Why Rosewood over Maple?

[wannabe]

Is it quality or cosmetic preference?

 

[DML]

For me it's none of the above. For me it is sound. On tele- and strat-like (i.e. Silhouette or Axis) guitars I prefer maple for the fingerboard. On a LP-like guitar I prefer rosewood.

 

[Hookpunch]

All I have ever played are rosewood boards - but in general they say it has a warmer sound than maple (or muddier depending on how you look at it), think a humbucking pickup for a rosewood board and a single coil for the maple board.

 

[AxSport4me]

I prefer Rosewood over Maple due to the warmer sound IMO, but if i came across a great deal on a guitar (EBMM THAT IS!) and it had a Maple fretboard, it wouldn`t stop me from buying it!!!

 

[jimmyp]

Personally, I prefer rosewood - I'm not 100% why but it just feels and sounds better to me. The exception is my EVH - maybe because it's unfinished and doesn't feel like maple. I also really hate maple necks from the 70s where the maple is cracking off the fingerboard - it just looks bad.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Maple for me. Partly tone, partly the fact it gets really grubby and looks kinda cool! All my EBMM's are maple.

 

[Warg Master]

Maple.

I love the look and feel.

If MM offered Ebony, I'd be all over that though.

 

[kbaim]

Hey, was that guitar owned by Seinfeld's neighbor?

 

[fogman]

Maple for me please!

 

[koogie2k]

I have played mostly rosewood. When I get a maple in my hands, I tend to get "lost" for a few. I like 'em both, but mostly rosewood for me. Not really a preference, just all the guitars I have/bought have had a rosewood fretboard on it.

 

[GWDavis28]

Always been a preference thing for me, maple all the way. Love the tone and the feel.

P.S. You should have made this a poll.

Glenn |B)

 

[jimmyp]

Do you mean maple cracking off the fingerboards like this?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/marillion-freak/DSC00182.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/marillion-freak/DSC00202.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/marillion-freak/DSC00200.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/marillion-freak/DSC00192.jpg

Of course, this neck is from the late 80's, so maybe in 10 years I can toss it

That ain't gonna happen

I'm just messing with you. Most EVH lovers get instant wood when they see this neck, even though it's not a banana "no-bozos". Must be something in the maple

Later,

Gary

No - that looks worn in. I like that. What I don't like, particularly on 70s teles and strats, is where there has been too much finish put on the neck and it cracks and flakes off beside the frets - not nice

 

[ebb soul]

I grew up thinking rosewood looked more expensive than maple, so it was a cosmetic thing.
I was wrong, of course.
Rosewood sozta sound more warm, I don't think I can discern fretboard tone, however......
I can tell you I wear out rosewood, almost to the point of 'scalloping', but maple holds up.
So I go with maple now.[which is spozta sound more tight, or 'snappy'.]

 

[OrangeChannel]

Maple lends to the snap or the twang....I tend to like Rosewood since it tempers things a bit...i'm unsure of what you mean by cracking off the finger board?

there's no cracking there with the maple, the finish on it just got worn away and it's a little dirty from finger oils....pretty cool patina....gotta love natural relic'ing...

 

[jimmyp]

there's no cracking there with the maple, the finish on it just got worn away and it's a little dirty from finger oils....pretty cool patina....gotta love natural relic'ing...

As I said, natural wear and tear from playing I like - my EVH's neck gets quite dirty looking and I love it. What I'm talking about you really need to see on a badly finished neck to appreciate - old 70s fenders are the best example