Fretboard Showdown!

[Shwayman11]

Here we go guys- what fretboard wood do you like the most and why- Maple, Rosewood, Ebony and Other.

Im going with maple because I just love the way it feels and looks.

[BeN5150]

maple, because its the only one I havent played :D .

Ben

[amerturk]

Maple all the way...looks and feel. I love them, although I only have 2 of my 10 that are maple.

[atomicholiday]

I went with maple too. I only have one guitar with maple, but I love the look, feel, and tone of it.

edit - woohoo!!! 700 posts... :headbang

[Orchid]

I voted maple too :thumbsup

[Lightningdan]

If you'd asked me 6 months ago I'd have said rosewood all the way. But I love the maple on my 1984. I'd like a couple more. Tough call man. Really.
I haven't ever tried ebony though.

[Midnight_Highway]

Maple for tone, ebony for looks.

Making a broad generalization, for our style of music, (read: rnr) maple is great because it's easier to hit harmonics on this hard, bright wood.

Tonally, ebony is pretty bright too--it's somewhere between rosewood and maple.

George

[G.A.S. Ackward]

If you'd asked me 6 months ago I'd have said rosewood all the way. But I love the maple on my 1984. I'd like a couple more. Tough call man. Really.
I haven't ever tried ebony though.

I agree, if you would have asked me a while back, a very quick "Rosewood" would have been my answer.

But man, after constructing a mongrel kramer with maple, and plus getting REALLY into my newest Pacer Deluxe aquisition/restoration, I would have to confidently vote Maple! I am really a maple convert now. :thumbsup

My Kramer mongrel "Sybil":
http://www.voguehost.com/ims/u/giarc/My%20photos/Sybilxx.jpg


My newest aqusition/restoration Pacer Deluxe:
http://www.voguehost.com/ims/u/giarc/My%20photos/Black%20Pacer%20Deluxe1.jpg
http://www.voguehost.com/ims/u/giarc/My%20photos/Black%20Pacer%20Deluxe1.jpg

[bkeen]

I have 8 maple, 13 rosewood, and 1 ebony. I like them all but prefer maple.


:thumbsup

[lefthandedshredder]

I have always loved Rosewood as it's all I ever knew but I acquired a few maple necked axe's over the years and I have come to like it the most, the way it looks and feels is just perfect...but I still love Rosewood as it's what I started on.

[RockStringBender]

1st, I WANT the maple board beaker pacer deluxe! :thumbsup 2nd, I still WANT that "Crack" Pacer we where talkin' about a month or so ago too :D . Must be somethin' about those maple necks......

I too have more time on rosies and they seem warmer to me. But ya can't beat the feel of rock maple under strings either.

Not trying to be a politican but I'm takin' the middle ground and saying that they use those materials for boards 'cuz they all rock- if the axe in my hands is a player, that's my pick at the time.

BTW- anyone ever try to refinish rosewood? That sh*t is some dense hardwood bros. The open look to the grain is deceiving.

[James D]

Maple, for looks

sound, well... i have two pacer deluxes.. one maple, one rosewood... I can't see much, if any tonal difference... and any difference could just as easily be anything else.

[lefthandedshredder]

Maple, for looks

sound, well... i have two pacer deluxes.. one maple, one rosewood... I can't see much, if any tonal difference... and any difference could just as easily be anything else.

Where was that pic of all of your guitars?

[christian hairrocker]

i'd say maple... my first ever kramer was a maple, it was a cool kramer neck and i really loved the feel of it much more than any of my rosewoods!............. its a shame it snapped in half and i never used it :D

I love rosewood but i dont like it when sometimes you get some models of guitars when the rose looks more like a nasty grey ashy brown and stinks it takes me about 6/7 hours to get it thoroughly rose again! :headbang

[lefthandedshredder]

i'd say maple... my first ever kramer was a maple, it was a cool kramer neck and i really loved the feel of it much more than any of my rosewoods!............. its a shame it snapped in half and i never used it :D

I love rosewood but i dont like it when sometimes you get some models of guitars when the rose looks more like a nasty grey ashy brown and stinks it takes me about 6/7 hours to get it thoroughly rose again! :headbang

Tushé maple looks like shit after a lot of use and dirtyness - infact it can wear away a lot worse than rosewood.

Now this makes me cringe! http://cgi.ebay.com/Peavey-Tracer-Electric-Guitar-80s-USA_W0QQitemZ220017534821QQihZ012QQcategoryZ33046QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem FILTHY rancid yuck.

[_xxx_]

I can't say, depends on the guitar. For Yngwie stuff and 80's metal, maple. For my stuff, rosewood or ebony. Have them all, use them all.

[pel666]

Macassar Ebony

[sumrnitz]

To my ears, rosewood axes are definately warmer sounding. But when I want to start tapping the board...nothing like a maple! :headbang

Chris

[dr. robert]

one of each, and then some.

1: big difference between a one-piece maple neck, and a maple neck with a maple fretboard.

2: brasilian rosewood and indonesian rosewood are (not just literally) worlds apart

3: this is the kramer forum, what about ebonol?

- robert

[lefthandedshredder]

1: big difference between a one-piece maple neck, and a maple neck with a maple fretboard.



Tru that, one piece's are horrible IMO!

[Shwayman11]

Tru that, one piece's are horrible IMO!

i beg to differ- i love the feel of a one piece maple neck with a skunk stripe

[Louie Music]

Maple, hands down. It's brighter sure, but I prefer it because gives a cleaner, crisper tone.

Rosewood's o.k., but it's just too rich for what I like to play.

[lefthandedshredder]

i beg to differ- i love the feel of a one piece maple neck with a skunk stripe

It does differ on the quality of the neck though...just from my experience I've played some SHOCKING one piece necks that I wouldn't even wish on an emo...they sound bad enough as it is!

[Shwayman11]

It does differ on the quality of the neck though...just from my experience I've played some SHOCKING one piece necks that I wouldn't even wish on an emo...they sound bad enough as it is!

:D damn emos!
Im a little biased i guess on this cuz the only guitar ive really played with a one piece maple neck is the Kramer 1984 and thats a pretty great feeling neck

[_xxx_]

84 is not one piece if my eyes are allright? Have to look again when I'm back home.

Also worth mentioning, there are huge differences between a natural finish maple and lacquered maple. A Strat with thick lacquer will sound very "glassy", bell-like while the unfinished neck will be a bit warmer and more balanced.

[nightwatch]

Maple, since I was a kid. I have 12 strats, only two are rosewood necks. I like the feel of maple better and feel the notes pop off the board better - I know that's a strange description. Second is ebony.

Rockstringbender - the crack pacer sounds awesome - well worth the few extra pizzas I paid for it. You must find one for yourself!

[Kramer_Krazy]

I'm amazed at the number of people who like maple. I prefer rosewood, as maple is just too bright for me. I like warm, dark tones.

[mike-o]

maple 9 times out of 10... but it really depends on the guitar. I like my LP's to be ebony and my fender strats rosewood.

[wilvikin]

I cant really say playability wize. But the most beuatiful neck I have ever seen was on this custom I had seen at house of guitars NY. It had a board mad from cherry wood. Probely not the best choice for playabiliy but it sure looked assume.

[Tourpicx]

Maple fretboards are where its at for me. The only exception to that would be the Nightswan neck has the ebony fretboard that I like.

[Rick S]

The one piece unfinihed maple on my '84 is quite simply the best neck you can play. :thumbsup Heh heh! Seriously, that neck is awesome. :usa

[pel666]

Macassar Ebony and Brazilian Rosewood are my favourite! For some reason I don't like the feel of maple fretboard, might be the finish. :scratchhe

Would love to try Snakewood sometime... :drool

http://www.gilmerwood.com/images_after01-20-06/02-27-06IW8904close.jpg