1-pc maple or goncalo alves/pau ferro neck

[dani]

for a spanish cedar body with p-90s?

fwiw, i don't find maple necks to be that bright at all. in fact, a maple/rosewood neck tend to have more presence.

how would a goncalo alves/pau ferro neck compare to 1-pc maple?

thanks,
dani

 

[line6man]

Maple needs a finish, so I wouldn't bother with it.

 

[Cagey]

how would a goncalo alves/pau ferro neck compare to 1-pc maple?

The Goncalo Alves/Pau Ferro neck would sound/feel/play better, you would win the respect and admiration of all who entered your greatly expanded sphere of influence and you would feel a sense of comfort, purpose and satisfaction that only such a neck can bring, but other than that...

Just don't forget to specify stainless frets, or all those benefits are wiped out and it'll be like playing an old '70s vintage Hondo.

 

[Dan025]

well obviously cagey is exaggerating. but the goncolo alves will turn some heads. I like maple but definitely finish it. its worth it to get the exotics if you ask me though.

btw presence is beyond treble, so usually bright and presence go hand in hand.

 

[Rickgrxbass]

my goncalo/pau ferro strat neck is "warmer" than the maple neck it replaced. More "balanced" tone I suppose, less "snappy" treble but reinforced low-mids. Should balance well with cedar, I would imagine. The feel is second to none, though, I may even like it better than wenge...

 

[fdesalvo]

"For erections lasting longer than 4 hours, seek immediate medical help."

how would a goncalo alves/pau ferro neck compare to 1-pc maple?

The Goncalo Alves/Pau Ferro neck would sound/feel/play better, you would win the respect and admiration of all who entered your greatly expanded sphere of influence and you would feel a sense of comfort, purpose and satisfaction that only such a neck can bring, but other than that...

Just don't forget to specify stainless frets, or all those benefits are wiped out and it'll be like playing an old '70s vintage Hondo.

 

[dani]

thanks for the reply guys.

it is tempting to go with a goncalo alves/pau ferro neck but since i have a satin finished 1-pc roasted maple neck lying around...

just need to know which will mate better for a raw and rude p-90s tone with a spanish cedar body.

 

[Jusatele]

My last 2 builds have been solid Goncalo Alves and I will tell you I really like them.
I also get a lot of comments on them when I play out. I think one of the things that shocks the crap out of soe guitarist is that the neck is solid, not neck/fingerbord.
The biggest thing that I will say happens is when I let them noodle on one they sre really impressed with the neck and want one themselves.
If offered as an option from major guitar companies I think a raw exotic neck could be a major price upgrade, They are that nice. Tone wise I think they are about a 1/4 less than male and 3/4 more than rosewood.

 

[Rickgrxbass]

thanks for the reply guys.

it is tempting to go with a goncalo alves/pau ferro neck but since i have a satin finished 1-pc roasted maple neck lying around...

just need to know which will mate better for a raw and rude p-90s tone with a spanish cedar body.

It's difficult to say with certainty given tonal variations from board to board, but I think the general consensus is that the neck affects tone more than the body but less than the pickups, with the fretboard wood modulating articulation, whatever that means. If it were me, I'd go with gonaclo/pau ferro, if only to balance out the top-end harshness that P-90s can bring to the table and add some complexity to the midrange frequencies, which (IMO) would add "sweetness" to the distorted tone (again, whatever that means).

That said, I have no idea what tonal changes roasting maple brings to the table; I imagine like roasting coffee it would break down the cellulose superstructure, expand the crystal lattice, and drive out moisture. But what does that mean tonewise? Mind you, I've played a few EB/MM basses with the roasted necks, and I'll be damned if I can pinpoint anything that says definitely, "This is a roasted maple neck" versus "This is a maple neck". Then again, those are active basses, so much of the tonal subtleties are lost...

 

[stubhead]

It's easy to pick options that make all the girls want to have sex, but far trickier to pick ones that make all the girls want to have sex with you. Years of study await.

 

[Rickgrxbass]

It's easy to pick options that make all the girls want to have sex, but far trickier to pick ones that make all the girls want to have sex with you. Years of study await.

My own studies have thus far been inconclusive.

Maybe I should get illuminated door sills for my Grand Cherokee? I remember Richard Hammond saying women can't resist illuminated door sills...

 

[Cagey]

I wouldn't hold my breath while waiting for women to be impressed with a Grand Cherokee, illuminated sills or not. You're liable to suffocate <grin>

 

[Rickgrxbass]

I wouldn't hold my breath while waiting for women to be impressed with a Grand Cherokee, illuminated sills or not. You're liable to suffocate <grin>

Hey, it's an Overland, not some stripped-out ex-police cruiser like most of the cherokees (and cars in general for that matter) around here...

But to be fair, Hammond was piloting a G55 AMG, which is still a lot sexier than my 'mericanized M-class