I have a lot of neck blanks by far the Pernambuco and Cocobolo have the most distinct ring it's rich and full , they sound like a Marimba. Maple is high pitched and quick .. which is the way it behaves it guitars as well .
Rosewood vs Maple necks?
- Thread starter Andrew Paul
- Start date
It's interesting, many use the terms "brighter" or "warmer" to describe the differences, but my interpretation is a bit different.
I've typically found maple to provide a more 'open' sound, while rosewood tends to provide a more compressed sound, thicker if you will. I greatly prefer maple necks and boards on Strats and Teles, and mahogany with rosewood on my two-humbucker guitars. My Santana with a solid Brazzy rosewood neck and board sounds especially thick, but with an extra sparkle to the tone that I've heard in very few others.
I've typically found maple to provide a more 'open' sound, while rosewood tends to provide a more compressed sound, thicker if you will. I greatly prefer maple necks and boards on Strats and Teles, and mahogany with rosewood on my two-humbucker guitars. My Santana with a solid Brazzy rosewood neck and board sounds especially thick, but with an extra sparkle to the tone that I've heard in very few others.
Interesting coincidence, because I like mahogany necks with a rosewood board best on my humbucker models as well. It just sounds, I dunno...'right' to me for some reason.
Could be that it's just what I'm used to.
I have a Special with an ebony fretboard, and it is on the outer edge of my comfort zone (which isn't a bad thing), so I have to approach it a little differently. The Semi-Hollow body adds to the difference, but it's nice to have options!
Black Plaid
Other Alan!
Yeah, given that a xylophone is literally the same metal with different sizes of bars to make different notes, this video seems less than ideal.
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Thanks Les, very interesting. Curious, what is your personal favorite?
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Replied to your other post first, looks like mahogany with RW fingerboard is favorite.Interesting coincidence, because I like mahogany necks with a rosewood board best on my humbucker models as well. It just sounds, I dunno...'right' to me for some reason.
Could be that it's just what I'm used to.
I have a Special with an ebony fretboard, and it is on the outer edge of my comfort zone (which isn't a bad thing), so I have to approach it a little differently. The Semi-Hollow body adds to the difference, but it's nice to have options!
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
I curious to what your favorite is with humbucker guitar and why? Your perspective as luthier, builder, and player really intrigues me.
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
Neck and board wood make huge differences in guitar tone, just huge, along with how they’re carved, attached to the body, finished, etc.
Maple has a sharper transient to me, and is definitely brighter, even colder, more scooped with single coils.
Mahogany and rosewood together are harmonically rich, bright in just the right places, and offer the best classic rock humbucker tones on the planet. A BRZ board is an upgrade, if only to your ego’s crotch.
Pickups act like EQ filters with a unique load that spanks your amp’s input with its first dose of information. Your amp will multiply and fat-carve that multiple times before it hits your speaker output, which has its own sound too.
Tone is nuts, man.
But YES. The wood is where it all starts. I’ve spent everywhere from a little to a shitload on guitars, and honestly, the maple/mahogany bodied and mahogany/rosewood necked rock machine reigns supreme every day and twice on Sunday.
Especially if it’s a 594.
#CALLOFFTHESEARCHYOURDADDYSBEENFOUND
Maple has a sharper transient to me, and is definitely brighter, even colder, more scooped with single coils.
Mahogany and rosewood together are harmonically rich, bright in just the right places, and offer the best classic rock humbucker tones on the planet. A BRZ board is an upgrade, if only to your ego’s crotch.
Pickups act like EQ filters with a unique load that spanks your amp’s input with its first dose of information. Your amp will multiply and fat-carve that multiple times before it hits your speaker output, which has its own sound too.
Tone is nuts, man.
But YES. The wood is where it all starts. I’ve spent everywhere from a little to a shitload on guitars, and honestly, the maple/mahogany bodied and mahogany/rosewood necked rock machine reigns supreme every day and twice on Sunday.
Especially if it’s a 594.
#CALLOFFTHESEARCHYOURDADDYSBEENFOUND
Regarding pickups: While the woods and construction largely determine acoustic tone, pickups certainly add their spice as do amps.
While I install whatever the client wants,I do have favorites. One of the reasons I have a fair sized collection is so clients can sit down and actually play through several flavors . Many are surprised their preconceptions are not always accurate. ( low wind vs high wind is always a surprise)
I have a few favorite pickups , LOVE Alnico 2, TV Jones Filtertons ,Supertrons, and Powertrons, Duncan Antiquity P90's,57,59 and Seth Lovers .
PRS makes delightful pickups, The warmth of the 57/08 is great , the 58/15LT has one of the best split sounds, and the NF's have a great single sound noiseless. I'm also a huge fan of Lindy Fralins, I have custom wind PAF's with taps and custom singles, and Jason Lollars P90's and Imperials.
While I install whatever the client wants,I do have favorites. One of the reasons I have a fair sized collection is so clients can sit down and actually play through several flavors . Many are surprised their preconceptions are not always accurate. ( low wind vs high wind is always a surprise)
I have a few favorite pickups , LOVE Alnico 2, TV Jones Filtertons ,Supertrons, and Powertrons, Duncan Antiquity P90's,57,59 and Seth Lovers .
PRS makes delightful pickups, The warmth of the 57/08 is great , the 58/15LT has one of the best split sounds, and the NF's have a great single sound noiseless. I'm also a huge fan of Lindy Fralins, I have custom wind PAF's with taps and custom singles, and Jason Lollars P90's and Imperials.
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aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
My main guitar has a purple heart core, and is easily the best sounding axe I own.
Never heard purpleheart tapped on like a marimba, that was my fave!
Never heard purpleheart tapped on like a marimba, that was my fave!
Purpleheart ( Amaranth) is super dense and almost as toxic as Cocobolo. The purple is the sapwood, like Mpinga (Ebony) the color is in the middle . I built my first guitar from it , and one for a local artist with a flame maple top. It is a great wood , every so often you see figured sets . I have one, they are VERY hard to find
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Thank you for your detailed reply!!
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Great reply, thanks!!
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Toxic?
Purpleheart ( Amaranth) is super dense and almost as toxic as Cocobolo. The purple is the sapwood, like Mpinga (Ebony) the color is in the middle . I built my first guitar from it , and one for a local artist with a flame maple top. It is a great wood , every so often you see figured sets . I have one, they are VERY hard to find
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Yeah, don’t lick it!
But seriously, the sawdust is toxic, causes skin/eye irritations.
Splinters from Bubinga can cause infection too. No personal experience, but a luthier friend in Fife has.
DISTORT6
NJ Devil
TWN(o one)S
JasonE
New Member
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
No wonder why I get nauseous when I lick my PRS acoustic with Cocobolo back and sides!!
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Here's a rundown on various woods and there nasty effects .. Many novice woodworkers find out the hard way https://www.mountainwoodworker.com/articles/toxic_woods.pdf
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Holy Moly, some of those wood reactions remind me of prescription drug commercials explaining side effects.
Look at mahogany;
Reactions: Dermatitis, eyes, respiratory, giddiness, vomiting. Boils, asthma, headache, nosebleeds
Notes: Common occurrence Nasal Cancer, pneumoitis, alveolotis, African form is highly toxic
