Which is better maple or rosewood fretboards?

Compared to maple the difference is notable, as rosewood will soften the sound, even for guitars with maple necks. This is one of the reasons some guitar players prefer Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters with the option of a rosewood fretboard. The rosewood takes a bright guitar and mellows it out a bit.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on spinditty.com


Which material is best for fretboard?

The Big Three Fretboard Woods
  • Ebony. Considered the supreme tonewood for fingerboards due to its solidity, resiliency, and firmness, ebony was the primary fretboard wood in use from the 15th century till very recently. ...
  • Rosewood. ...
  • Maple. ...
  • Indian Laurel. ...
  • Ovangkol. ...
  • Padauk. ...
  • Pau Ferro. ...
  • Walnut.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on stringjoy.com


Do maple and rosewood fretboards sound different?

One of the commonly accepted “truths” about guitars is that maple and rosewood fingerboards produce distinctively different tones. Maple supposedly sounds punchy and provides note clarity, while rosewood is warm and spacious-sounding.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on guitarworld.com


Is maple smoother than rosewood?

Maple with a satin/oil/raw finish feels more or less like bare wood, which is still quite smooth but has some texture to it. Maple gets finished a million different ways but they'll almost all fall in the range of smooth or very fine texture. Rosewood varies a bit but that's from the wood itself.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ultimate-guitar.com


Does maple fretboard affect tone?

Although the different variations of figured maple won't really affect tone, they will certainly affect the look of your guitar. It's generally uncommon to see these used for fretboards on anything other than higher end guitars.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on leftyfretz.com


ROSEWOOD vs MAPLE - Guitar Tone Comparison!



What is the best wood for a fingerboard?

Rosewood. The most commonly used wood for fingerboards, rosewood's open pores and natural oils give it a smooth feel and warm tone. Its medium-density makeup is less reflective than harder woods with a tighter grain, giving rosewood a slightly softer attack and allowing your fingers to “dig in” and feel the fingerboard ...
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sweetwater.com


What wood is best for guitar necks?

Mahogany is the most common wood used for building necks for acoustic guitars. It is strong, dense but light and easy to carve.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sixstringacoustic.com


Is a maple fretboard easier to play?

There isn't a specific style of music that is less or more suitable for musicians who play on maple fretboards, as the relationship that a musician has with the fretboard comes down to their specific playing style, technique, and what they feel comfortable playing on.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on guitarspace.org


Should you oil a maple fretboard?

In general, maple fretboards do not need fretboard oil. On the rare case that your guitar has an unfinished maple fretboard, it can however benefit from a light application of fretboard oil 1-3 times a year.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on acousticworld.net


Should you oil a rosewood fretboard?

Rosewood, unlike finished woods like maple, should be oiled every once in a while. This is because rosewood fretboard is unfinished, meaning the raw wood is left exposed to the elements. Over time, your sweat can dry out the natural moisture of the wood.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on acousticworld.net


Is a maple fingerboard good?

Maple is a dense, hard tonewood that produces bright, snappy tones. In the context of a guitar fretboard, this means precise, articulate notes with good bite and a tight low end. Maple fingerboards are often paired with maple necks and brighter body tonewoods like alder.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on spinditty.com


How do you clean a maple fretboard?

One of the best methods to clean an unfinished Maple fretboard is to use ultra-fine 0000 steel wool. This removes dirt without causing damage to the frets. A slightly damp cloth can also be used, especially on satin-finished maple, but generally avoid using anything other than this.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blog.andertons.co.uk


Does fretboard wood affect tone?

The body and fret board affect the tone of acoustic and electric guitars in the same way that the neck wood does. It really comes down to how dense the wood is. The denser the wood, the brighter the tone will be, and the less sustain it'll have.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on prosoundhq.com


Does fingerboard wood matter?

As you can tell, there's definitely more that matters when it comes to the wood used for fretboards. Some guitarists may over-exaggerate the effect on the overall sound, but no one can deny that each type of wood looks uniquely different.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bax-shop.co.uk


Does fingerboard material affect tone?

Fingerboard material has really a significant impact on the tone and feel of a guitar.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on gearaficionado.com


Why do Gibson guitars smell good?

Well-known member

Gibson is using TKL cases for their USA lines. TKL uses a vanilla-scented glue in their cases that gets caught in the lacquer.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on lespaulforum.com


Do maple fretboards get dirty?

Cleaning maple fretboards are different depending on if they have a glossy or raw finish. Cleaning them the right way will remove dirt and grime from the frets as well as prolong the guitar's life. Follow the instructions below which correspond to your maple fretboard's finish type.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sweetwater.com


Do maple necks darken with age?

Guitar maple necks will naturally darken over time. It will turn from white into dark yellow-ish colour. However, this natural darkening will take a long time – even longer for poly finish guitars.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on strummingbars.com


Is lemon oil bad for maple fretboards?

Do NOT use any kind of lemon oil on your maple fretboard–regardless of whether the product contains actual lemon oil or not. Instead, stick to fretboard conditioners like Music Nomad's F-ONE Oil (may favorite) or plain mineral oil. These don't contain lemon oil or any artificial colors that can discolor maple.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on guitaranswerguy.com


Is rosewood or maple harder?

Although, Rosewood is a very hard wood (harder than Maple) it's porous and "greasy" nature gives it a warmer tone in general.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on tfoa.eu


Why are guitar necks made of maple?

Maple Guitar Necks

Maple is the tone wood with highest density making it hard and strong. Due to these characteristics it brings with it great sustain and stability. This is perfect material in combination with its bright tone; you can see why it is used as the default option for Fender guitars.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on guitarskillsplanet.com


Is pau ferro better than maple?

In short, maple is brighter sounding and cuts through the mix easier, while pau ferro sounds warmer and 'fuller'. Maple has a much lighter color, while pau ferro is darker and looks similar to Rosewood with a reddish vibe.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on musicstrive.com


Is maple good for guitar bodies?

Maple is an excellent tonewood for acoustic and classical guitars and is the only commercially-viable tonewood to be used in guitar bodies (tops, backs and sides), necks and fretboards. It's a beautiful-sounding tonewood with a bright tone, and the figured pieces look stunning as well.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mynewmicrophone.com


What type of wood is Stratocaster?

Alder is the most common choice for Stratocasters, Jaguars and Jazzmasters as well as the Jazz Bass due to its warmer balanced tone. More specifically, Red Alder is used by Fender as it is fast growing and readily available.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on worldofmusic.com.au


What wood is a Les Paul made of?

Its typical design features a solid mahogany body with a carved maple top and a single cutaway, a mahogany set-in neck with a rosewood fretboard, two pickups with independent volume and tone controls, and a stoptail bridge, although variants exist.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org
Previous question
What do goldfish do when pregnant?