Fender American Strat

[pessimist]

On behalf of my friend:

New to guitar. Gonna buy a Fender American Standard Stratocaster. But it comes with two kinds of fretboard wood: Maple and Rosewood?

Which is better for the fretboard. I'm not really familiar with wood, so can't advise him. Just reply to his thread, he will read it from here.

Thanks.

 

[junkiemanxl]

i dont think there a "which one is better" but which kinda tone that you would want.

rosewood fretboards are usually a little more warm sounding
maple fretboards are slightly brighter in tone. there's a little more zing to it.

 

[bukchoi]

Hmm...personally, i prefer the maple fingerboards. maple is brighter, and somehow feels "softer" and more comfortable. rosewood has a generally darker and warmer sound. 2 cents.

 

[Danelectrico]

Actually the debate about maple being brighter than rosewood is flawed. In truth, any difference in tone between say, the same Strat model with a rosewood fingerboard and another with a maple fingerboard is more likely attributed to the differences in the construction of the guitars - workmanship, body wood, set up etc. You're just as likely to have 2 identical model Strats with exactly the same specs on paper sound slightly different.

Here's one opinion on this. http://www.harmonicdesign.net/faqsfolder/faq21.html

In fact some luthiers have the opinion that rosewood is actually by nature brighter than maple; but the mids from maple are more apparent. Malcom once highlighted this to me by tapping against an identically sized piece of rosewood and maple - i'm not sure whether this is a true representation of how it'd sound stringed up as part of a guitar's neck - but the response from the rosewood did seem brighter and more sparkly. Surprised? I was.

On the Suhr website, it's stated that rosewood fingerboards have more "sizzle" than maple ones. http://www.suhrguitars.com/wood.aspx

Ebony is supposedly brighter than maple or rosewood - but even then on a Strat Ultra (even with the lace sensor pickups changed out), you'd never hear that. The construction of the rest of the guitar plays a far more important role and at the end of the day I don't think the fingerboard wood really matters much in terms of tone - go for how it looks and feels to you when deciding your preference.

Personally, I love the feel of ebony followed by rosewood then maple - that's what i would probably gravitate towards all else being equal. However some maple necks really buck the trend - i love the one on my Highway 1 strat tremendously.

 

[Whitestrat]

Maple is NOT brighter than Rosewood. It just accentuates a different set of mid frequencies compared to rosewood.

I find maple more punchy, but lacks definition of range. It delivers one kind of tone. one dimensional. Rosewood to me is more dynamic, being a harder wood than maple. It's also better at relaying a broader set of frequencies compared to maple.

Think of it this way: If you limit what you're projecting at the guitar, how much more of it is going to be cut off before it reaches the amp? I'd prefer Ebony, Pau Ferro or Rosewood personally. I do like maple necks, but I find them one trick ponys...

 

[teokiatuan]

i prefer rosewood la

+1

 

[VidaK]

Rosewood. Anyway the strat looks naked with a maple neck

 

[Ized]

its more of how you play it and whether it sounds good to you rather than just what its made of.

Anyways i prefer maple. just love the way it cuts.