Maple Necks: More Friction than Rosewood?

Junk Yard Dog

Well-known member
I've to mostly rosewood fingerboards on my necks, but one maple/maple neck/fingerboard. I find it harder to play. I saned that finish down a bit on the back and that helped, but the real issue to me is the maple fingerboard. It's just not as smooth as my rosewoods, it seems like.

Does maple make for a 'stickier' fingerboard?

Thanks!
 
I'd say not at all. But if the maple is lacquered (fender) then it can have that sticky feeling, but I've only really noticed that on the back, not the fingerboard..
 
I prefer rosewood. Maple boards feel like they have more drag to me than RW, though I only notice it bending, vibrato etc..
 
Maple feels way smoother than rosewood to me and if you look at the wood itself, it is way smoother than rosewood.
 
I had assumed we were talking light oil finishes on the necks since thick, sticky lacquer finishes feel like... well... thick, sticky lacquer.

Steve
 
In my experience, maple fretboards when unfinished (or a real thin finish) seem to have less drag when they are real clean, but they get dirty quicker, which makes more drag. I guess the texture of the maple just holds on to dirt more. Rosewood naturally has more oil in the wood, which seems to repel the dirt a little better.

I've had both and always have to clean the maple a lot to keep it smooth. I rarely have to clean rosewood.
 
As said a few times above - maple seems to have a tighter grain.. if it's unfinished & not lacquered, it should play smoother IMO
 
It's kind of hard to see the dirt on a rosewood neck, but I'll assume it collects as much as a maple one. My beef with rosewood is that it's very hard for me to see the fret dot markers in a gig situation, unless it's an outdoor daytime gig. I have really struggled with this to the point that I'm sticking with my maple neck guitars for dark, low-light gigs. It's especially bad for songs with a lot of harmonics in them.
 
I’ve always felt that rosewood is the most drag to my fingers. I think ebony is the fastest. My personal favorite combo is maple neck ebony board. It’s just what I’ve found that works best for me
 
Yes, maple necks with some sort of thicker finish. I have a maple neck with some sort of finish and it definitely drags compared to all my rosewood necks. My rosewoods are much easier to play. I can sand the back of the neck, but sanding the fretboard seems like a big pain in the ass.

I'm looking to possibly get a Charvel with a maple neck and am hoping they don't drag due to the same type of finish.
 
thisguy":b3cjwuea said:
Charvels with maple = No drag
Eric Johnson strat with maple neck and funky finish = definite drag!

Wow, great! I'm looking at a Charvel Style 2 Ash Tele. I wanna be sure it doesn't have that drag. Do you know what they use to treat their fretboards to keep it non sticky?
 
Junk Yard Dog":3nrnqg6z said:
Yes, maple necks with some sort of thicker finish. I have a maple neck with some sort of finish and it definitely drags compared to all my rosewood necks. My rosewoods are much easier to play. I can sand the back of the neck, but sanding the fretboard seems like a big pain in the ass.

I'm looking to possibly get a Charvel with a maple neck and am hoping they don't drag due to the same type of finish.
If the all maple neck has a different, thicker finish than your neck with the rosewood fretboard, how can you compare the wood? In the case of the maple neck, all you are feeling is the finish, and if it is a lacquer finish, yeah, it's gonna have more drag. Compare two Charvels with rosewood and maple fretboards that only have a light oil finish and see what you think. That is a legit comparison of the wood - otherwise, you are only feeling the difference in the finishes.

Steve
 
I had a Charvel San Dimas, all maple neck and it dragged. But then it had spent its life in Puerto Rico and then came to me in AZ. Took six mos. for that wood to dry out once in AZ.

Might I suggest the Ernie Ball Axis? Those necks are the smoothest maple I've seen, but can also be protected with Tru-Oil or some others that don't make them sticky like the thick varnish on Fenders.
 
Junk Yard Dog":33ogadcr said:
thisguy":33ogadcr said:
Charvels with maple = No drag
Eric Johnson strat with maple neck and funky finish = definite drag!

Wow, great! I'm looking at a Charvel Style 2 Ash Tele. I wanna be sure it doesn't have that drag. Do you know what they use to treat their fretboards to keep it non sticky?
They are bare wood with a very light oil finish. They feel like bare wood - not sticky at all. I only notice drag on heavy lacquer finishes.

Steve
 
Rick Lee":2392huol said:
I had a Charvel San Dimas, all maple neck and it dragged. But then it had spent its life in Puerto Rico and then came to me in AZ. Took six mos. for that wood to dry out once in AZ.

Might I suggest the Ernie Ball Axis? Those necks are the smoothest maple I've seen, but can also be protected with Tru-Oil or some others that don't make them sticky like the thick varnish on Fenders.

It's been a long time since I've played a new Axis but I have one from the 90s that is definitely smooth playing.
 
Thanks, all. ...So, what is the best way to remove or sand down or un-drag the gloss finish on a neck?? I still like maple necks, just not the thick finish on the board. Cheers!
 
Junk Yard Dog":zeuuiwl6 said:
Thanks, all. ...So, what is the best way to remove or sand down or un-drag the gloss finish on a neck?? I still like maple necks, just not the thick finish on the board. Cheers!



Then I would recommend a couple of coats of Watco Danish Oil, letting them stand for 20 minutes before wiping off. Voila! You now have a nice, slick Charvel-like neck finish...

Steve
 
Back
Top