Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

i have two american strats,one maple and one rosewood.Both have a 59 bucker in the bridge.There is no big sonic differences betwen them.the maple neck sound slightly tighter. I like the feel of the maple best:)
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

Strats need maple. It's like an unsaid rule or something :chairfall
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

I've always thought rosewood looked rather cheap on a strat style guitar. I don't know why it's so popular for superstrats, it looks pretty naff in my opinion. Tonewise, not really my thing but I've only tried Indian (not Brazillian) Rosewood.
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

is too darn cheap. that's why they're sticking it onto everywhere
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

Both have great tone... but IMO maple has a grain that makes playing the guitar much easier... so I will go with maple...
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

I prefer rosewood these days...although my favorite Fender (my 54 Tele) has a one piece maple neck/fingerboard. :smack: IMO, rosewood gives a more complex tone that's fuller and richer. But it really depends on the guitar...I've owned great rosewood Fenders and great maple Fenders. Lew
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

What ever trips your trigger! I don't have a Strat with a rosewood fretboard now but I like rosewood the best.
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

i can't decide :-)
i like both very much. but i think it depends on your playing.
imo the rosewood fretboards are nicer for an allround axe.
maple transports somehow single notes better which i prefer for bluesy
(non rock) leads
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

rosewood without a doubt. I like how it looks and feels, it doesnt make that much of a tonal difference. An olympic white strat with a rosewood fretboard is one of my favorite strat looks.
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

I like both.... i have bought 3 Fender strats all with Maple, my Warmoth i have a rosewood board.... but oddly most of my homemade necks have rosewood boards... No reason really just the way things have worked out...

But what i have been thinking about for a few years now is buying some alder for a body and building an all maple neck... i'm on holidays next week and may take a 1 1/2 hour trip out to a lumber store that sells guitar grade wood.... it'll take a half a day to get out there look around and come back.....
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

Honestly, take it on individual strats not maple/rosewood board strats...

I've played some rosewood boarded strats I wouldn't think of buying, and some maple boarded strats I thought were great. Same with ash/alder... I thought I was a 100% alder strat guy til I played a really nice ash strat.

FTR the strat I own is alder with a rosewood board.
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

I don't think it matters. Its all in your hands and the way you play.

Just go for what looks better to you
 
Re: Strats: Maple or Rosewood?

I'm surprised a lot of people picked maple because of the look. Hello! Are you guitar players or you just want to look good with a guitar dangling from your necks?

Of course both the maple and rosewood have their advantages and it usually goes down to personal choice. My experience is that in the long run, rosewood is easier to take care of. Maple will look really ugly after the finish is worn down and is soaked up with sweat and oil. Have you ever played a guitar with a maple neck and the finish is flaking off when you run your sweaty fingers up and down the fretboard? It doesn't take that long for that to happen if you play 7-8 hours a day for 6 days a week. Then the frets have to be changed and the finish starts to crack. Tone is not a factor , it is not that much a difference if you crank you amp way up in gain and distortion. Just my 5 cents of opinion.
 
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