that you enjoy playing as much as you enjoy listening to, its very important that you spend some time researching the different types of woods that are used in the creation of fretboards and the relationship those woods have with the playability of an instrument. There were also 4 - 1 1/16'' holes drilled through the Body in each corner of the Tub. Join millions of music makers all over the world onReverb. However, if you decide you like the sound and feel you can find some reasonably priced guitars that utilize ebony. I like the look of rosewood. Every Kind of Wrong (John Moreland Cover). Related: How to Properly Clean a Guitar Fretboard. This guitar I like because it's so much like a baseball bat. 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The lighter shade of maple can create a dramatic contract in the physical appearance of the guitar when paired with a darker body, Slick feel makes it easy to play at a faster tempo, Typically produces a bright and percussive attack, Depending on where and who youre buying your guitar from, you may be able to choose different grain configurations, Drastic pricing difference depending upon if the fretboard is hard maple or silver maple, Finished maple fretboards will make it more difficult to manage string bending, The upkeep on maintenance for unfinished fretboards is more intricate and involved, Use 0000 steel wool to wipe down your fretboard every month to get rid of dirt or grease buildup, Polish your fretboard with a cloth dipped in Tung oil finish, Provides an excellent bite for ease of string control and string bending, Ease to maintain (dont have to worry about finish wearing off of the fretboard), Brazilian and Honduran Rosewood are endangered, but some guitar companies violate restrictions in order to purchase these types of Rosewood illegally, Its difficult to tell when a Rosewood fretboard is dirty, which makes it harder to tell when you need to clean your fretboard more thoroughly. Alizabeth Swain has played guitar for as long as she can remember, starting when she was just a kid in band camp. For example, you may think a mahogany neck would go great with a maple fretboard. Every couple of weeks, you should wipe down your fretboard with a slightly damp rag that has some dish soap on it to get rid of any residual oil or residue left by your fingertips; make sure that the neck and fretboard are completely dry before you store your guitar away again. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This is literally where your fingers make the music, and finding the right combination of tone and feel is very important. I won't say there's definitely a difference in sound caused by maple vs. rosewood. Looks good but for this guitar, I want to go with a Maple Neck with a Rosewood Board on it, mainly because I say it looks way better with a Rosewood Fingerboard instead of a Maple. I'll end with that. That's Andy not Abdy, ( got a bit over excited, ), Maple, Rosewood, Pau Fero. I made the Dividers & glued them back in where they would originally had been. The use of Rosewood in stringed instruments has been around a lot longer than Maple fretboards have been, as Rosewood has also been used for the sides and backs for lutes, mandolins, and violins. I play bass. As for look depends on the body color! Pure garbage. I like maple boards better for no reason other than feel. Others like the bite and percussive characteristics of maple. Just don't like the way they feel. As for Ebony, you can always check it out and see what you think, but in my opinion if you like maple you may not feel like there is any improvement with the Ebony. After wiping your fretboard down with steel wool, you will want to use a soft cloth that has been dipped in Tung oil finish to polish the surface of your fretboard. It is quite nice to have one of each because they are different to play. Are you any closer to deciding which is right for your tone? Orangewood Manhattan Review: Why This Guitar is a Steal, Orangewood Sage Review: Why You Need It In Your Life, Shop New, Used, Vintage Musical Instrument | Reverb, Fender Player Telecaster Electric Guitar | Guitar Center, Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Electric Guitar | Reverb, Squier Bullet Stratocaster Limited Edition, Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HSH 2PT CM Electric Guitar Satin Orange Crush | Guitar Center, PRS SE Floyd Custom 24 Electric Guitar | Reverb, How to Fix That Annoying Fret Buzzing: Best Tips I Can Give You, My Top 7 Best Mandolins for Your Money (That Youll Cherish Forever), Fender Stratocaster: One of the top Intermediate Guitars, The Best Single Coil Pickups Youll Want to Pickup. Just as you may prefer different body and neck tonewoods for different styles of music, you may gravitate to a specific fingerboard as well. I don't really care. Has anyone here bought a guitar from Laurence Wexer in New York. Plus the person who owned it plugged the 4-Bolton Neck holes & either turned into a 71, or had the work done, followed with a re-spray of the same color, or finish if you will. I mean, places like Warmoth still sell Fender replacement necks with rosewood boards so it's not like people can't get them, but if I am understanding correctly you have Fender factory-made necks, so I'd think they'd be a little more sought after. We may receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. The rosewood topped American Deluxe is getting all the love right now mainly because it's new. Practically, you wont see as many options for ebony fretboards, especially on mid-priced guitars. It also means the ebony we see today is not as visually perfect as that which was harvested in the past. Even something as simple as rosewood feels a bit too 'dressed up' for the ultimate player's/working man's guitar. Both woods have their own unique properties, respond to touch differently, and respond to wear differently, which is why youll have guitarists rooting for one wood over the other on both sides. No its just to make it clear when Im talking about something like what you are talking about and the Pink Floyds of this world. 2018 Gibson LeGrand [Sold - Happy New Owner], Affordable acoustic archtop for a beginner, A choice of 4, epi joe pass,godin lefty, godin acoustic n gretsch new yorker, August 2022 - Do Nothin' till You Hear From Me, JGBE Virtual Jam (Round 80) - Monk's Dream. I'll finish it up tomorrow or Tuesday once I buy an 1 1/8'' - 1 3/16'' drill bit. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The one-piece neck has a certain drive in the upper mids where your ears are sensitive (this is why many say it has more attack and sparkle) but true treble is the rosewood neck's domain. If youre an experienced musician who is contemplating switching over to a maple fretboard, be prepared to enjoy the speed you can build up when traveling up and down the maple neck, but also be prepared to notice a lack of control that you may feel when attempting to bend your notes (due to how slick the finish on the fretboard is). Maple fingerboards are often paired with maple necks and brighter body tonewoods like alder. I find it much easier when I can locate the correct spots for the top 2 Bolts, when it's done this way, then I will measure & check both sides so they're the same distance from the Bridge Plate. A great guitar for first-time and early beginning players who want classic tones in an easy-to-play electric guitar that's incredibly affordable. I prefer maple. So I don't know. 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. When milling pieces of wood with grain configurations, the processing that a piece of wood has to go through to become a piece that can be used for a fretboard tends to tear out the fibers of the wood, removing signs of grain configurations. Linda. It feels fast and slick, and that I like. Just like a finished maple fretboard, youre going to want to wipe down your fretboard with a dry cloth after every few hours of playing (or every playing session), but youre also going to want to use steel wool on your fretboard every month to remove any dirt and grime that has built up on the board. Or age. Find deals on new, used, and vintage electricguitarsfrom top brands like Fender, Gibson, Paul Reed Smith, and more. While I follow you on the side of dry tone/short percusive notes missing with the L4CES compared to lamimated models, I don't agree on the side of sweetness. Theres a guy recently on YouTube who makes a guitar that is nothing strings across 2 points that are 25.5 inches apart, tuned to an open G chord with a pickupno neck, no body, no fretboardand it sounds virtually identical to a Telecaster with the same pickup. I am of the mind, simply based of decades of playing, that maple fretboards tend to have more bite, where rosewood sounds a little rounder. Its very important that if youre playing on a Rosewood fretboard to take a close examination of your fretboard every few weeks to ensure that there isnt an excessive buildup of dirt or grease. Now the Black Strat is done. I guess it is more a matter of how far down the rabbit hole you want to go, and how much thought you feel like you need to put into the subtle things when it comes to gear. For me feel is the only difference. The most commonly used fingerboard wood in the creation is Maple and Rosewood, as there are perceptible differences in how both wood fretboards affect how a certain style of music or piece of music is played. You are using an out of date browser. I cant help but feel that they will get along fine, they look like happy twins. I can't hear the difference, but I like playing both. They sound really responsive and the feel is very, natural? In the context of a guitar fretboard, this means precise, articulate notes with good bite and a tight low end. If your first Guitar is a Les Paul-style (or other RW-bearing guitar), then, for the same reasons, make sure the Strat or Tele-style guitar you will one day buy is with Maple. What's Best? I've got 1 of each. Don't like maple fretboards on anything. Those mod's: Used a Router & removed the Pickup Cavity dividers & turned that area into a Bathtub. Last is the 1979. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Now its time to get out there and experiment with different guitars until you settle the issue for yourself!