Maple neck with ebony board. Who has them, what do you think?

[Tag]

I was at GC and they had several. Of course they were locked up in those headstock holders that GC does now, and I could only strum the open strings, but I was liking what I was hearing, and LOVING what I was seeing. Is the attack TOO hard? Is it very bright, or just right? These seemed to have LOTS of sustain, and the ebony was beautiful, as of course were the necks. Lets hear it!

 

[shinksma]

I have a couple: the SE MM Baritone and the SE Akerfeldt. But they are not core PRSi - so there may be a difference to what a core model might offer.

The Baritone is hard to compare - I don't have a hog/rosewood neck model to compare to.

For the Akerfeldt, it is just as balanced sounding as any other PRSi. Maybe a bit brighter, with a bit more sustain. I should do a back-to-back comparison with my CU24, which has the same scale length, is 24 frets, also has a trem, but has hog/RW neck.

Hmm, now I'm curious, but it is early morning at work, so I am many hours away from experimenting...

 

[Tosca]

My JA-15 has the Ebony/Maple combo...but of course that's a totally different body construction, wood configuration, pickups (53/10) than most. I find it to be very articulate, great note separation and warm sounding. I'm hoping to get to compare a special McCarty PS Singlecut with Ebony/Maple neck to a "regular" PS McSC with RW/Hog very, very soon.... ;-)

 

[John Beef]

I can only compare SEs. I have had a MM baritone for five+ years now. Earlier this year I bought a Lowery hoping to replace the MM, mainly because the MM has a flat top which I find uncomfortable to play, and the fact that I have struggled for five+ years to really get the right bridge pickup tone out of it (the neck pickup continues to be fantastic). The MM has a longer scale length, which adds to this, but the maple with ebony is really a big plus for down-tuned guitars. There's very much added brightness and snap and clarity that the Lowery never delivered.

IMHO, after years of swapping parts around on guitars prior to playing PRSi, the neck is the fundamental source for the overall tone of the guitar. So, there is going to be an obvious tonal difference between harder woods like maple/ebony as opposed to softer woods like mahogany and rosewood.

 

[Tag]

IMHO, after years of swapping parts around on guitars prior to playing PRSi, the neck is the fundamental source for the overall tone of the guitar.

John,
I agree. Years ago I had two american standard strats. Same year and everything, except for the color. As is always the case, one just sounded better no matter how I tried to adjust and set them up. Finally, I decided to swap necks. No matter which body I put the one neck on, it was the better sounding guitar. It was almost like the body and pups had no effect at all. The tonal difference was pretty significant, and it was that one neck. I ended up keeping that neck for years and it ended up on a 57 RI. Gave me the extra fret from the 57 neck, and as usual, just made the guitar sound better. Amazing.

 

[django49]

I have the combination on a Huber Orca. With the thinner body (plus maple/ebony), it cuts much more that the Orca '59, the latter which I think is very competitive with original 'bursts. (Yes, I do realize it is a 25" scale). Or, dare I suggest, the recent PS McCarty Singlecuts.

 

[gball]

I had a '77 Les Paul Custom for many years that had a maple neck with ebony board and it was the best sounding Les Paul or LP-styled guitar I have ever owned. Killer combination of woods in that one.

 

[guitarman001]

Read this thread to see mine:
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?10891-NGD

Love them.

 

[11top]

Personally, I prefer IRW/ebony.

 

[markie]

Personally, I prefer IRW/ebony.

Personally, It looks like there is a Dove inside your head & it is flapping it's wings ................... just sayin!

 

[hippietim]

Tag - I really like the combo on my Private Stock - http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/hippietim/library/Guitars/PRS PS SA Signature P24?sort=6&page=1

This guitar was design to lean towards Fender tones - ash body, maple neck - but with the body color and inlays I didn't want a maple board so I went with ebony and couldn't be happier. The guitar has tons of clarity - individual notes ring clear in complex chord. It has a nice midrange too.

 

[ViperDoc]

Tag - I really like the combo on my Private Stock - http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/hippietim/library/Guitars/PRS%20PS%20SA%20Signature%20P24?sort=6&page=1

This guitar was design to lean towards Fender tones - ash body, maple neck - but with the body color and inlays I didn't want a maple board so I went with ebony and couldn't be happier. The guitar has tons of clarity - individual notes ring clear in complex chord. It has a nice midrange too.

I LOVE THE TREBLE AND BASS CLEF INLAYS. SWEET. AND NICE TOP, DUDE.

 

[Tag]

Thanks for the opinions everyone, and Tim, that guitar is killer! Love the book match on that. Wow! The ones i saw were CU24 artist packs. If they had a CU 22 with that setup, I would have asked them to unlock it and given it a whirl.

 

[11top]

Personally, It looks like there is a Dove inside your head & it is flapping it's wings ................... just sayin!

Actually, it's one handkerchief.

And, wtf does "just saying" mean?..........just sayin.

 

[László]

I have that combination on my Tonare PS acoustic. I can't say what it'd be like on an electric guitar, but on the acoustic it's very clear, open-sounding, and articulate.

I also think the neck and fingerboard matter very much to the overall tone of the instrument.

 

[yankeebulldog]

I have it on my Floyd Custom 24 USA. I like it a lot with the \m/ pickups. I find those pickups to be a little dark but with the floyd and the ebony board it evens everything out tonally. I've had the same neck/fb combination on a few Ash bodied guitars and found it way to bright. The Floyd CU 24 is very clear sounding with tones of gain. It's my favorite metal and 80's hard rock guitar.

 

[edlo82]

I personally own a semi hollow with rosewood neck / ebony board, and compliment each other very well

that of maple neck with ebony boards are like the Duessenbergs, but note that these are built semi hollow to, and are very very bright, I think gretsh have some of this combination as well, don't remember correctly but the Brian Setzer model probably

some custom made teles i've heard sound spectacular, yet very bright

i think its not very suitable for high gain playing, but for cleans (jazzy, country) would be a perfect thing

 

[Woundtight]

305, Electric Whip Cream finish, I got it from Markie.
Great question about the attack, it is always a concern regarding ebony...this one is just right. Mahogany body + Maple Neck + Ebony board