Rosewood Or Maple

I agree, although even still I would say it has less of an effect on an electric then an acoustic, considering the guitar body on an acoustic is pretty much what MAKES an acoustic guitar, whereas you can relax a little when it comes to an electric guitar.

YEAH i have always wondered how different pieces of wood can bring out different tones...:shock:

I, for some strange reason prefer a glossy, slippery,if you like neck, and an unfinished fingerboard. Maybe i just got used to my Hamer :D .

ebony 8)

Can you get Ebony on an electric? I don't recall ever seeing one. That's the way I'd go if I had the cash for it. Lefty Swampcaster with Ebony fingerboard, I'm drooling :!:

Yes -- my G&L S-500 and Taylor T-5 have ebony 'boards.

what kinda sound does ebony give?

I tried both rosewood and maple necks when selecting my fender. Maple had more twang or bite to it consistently. I then asked the sales dude what the difference was and he said pretty much what I had discovered.

And which one is the faster one?

And does maple wears out faster ?

And does maple wears out faster ?

I think it would take an awful lot of play to wear out a fingerboard. I believe maple is the harder wood though. I've used it in some woodworking and it is very hard. Ebony is even harder though.

And which one is the faster one?

And does maple wears out faster ?

I'm not good enough to say which is faster.

As for the speed of a neck, I have always thought the shape of a neck is more important than the fretboard wood.

Even rosewood fretboards are usually mounted on a maple neck. So, there is not much difference. When you move on guitar, unless you are doing a slide, you are really not touching the fretboard.

A finished neck usually feels faster than an unfinished neck (to me). But that is not always the case either. On a hot summer day if your hands are perspiring, I find finished necks can feel a little sticky.

I have a Strat with a maple fingerboard, and a Tele with a rosewood one. Previously, I had a rosewood Strat with the early 'slab' fingerboard, and various other guitars all with rosewood boards. I can honestly say that there is a difference in both sound and playability. I'm not in any sense a luthier, so I can't say why this should be, but since I've been playing for 30+ years I think I've learned the difference pragmatically.

Rosewood has a sweeter, more singing tone; maple a snappier, cleaner, and in a Tele a twangier tone. In terms of playability I'd say maple is faster: it feels harder, more precise, to the fingers, rather less forgiving of careless fingering, and less inviting of cantabile. It's also slippery when wet! Rosewood feels softer, more sensitive, sensual even on a really really good neck like my Tele, or (at the other extreme) an old SG I had and foolishly sold. It's less vulnerable to the effects of sweat, I think. It may also be more forgiving - but not enough to make up for the difference between the kind and cossetting Strat and the famously unforgiving Tele :wink:

I have no idea when either timber would wear out - my '58 rosewood Strat showed no signs on wear on the wood, even though the dot markers were very stained, and the guitar had had several refrets. My current '78 maple Strat again shows little sign of wear on the wood, despite lots of playing and fair wear & tear, visible in several body dings and so on. I'd guess a top quality fretboard, of whatever material, would outlast its player if refretted when required by a skilled luthier.

So once again it comes down to personal choice, and the kind of music you'll be playing. For a newish player, the material is far, far less important than getting a well made, well proportioned neck with decent medium or medium jumbo frets.

I love the mahogany neck on my Casino (below). But like everyone else has said, its all about what you like more.

I have a Strat with a maple fingerboard, and a Tele with a rosewood one. Previously, I had a rosewood Strat with the early 'slab' fingerboard, and various other guitars all with rosewood boards. I can honestly say that there is a difference in both sound and playability. I'm not in any sense a luthier, so I can't say why this should be, but since I've been playing for 30+ years I think I've learned the difference pragmatically.

This might make an interesting thesis project for a music grad student. Take two strats (or any large production model of your choice) that are otherwise identical except for the fretboard. From behind a curtain, play the same lick on both through the same amp, clean. Then see how many listeners notice a difference.

It could be that the difference is psychological only, or maybe the feel is different but the sound is the same, or maybe there is a difference in sound but it's very subtle so only the performer is aware of it.

Speaking for myself, when I listen to guitar music, I'm not able to identify the fretboard material. But then again I've never taken the pepsi challenge.

ive got a Martin with a Micarta fingerboard. it's a synthetic that looks alot like ebony and feels oh so smooth when your fingers touch it. i really enjoy it. it gives the guitar a very unique character.

personally, i dont see how fingerboard wood has any effect on tone. if it does, i cant tell, and it's negligable. so the way i see it, it's really a matter of feel. do you like how rosewood feels better than maple? then go with rosewood. i like the feel of rosewood a little better than maple myself (but i think the Micarta is def my fave based on "feel").

just my 2 cents

How do you classify fret as jumbo or normal or thin or any other way ?

When you mean frets ....do you mean the difference between the 2 metal strips or the strips themselves...

Confused...as always me ...

Rahul