Rosewood neck longevity and care

[carter840]

Currently I'm considering what type of MCCarty PRS it'd like to get and have some questions about rosewood neck a for those that have experience with them.

First for a primarily use guitar will the rosewood neck last? I imagine it wearing unevenly or getting worn in some way.

What does PRS recommend for care of a rosewood neck?

Finally for those with PRS models both rosewood neck a and mahogany what do you typically pickup to play and why?

 

[dmatthews]

Although I'm only two or so years in with the McCarty rosewood neck I would have to say that you'll have no worries about wear. I've put a ton of hours on it.
My P22 has a rosewood neck as well and I much prefer them now.

 

[László]

First of all, rosewood is a very dense and oily wood. There's dense wood like ebony that's lasted for 4,000 years in tombs in Egypt. So I wouldn't worry.

PRS recommends simply an occasional cleaning with a lemon oil product like their fretboard conditioner, and then sealing it with ordinary Behold furniture polish. When I had RW neck PRSes this was necessary only 2-3 times a year.

If your hands are very sweaty, they can raise a little "fur" on the unfinished wood. This is very easily dealt with, by gently rubbing the neck with a micro-mesh sanding cloth in the very finest grit for maybe one or two gentle swipes, and then do what you'd do with the fretboard conditioner and polish.

The PTC also has a special rosewood treatment that is called something like "Treatment of Awesomeness" (I can't actually remember the name), and it's supposed to make the necks feel like glass.

The rosewood neck on a PRS will outlive YOU, your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, and your great, great grandchildren at the very least (unless you do something really foolish with it, like leave it out in the rain for a week, or put it in the bathtub). There are unfinished rosewood fingerboards and of course the insides of rosewood bodied acoustic guitars are unfinished, that have lasted for hundreds of years.

So when your great, great-grandchildren are playing electronic accordions that they can control only with thought waves, and wondering WTF you ever saw in a guitar, that rosewood neck will still be in great shape and functional.

However, it will be in a museum. Hard to say where you will be.

 

[carter840]

Thanks for the replies thus far. What about tone. I know they sound different, but for those of you who have had multiple PRS and can truly hear/feel the difference how would you describe it and when do you pick one up over the other?

 

[László]

Thanks for the replies thus far. What about tone. I know they sound different, but for those of you who have had multiple PRS and can truly hear/feel the difference how would you describe it and when do you pick one up over the other?

There's more prominence in the lower midrange, that leads some folks to call them "darker," however they're not darker, they have plenty of sparkle, it's just that the greater amount of oomph in the lower midrange alters the tonal balance a little.

We're not talking huge differences here...it's much more subtle than that.

There's the feel of a little more power, that probably has something to do with how dense the wood is. Personally, my preference is for a standard mahogany neck on a PRS, and I can't really explain why; it just seems to suit me better. I also like the feel of a gloss neck for some reason.

I also have a new McCarty with a satin finish maple neck that's got an alternative sound, and I like it for rhythm playing clean, and for how the neck pickup sounds with my amps, but again, I'm a 'hog neck/rosewood fretboard guy for the most part

 

[11top]

Nothing feels better to me than a rosewood neck. If you want it to sound good, get pickups and an amp you like. While I'm not saying neck woods don't affect tone, the pickups and amps affect it more.

 

[veinbuster]

I have three rosewood necked PRS and love the feel of them. As others have noted, wear is not a problem and care is simple.

I do find mine favour lower tones noticeably. I like that, but it doesn't suit everything I want to play so I use mahogany necked guitars quite a bit with a few different fret boards. I'm particularly fond of ebony.

If I ever had to cut back to a single electric guitar, it would probably be one with a rosewood neck.

 

[László]

I should mention that I've had 2 or 3 with RW necks, and indeed, they are a joy to play.

 

[tabl10s]

I just got rid of one to fund an acoustic, but I'm "Crackwood" all day, everyday.

 

[pjdude]

I've been playing my IRW McCarty as my main guitar since Spring 2000 when I bought it. It's my best sounding guitar - so far - and I haven't modded it much at all. I haven't done a thing to the neck outside of a little cleaning once in a while, and it's rockin!

 

[316ms]

Rosewood necks are my favorite PRS, this is an old thread. Looking for tips on care. Ive read using prs fretboard conditioner very sparingly and then whipe down with separate dry cloth, the add whipe down with some furniture polish, lemon pledge ok? And as mentioned use the fretboard conditioner sparingly, that mean like 2 drops for the entire rag or a very light coating on the neck then whipe clean? Then apply the FP, any help is appreciated

 

[veinbuster]

Rosewood necks are my favorite PRS, this is an old thread. Looking for tips on care. Ive read using prs fretboard conditioner very sparingly and then whipe down with separate dry cloth, the add whipe down with some furniture polish, lemon pledge ok? And as mentioned use the fretboard conditioner sparingly, that mean like 2 drops for the entire rag or a very light coating on the neck then whipe clean? Then apply the FP, any help is appreciated

For the neck itself, just play the guitar. The oils in your skin will give the neck all it needs - its done the trick for 20 years on mine.

I do put a couple of drops on the fingerboard once in a very long while (like maybe every second year when it looks a bit dry). I rub it on the board, let it sit for a bit (10-30 minutes) then wipe it right down.

 

[316ms]

For the neck itself, just play the guitar. The oils in your skin will give the neck all it needs - its done the trick for 20 years on mine.

I do put a couple of drops on the fingerboard once in a very long while (like maybe every second year when it looks a bit dry). I rub it on the board, let it sit for a bit (10-30 minutes) then wipe it right down.

Thats cool, of course some of the olis in ones hands are acidic and that does drybout any wood doesn't it? I notice the neck feels very dry and it needs to be whiped down. I would imagine cleaning can rid some of the grime that settles into the grains of the wood as it is unfinished. Ive seen others posting on using the PRS FB conditioner as a cleaning agent then apply furniturr polish, makes sense somewhat. Ive owned one for several years and just acquired a 2nd rosewood neck, so i need the full monty on care. Thanks for your reply

 

[django49]

I have always said the rosewood necks are more "hi fi" and I am sticking to that story. That does NOT mean "sterile". I just think they ring and sustain a little stronger. Not as much as if the body is also solid rosewood, but you get the drift.