Favorite inlay material for roasted maple? (Haters need not apply)

[PFDarkside]

Roasted maple is an interesting one. Sometimes too dark for black but too light for white. What is your preference?

I think no inlay looks best but ai get lost on my Clone #003 with no inlays. The undersized music man black dots are kind of nice…

 

[Securb]

Roast Maple is so beautiful I would go with no inlays and just side markers. Am I correct in assuming it is a Strat style body?

 

[ErikH]

Black or MOP. I have black on mine. If I get another one, black on the front and MOP on the sides because they get a nice glow under stage lights.

 

[Mincer]

On mine, black is quite a bit dark than even the darkest roasted maple.

 

[PFDarkside]

Roast Maple is so beautiful I would go with no inlays and just side markers. Am I correct in assuming it is a Strat style body?

Think “super Tele”. I need the inlays. Like I said I don’t play this one enough because of the lack of inlays.

 

[PFDarkside]

Black or MOP. I have black on mine. If I get another one, black on the front and MOP on the sides because they get a nice glow under stage lights.

I’m thinking black MOP, but that might be too much of the neck has flame too.

 

[Aceman]

Roasted maple is an interesting one. Sometimes too dark for black but too light for white. What is your preference?;

Never thought of this until now. But now that you mention it....yeah....

Abalone? Sort of a color instead of white or black. Green/blue-ish

 

[beaubrummels]

If it were me, just flat black (so it can't gleam in lighting, obscuring the marker). For me, something block-y or large, if they are hard to see on roasted maple.

 

[ErikH]

I’m thinking black MOP, but that might be too much of the neck has flame too.

Don't go abalone whatever you do. A friend of mine did that and ended up getting fret marker stickers to put over them. It just looked gaudy. Would've been better going with no fret inlays at all. Black MOP will look good. If flame, regular black would be good on the fretboard. But if you can, go regular MOP for the side dots so they pop. I wish I did. Under certain light, it's hard to see the black.

 

[hamerfan]

Clay dots on plain roasted maple and none on figured maple for me.

 

[GuitarStv]

It depends on the specific piece of roasted maple. I've seen some where white looked awesome and some where black was a better choice. Whatever gives enough contrast to see the markers I guess . . . which actually makes me lean towards block inlays.

 

[PFDarkside]

I’m definitely leaning toward black.

 

[PFDarkside]

Abalone is definitely a unique look…

 

[ErikH]

I can tell you this after playing one for a few years. Since roasted maple doesn't require a finish, playing it raw will make it get darker which eventually makes the darker markers harder to see. Black on the fretboard definitely looks better though. Keep it clean and maybe go clay on the side markers.

That second one with the white dots, that's not roasted maple. You can clearly see it's a finish by evidence of the plain maple close to the body/neck joint. Google searching the image shows it to be Tru-Oil.

 

[PFDarkside]

That second one with the white dots, that's not roasted maple. You can clearly see it's a finish by evidence of the plain maple close to the body/neck joint. Google searching the image shows it to be Tru-Oil.

Excellent info and excellent Google-fu. Perhaps this is a better example:

 

[ErikH]

Excellent info and excellent Google-fu. Perhaps this is a better example:

Yeah, that's about what it would look like. It's not bad really. My old Warmoth neck that is plain maple has aged to the point where it looks about the same as some roasted maple does new. Years and years of playing and it being in smokey bars and such. It has a thin satin polyurethane finish on it. Smoooooooooth.

 

[alex1fly]

I prefer function over aesthetics. What will be easy to see onstage in the dark, in light shows, and while I'm maybe a little buzzed and/or distracted. In general, that's an inlay that contrasts with the color of the neck wood.

I've had massive success with inlay stickers from this place: https://www.inlaystickers.com/ Had their block inlay stickers on my 24-fret Jazz Bass for 4 years now, no sign of peeling.

 

[Masta' C]

I think Black inlays look the best:

Also, totally second the inlay stickers for dressing up an existing neck. They work and there are lots of options, plus they are inexpensive and fully reversible if you don't like them

 

[PFDarkside]

I think Black inlays look the best:

Also, totally second the inlay stickers for dressing up an existing neck. They work and there are lots of options, plus they are inexpensive and fully reversible if you don't like them

How’s your Goblin Flake Warmoth?

 

[Securb]

I’m definitely leaning toward black.

I have to agree with you I like the black so much more.