Neck wood - Mahogany, Rosewood, or Maple?

[xxxadixxx]

I have several guitars with mahogany necks with poly and nitro finishes. I now have 3 guitars with unfinished rosewood necks. Recently a Tremonti with a torrefied satin maple neck caught my attention. The only guitars I remember playing with maple necks were 15+ yrs ago (Ibanez University, Jackson Rhodes V, and a Fender Strat). The wood felt comfortable and smooth. I liked the unfinished feel.

I do not expect a major a tone difference from the neck wood as I am playing under a lot of gain (boosted SLO) and mainly play Punk, Hardcore, and Metal rhythm. I notice a slightly "thicker" tone with my rosewood guitars, but only if I play back-to-back with the same model with a mahogany neck. I am leaning towards the maple neck Tremonti for visual reasons (different birds, nice fretboard, and beautiful top) though I am also curious if the playing experience will be any different or very similar to the rosewood necks. How does the PRS torrefied maple neck compare to a rosewood neck?

 

[dogrocketp]

My roasted maple has less mids and clearer highs to my ears than my rosewood. The lows are also more piano like.

 

[Greywolf]

torrified maple will be brighter than rosewood , warmer that standard maple .. kind of like Korina and Mahogany

 

[Andrew Paul]

I don’t currently have a torrified maple neck but last one I had it was extremely comfortable. I do have maple necks with nitro on it, and I love the tone. I have a Santana with a rosewood neck which plays and sounds incredible and most of my PRS guitars have mahogany. Having all three I enjoy the subtle differences of each. If I were to choose one, I think I would still choose maple first, then Rosewood, then mahogany. But, in the end, I think I like the unfinished feel better.

My 2cents

 

[Maertl513]

To me such experiences blind out, the whole different guitar. A slight difference in the action lead to a differences in the magnetic field of the strings, the same when don't pick the string exactly the same (power, angle of the plec, position).

I prefer a natural neck (maple, rosewood) because of the smooth feel. My coated necks aren't sticky, but not as smooth.

 

[11top]

My BRW necks are still sustaining.

 

[Andrew Paul]

My BRW necks are still sustaining.

 

[xxxadixxx]

To me such experiences blind out, the whole different guitar. A slight difference in the action lead to a differences in the magnetic field of the strings, the same when don't pick the string exactly the same (power, angle of the plec, position).

I prefer a natural neck (maple, rosewood) because of the smooth feel. My coated necks aren't sticky, but not as smooth.

This is my experience as well. I have a few 594's with identical builds, but with slight setup differences, and they have very different sounds. My focus on the neck is more about the playing experience than the tone. The natural feel of the rosewood is amazing and I am leaning towards trying a torrefied maple neck for a similar (or smoother) feel.