What are the fingerboard wood sound differences?

Technical Talk and Tips
User avatar
Craig
Site Admin
Posts: 11349
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:52 am
Location: Either Coto De Caza, CA or Paso Robles, CA

What are the fingerboard wood sound differences?

Post by Craig »

Our shop has a theory ~ 60% of the sound are the pickups, 30% the body, 10% the neck. I'm referring to the overall tone, and yes ~ certainly
a tight neck pocket, etc. etc. etc. is neccessary. We're talking about what really contributes to the tone assuming it's all made correctly.
That being said, we find that maple is brighter ~ the highs seem to have more clarity and an edge to them. The rosewood is more of a
thicker, midrange sound. Ebony is a hard wood and has the brightness of maple to me, with a slight edge in the midrange like the rosewood.
Now, NONE OF THIS is a "dramatic change" in tone, you're back to our 10% of the tone theory. So yes, small nuances and parts of the music
will sound different depending on the neck fingerboard.

(Answer contributed by: Tim / Buffalo Bros.)