Maple neck/FB vs Mahogany neck/RW FB

[srmd22]

I am looking at a couple of guitars that are otherwise identical, and having a hell of a time choosing which (if either) I want. I generally prefer RW fingerboards in look and feel, but I somewhat prefer the finish on the body of the one with the maple neck/FB. I am not too concerned with the effect on sound (if there is any), and tbh, I have guitars with both, and it does not really influence me much when I actually go to pick one up to play. It is just a slight preference. I am trying to find some sort of hook to help push me in one direction or the other, besides a coin toss. First world problems I realize that no one can really help me, but you never know - some odd comment might pop up that clicks things into place for me.

 

[Huggy Love]

I always tend to lean towards mahogany for tone alone. Maple tends to be brighter and have more bite, while hog tends to be more full sounding.
It's only a slight difference but a game changer for me.

 

[László]

It’d depend on the guitar model, for me.

 

[srmd22]

The ones I am looking at are 24-08's. I think I am going hog - not sure why, just a feeling.

 

[11top]

I like the tone of mahogany better, but you wrote that tone was not a consideration. Aesthetically, I prefer figured maple.

 

[Casi1]

Somehow in my head, I equate mahogany necks with the ‘PRS sound’ and maple necks with Fendr. I love my PRSi that have maple necks ... they sound good and the PRS quality is there, but I always wonder how they would sound in hog. I’d buy everything in hog if I could get them in satin finish. I no likey thick lacquer or gloss.

So there it is. I love PRS hog and rosewood necks with rosewood boards and I love Fendr maple necks. I am torn about PRS maple on maple necks and I hate Fendr rosewood boards on maple necks. I feel like Fendr does maple on maple better and PRS does ... well... everything else better.

I’m quirky.

 

[Tag]

Get the maple and you will always wonder if it sounded better with mahogany. Get the mahogany and never look back.

 

[bodia]

I’d buy everything in hog if I could get them in satin finish. I no likey thick lacquer or gloss.

I little micro mesh job would take care of that. Best thing, you can polish it out if you want to put it back to gloss and sell it.

 

[Mozzi]

Maple certainly can look much better if its coloured the same way as the body. I am not keen on 'light' fretboards myself and maple is generally much brighter and can be a bit too harsh for my taste. Mahogany tends to look more co-ordinated to the back of the body rather than looking 'separate' but does add more warmth and depth to the sound. Some may prefer to have one or the other but aesthetically, Maple looks better. Its why Maple caps look better than solid mahogany bodies - especially with stains and clear coating. The grain is much more interesting hence you get flame and quilted maple tops but don't get this with Mahogany. Just look at the standard and custom SE models where they use a solid mahogany body on the Standards and use a Maple cap/veneer on the custom for the 'flame'.

At the end of the day, its down to you and what you want it for. If you want it to look great - especially from the back, then go for a maple neck but if that's less important, go for the one that sounds and feels best to you. I prefer a mahogany neck with rosewood/ebony fingerboards and the maple cap of a PRS adds enough 'brightness' for me compared to a solid mahogany construction.

 

[Casi1]

I little micro mesh job would take care of that. Best thing, you can polish it out if you want to put it back to gloss and sell it.

Yup, I’ve sanded/meshed the necks on 95% of my guitars but I just don’t want to mess up my core PRS ones... right now, the only glossed neck that I have is my McCarty Korina. I’m too scared to bother it. I keep wussing out.

 

[bodia]

I’m too scared to bother it. I keep wussing out.

In truth, I am too!

 

[elvis]

Maple. 100%

 

[Ironwolf]

I've had the PRS 594 with a mahogany neck and I currently have one with a maple neck.
I was surprised there seemed to be no noticeable difference tone wise if I was forced to say a difference it might be slightly more percussive attack with a maple neck, of course both at Rosewood fingerboard.
a wood library mahogany neck might be more special. but I'm very happy with all my mahogany necks

the one thing that I do think is true the maple neck is much more beautiful to look at.
I do have dog drool when I look at my guitar.
and I've heard people say the maple neck has slightly more strength it can handle string gauge changes,
and drop tuning more robustly without neck adjustments. I am 50-50 right now 50% mahogany 50% maple necks.

 

[srmd22]

Yup, I have around 50/50 maple/hog too. I may or may not hear a difference in tone, but it is not a factor for me. Definitely I notice a difference in feel, but not when I am actually playing live, only when I am putzing around and scrutinizing things when playing by myself. Once I get to rehearsal or gig, I have no concern what the FB/neck. But if I think about it a minute, I can feel the difference at my fingertips, and I slightly prefer the scrapey feel of the rosewood (although I love the smooth feel of ebony, which is different then maple to me, so go figure).

Anyway, I went with mahogony/RW, mostly because of reasons unknown even to myself. That'll get my PRS cohort back up to two guitars. Been really digging my 408 for the last couple of weeks.