Rosewood fretbaord vs Maple: tone difference with Axis SS opinions

[djlynch]

I have a nice ASS being dropped off today. This one has a maple board. Thinking of picking one up with a rosewood board.
I have decided that the ASS is the only guitar I really need so why not have 2
Any tone difference that you might notice?
Am I going to get a smoother tone out of the rosewood or is it un-noticeable
Thanx

 

[conan02919]

I don't have the same guitar with the two different style necks but i do have guitars that have either maple or rosewood and i'm not sure i can tell a difference in sound I think it is more a difference in feel.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I don't have the same guitar with the two different style necks but i do have guitars that have either maple or rosewood and i'm not sure i can tell a difference in sound I think it is more a difference in feel.

+1 I have a preference for the feel of the Maple. I can't do an accurate a/b test 'cos my Al with the rw has mm90's and the maple has sss.

I remember CandidX did an A/B comparison with a musician having a good ear who couldn't tell the difference

 

[doesitmtter]

I've only played rosewood in a store but it's the same difference as a rosewood vs. maple strat. The maple is harder under your fingers and brighter. I prefer maple even though I love my Gibsons/ Gretsch/ Rickenbackers.

 

[Big Jazzer]

Fingerboard wood is a huge tonal influence on a guitar - as much as the body wood.
Maple is often thought of as brighter than rosewood. This usually comes from experience with Strats where the maple is given a hard coating. The oiled maple fretboard on a 'Ball, in comparison to rosewood, will be have more midrange and a fuller, fatter sound. Rosewood has more sizzle, is brighter and thinner than maple.

 

[dhalif]

whoa nice fact there Jazzer,

 

[Spudmurphy]

Tell ya what? _ I'd love to see a video showing an a/b comparison of 2 guitars. One with a maple board and one with a rosewood board.

Any takers?

 

[Big Jazzer]

whoa nice fact there Jazzer,

20+yrs of tone obsession occasionally comes in handy

 

[Big Jazzer]

Tell ya what? _ I'd love to see a video showing an a/b comparison of 2 guitars. One with a maple board and one with a rosewood board.

Any takers?

The most valid way to do that would to be a neck change keeping everything else the same.
My triumvirate of Axis-types all have different wood combinations, and the gain and sustain all vary greatly - more greatly than the wood differences would account for alone. Different windings on pick-ups, pick-ups at different heights (even though they are screwed to the body) make for large differences.
You can feel the difference best when unplugged and then note that the electronics add their own overtones in addition.

 

[patpark]

Big Jazzer is correct. Maple will really bring out more mids and is generally fatter on single notes. Can't go wrong with an all maple neck.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I just don't know - I know I'm not going with the flow here. But I haven't heard proof that the analogy of different woods on the fingerboard (not neck remember) really makes a fantastic difference. I do have an open mind tho and if I see/hear proof then I'll come on board.

 

[guitfiddle]

I know one thing, I do play differently (gravitate towards different licks, techniques etc.) when I'm playing a maple fingerboard and that in itself has an effect on my sound/tone. I definitely hear a difference between the two, but some or all of it could be due to the difference in the way I play each.

 

[threeminutesboy]

hard to tell indeed, for me it's a whole combination. Sometimes I prefer maple sometimes it's rosewood there is no clear rule at least for me

 

[Spudmurphy]

I just don't know - I know I'm not going with the flow here. But I haven't heard proof that the analogy of different woods on the fingerboard (not neck remember) really makes a fantastic difference. I do have an open mind tho and if I see/hear proof then I'll come on board.

Just come back from my mates workshop - he's been building guitars (from scratch) for 30+ years.

He reckons that there is a difference.

Just like to see / hear the proof that's all. - Never mind, nothing like your hobby and discussing the "finer aspects" !! lol

 

[luv]

All I know is maple fingerboards get real dirty and ugly......makes me feel like some dirty ol' soul is pouring out of the guitar.....soundwise, tonewise and mindwise (made that one up myself).

I like that.