Rosewood vs Maple necks?

[Lewguitar]

There's no better or worse. I don't even have a preference!

As long as a guitar turns me on that's all I ask.

My '54 Esquire has a one piece maple neck and I love the way it sounds. Warm but very clear.

My '63 Strat had a maple neck and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and I loved it too. It had a chewier tone than my Esquire. Kind of a bark to the mids that I don't hear from Indian rosewood.

I love my Mark Jenny parts-o-caster Strat and SE Silver Skys which have maple necks and I guess Indian Rosewood fingerboards. They sound very similar to my '63 Strat...but lack those very subtle chewy mids.

My PRS Custom 22's and 2000 Gibson ES335 are all Honduras Mahogany neck and an Indian Rosewood fingerboard and that's a great sound too.

I guess the only thing I don't like is an all maple body and neck. That just doesn't do it for me. Too bright and focused. Not warm. Almost sterile.

 

[Andrew Paul]

There's no better or worse. I don't even have a preference!

As long as a guitar turns me on that's all I ask.

My '54 Esquire has a one piece maple neck and I love the way it sounds. Warm but very clear.

My '63 Strat had a maple neck and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and I loved it too. It had a chewier tone than my Esquire. Kind of a bark to the mids that I don't hear from Indian rosewood.

I love my Mark Jenny parts-o-caster Strat and SE Silver Skys which have maple necks and I guess Indian Rosewood fingerboards. They sound very similar to my '63 Strat...but lack those very subtle chewy mids.

My PRS Custom 22's and 2000 Gibson ES335 are all Honduras Mahogany neck and an Indian Rosewood fingerboard and that's a great sound too.

I guess the only thing I don't like is an all maple body and neck. That just doesn't do it for me. Too bright and focused. Not warm. Almost sterile.

Thanks for your reply! very helpful

 

[Greywolf]

Once they are sealed they are fine, it's the sawdust that gets you , I had a few harsh lessons

 

[RJK Tech]

No wonder why I get nauseous when I lick my PRS acoustic with Cocobolo back and sides!!

Have you noticed any new hair growth?

 

[Alnus Rubra]

No wonder why I get nauseous when I lick my PRS acoustic with Cocobolo back and sides!!

Have you noticed any new hair growth?

I thought a “cocobolo back and sides” was a hair cut!

 

[Andrew Paul]

I thought a “cocobolo back and sides” was a hair cut!

Now that's funny!!

BTW. this started as a serious thread..... just saying

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Ok I’ll stop. Sorry.

 

[Andrew Paul]

Ok I’ll stop. Sorry.

Please don’t

 

[Black Plaid]

Ok I’ll stop. Sorry.

If there's one thing about this forum, it's that we are all very serious, especially those of us with a significant Yoda figure collection.

 

[Greywolf]

One small bit of advice from a Luthier and lifetime woodworker .. If you like the rare woods,or guitars with them buy them NOW . Brazillian RW, Cocobolo, Koa to name a few .. The supply is finite and when it's finally exhausted the prices will be $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ I've seen KOA go up ten fold over a decade, forget about real brazillian, Cocobolo is still around but getting harder and more expensive

 

[11top]

The biggest consideration for me is FEEL. I like the dense, slick oiled exotics for that reason. If I had to pick just one, I’d pick Brazilian RW, but I honestly doubt I could distinguish tonal differences between it and other dalbergias. It does seem to sustain longer, but I may just be psyching myself out.

Regardless, for my rock genre, I can make any of them work with the right pickups and amps.

 

[dmatthews]

The biggest consideration for me is FEEL. I like the dense, slick oiled exotics for that reason.

TMI...

 

[11top]

TMI...

Wait!!!



Is this the guitar forum?



Oops……………..never mind.

 

[Andrew Paul]

The biggest consideration for me is FEEL. I like the dense, slick oiled exotics for that reason. If I had to pick just one, I’d pick Brazilian RW, but I honestly doubt I could distinguish tonal differences between it and other dalbergias. It does seem to sustain longer, but I may just be psyching myself out.

Regardless, for my rock genre, I can make any of them work with the right pickups and amps.

Thanks for your reply 11

 

[Maertl513]

I've guitars in my "collection" (For sure I'm aware of an ongoing thread in this forum...) with different neck materials and combinations:

Neck - Fretboard
Mahogany - rosewood (PRS 513 MT)
Maple - rosewood ("Partscaster"; Rockinger Rudvog)
Maple - maple (Reverend Gristlemaster Greg Koch Signature; Peavey HP2 NOS; Linus Red Scorpion; Linus Paganini violin guitar)
Maple - ebony (PRS SE Mark Holcomb; Linus Custom Thinline)
Rosewood - rosewood (PRS 513 RW)
Basswood (with carbon fibre) - carbon fibre (Parker Fly Deluxe)

I don't really care about the neck material when it comes to the decision, which guitar will be played next. Perhaps I don't even re-adjust amp settings, when using those different guitars.
What counts is the guitar in total.