Strat Guys' Opinions: Maple or Rosewood Fingerboard?

[Old Ghost]

I'm pretty sure this topic had already been discussed before but i just want to hear your personal opinions on why you prefer Maple or Rosewood Fingerboards on Fender Stratocasters and Strat Style Guitars. Feel ? Tone ? Looks ? Or whatever reason. Thanks ( This aging Gibson LP Guy is feeling very Fender Straty lately )

[MikeRocker]

I dig maple. Classic 50s look, nice snap to the sound.

[Armotron]

Its all about feel, the difference in tone of the two is def. surpassed by the feel.

To my fingers maple feels a bit softer and snappy.

Rosewood seems a bit more rough and warmer.

Just play some guitars with the two and see what you like

Personally i love maple with rounded edges.

[SoCalSteve]

When I think of 'Strat' I think of maple for some reason. I'm far from being a a guitar expert but I really like the feel of my Strat's maple neck and it looks great, too.

[Gamera]

Cosmetically: maple - it just looks so sexy and I love the feel
Sound: Rosewood - I prefer a darker, warmer sound
Overall: Ebony - the best of both worlds

Although if you're going for a traditional, snappy Strat tone you can't beat maple overall IMO.

[xerxes]

personally, i hate maple. i dont like the sound that much, and i hate hate hate the feel. every maple fingerboard i have ever played has been sticky because of the **** they put on it at fender. cant stand maple

[itbepopples]

it depends...i like the look of rosewood with binding pretty much exclusively although i did have a strat w/ a rosewood board that i liked. i only like maple necks if theyre one piece and if its got a vintage tint to it...a deep yellowy melted butter type color. also, i like how the necks look on vintage strats and teles with worn frets...with rosewood it just gets kinda grimey looking IMHO. ive never tested maple vs rosewood in an A/B test and i probobly couldnt tell the difference unless someone had a removable board and was willing to do the test. either way go for feel over looks.

[itbepopples]

personally, i hate maple. i dont like the sound that much, and i hate hate hate the feel. every maple fingerboard i have ever played has been sticky because of the **** they put on it at fender. cant stand maple

have you played any other companies maple necks? fender unfinished maple necks? zakk wylde has one of his signature les pauls set up with an unfinished maple back and board.

[Stratcat]

Both are great!
I prefer rosewood for the feel of the wood under my fingers.

[XSSIVE]

a few months ago i would have said rosewood for sure...but now i am selling off all my strats with rosewood boards and buying/building all maple neck strats to replace them.

SoCalSteve...that's a great looking strat you have there...i nearly bought one of those satin red bodies off ebay...now you have me thinking about replacing one of my other MIM strat bodies with one.

-Mike

[SoCalSteve]

SoCalSteve...that's a great looking strat you have there...i nearly bought one of those satin red bodies off ebay...now you have me thinking about replacing one of my other MIM strat bodies with one.

-Mike

That color really caught my eye at GC with the black pickguard - not so much with the white. It's actually more of a 'frosted' finish than the picture shows.

[SoCalSteve]

personally, i hate maple. i dont like the sound that much, and i hate hate hate the feel. every maple fingerboard i have ever played has been sticky because of the **** they put on it at fender. cant stand maple

It's funny how we all have such different experiences. In my original post I was going to say the 2 rosewood guitars I've had always felt gummy after a while and I haven't had that with the 2 maple ones I have. Gotta love it!

[Lewguitar]

Love 'em both. My Strats with a rosewood fingerboard seem to have a little more complex tone than my Strats with a one piece maple neck.

[Gearjoneser]

Both, but I tend to prefer the warm hollowness of rosewood (SRV) to the snappy attack of maple (Clapton, Hendrix). To me, it's more about the sound than the feel under my fingers.

[Stratman]

Both, but I tend to prefer the warm hollowness of rosewood (SRV) to the snappy attack of maple (Clapton, Hendrix). To me, it's more about the sound than the feel under my fingers.

Yep, its the sound (e.g., TONE) that I get under my fingers and through my amp…


That said - IT IS IN THE FINGERS!

[FretFire]

I prefer maple for strats.

[Hot _Grits]

Both are great.

For tone, I prefer maple, but only when paired with a lightweight, warm sounding alder or basswood body and warm sounding pickups.

For looks, maple. I love beat up maple necks, ala Blackie and the VH franken-strat.

[STRATDELUXER97]

I use both and have no preference either way?

[Quencho092]

i like my maple strat, but i wouldnt mind having a rosewood one too. Perhaps ill go for a cheaper model strat, or build my own with rosewood some time.

[Armotron]

i like my maple strat, but i wouldnt mind having a rosewood one too. Perhaps ill go for a cheaper model strat, or build my own with rosewood some time.

+1, in the far future of course, one with Lipstick Tubes...