Difference between maple and rosewood on a SR5?

[jappy]

Hi guys,

My friend is really keen on getting a SR5 and I have no idea about basses, so I said I would ask here for him:

What's the difference between a maple and rosewood neck on a Stingray 5? Would someone be so kind as to explain in terms of tone, feel, maintenance i.e the works?

Help is appreciated guys

Jason

 

[cat_empire]

hey

as far as i know, the rosewood neck will give you a warmer tone, while a maple neck will give you a brighter snappier tone. And as far as i know they have the exact same effect on al basses, so they would be like this on a SR5

 

[PzoLover]

Just For Laughs, Try The Forum Search Tool

Kids

You are HYSTERICAL!!!!!!!!!!
jackalope posts at 10am and your nickers are all bunched up two hours later because it is Monday and I have a little work....

Sorry that my answer took 4 hours but..I actually like both but they always bring me a rosewood one so thats what I play. Ithink that the maple is snappier and brighter and the rosewood may be a tad more balanced and warmer.

The reason for the Bongo not being maple is that is was ugly! (knowingly opening up the Bongo looks debate becasue the EVH thread got deleted)

I love all of you , well maybe love most of you and I will check the forum more dilligently.

Your faithful serventBIG POPPA!

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17021&highlight=rosewood+neck
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17005&highlight=rosewood+neck
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17015&highlight=neck+wood
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15765&highlight=neck+wood

 

[PocketGroove82]

rosewood=darker
maple=brighter
owning both=a must for serious working musicians

personally, I find rosewood to be more versatile, because maple likes to stand out in the mix.

Also, I wish I had "they" to just bring me rosewood bases!



Hey BP, if in a few years you made a 10th Anniversary Bongo with a Maple board, no matter how ugly it was people would buy it up like crazy!

 

[SentientEntity]

Hey BP, if in a few years you made a 10th Anniversary Bongo with a Maple board, no matter how ugly it was people would buy it up like crazy!

Where can I order one?

 

[Psycho Ward]

Well I ain't no bass scientist, just a humble owner of several basses of both kind and I can't hear or feel much difference.

To me, the choice of which fretboard to use is based on the gig. See I'm a pale, sickly looking white guy that still is not very good at playing the bass guitar. I have to be able to see the fretboard!!!

On bright sunny outdoor stages or any very well lit gig I prefer maple fretboards, as I can see my fingers and fretboard OK.

On dark stages, like at poorly lit blues clubs, I prefer rosewood fretboards. The contrast between my white fingers and that dark board work way better for me. In a dark situation, a maple board and my fingers blend in too well and I don't know where the hell I'm at.

Plus maple works better with some shirts as well.

 

[Bill]

Like Chuck, I don't really notice much of a difference at all. I have 1 of each, and they sound pretty close. I'm waiting for one set of strings to die down a little before I do a direct comparison. When I had a previous Stingray with a rosewood FB, it seemed that my 'Ray with a maple FB was ever so slightly brighter, but the difference was very, very, very subtle.

 

[Dr Stankface]

I have 2 SR5s, one with rosewood and one with maple. What everyone else has said has pretty much hit the nail on the head. The maple is a tad bit snappier and brighter. I have found a great recipe. Get one of each and put some EB flats on the maple board. The phatter tone delivered by rounds and the brighter sound of maple, it makes for a great combo.

I LOVE the flats on my SR5 but i'm still a rounds guy.

 

[phatduckk]

just to clarify... the rosewood/maple option is not the neck, its the fretboard.

personally i have a few of each and honestly IMO the difference isnt that big of a deal. can i hear it? maybe... but is the maple snappier cuz the strings are newer? are the pickup heights exact? is the action exactly the same on both? the basses body isnt the same, thats for sure... all that stuff factors heavily into the sound and "attackiness".

for me, i think there's too many factors involved in the basses sound to like one fretboard wood over the other (as far as sound goes). so i base my rw/maple decision on whichever one looks better against the basses finish.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I'm surpised nobody has mentioned attackiness yet.

 

[mrpackerguy]

If you're Joe Schmo non-sofisticate bass player like me, you can't tell a difference. When you factor in your rig set-up, I think there's even less chance to tell an appreciable difference.