Choosing Neck Woods

[Skyforger]

So... I'm looking to buy my first Warmoth neck and cannot seem to decide on the wood for many reasons.
I am accustomed to playing mainly on rosewood fingerboards, but I also kinda perhaps want to try something new.
The neck wood I choose will most likely be maple but am open to input. 
The fingerboard I have explored outside of rosewood is ebony.  I should mention that the neck will be scalloped so I am not sure what types of wood would have the integrity for that modification.  I also enjoy more exotic cosmetics and was interested in bloodwood, or one of the other reddish colored woods.
Will the fretboard wood matter in terms of tone on a scalloped neck?

 

[Skyforger]

Errr... Forgot to mention that the body would be an Alder strat body

 

[Perry Combover]

Maple has been my neck wood of choice for 20 years until I got an ebony over pau ferro last month.  I will never go back.

 

[Cagey]

Mr. Combover is right. Ebony over Pau Ferro is a magical combination that has often been compared to pure, sweaty, non-stop monkey sex. Expensive little rascals, though. Still - well worth it. I wouldn't have it scalloped - just put some stainless steel 6100 frets on it. They're big. Really big. Also, no inlays, just side dots. Trust me, you won't miss them and it makes for a much classier look. Also, 6100s are huge. Did I mention that? It'll feel scalloped without paying to have the Grand Canyon cut into your neck.

Depending on what color you body is, you might also consider Ebony over Bloodwood (Satine). Satine is also very dense and hard, and polishes up like metal.

If you don't like that idea, rest assured that regardless of the wood you choose, Warmoth will do a good job scalloping. If they screw it up, they'll make a new one, not ask you to take crap. But, I wouldn't worry about that. Fretboard woods are necessarily very hard, so they machine well.

 

[Cagey]

I just re-read your original post, and saw you were already considering Bloodwood for a neck meat. Highly recommended. I have an Ebony over Bloodwood neck here, and it's very much like the Ebony over Pau Ferro for feel. You know... the monkey sex and all...

Everybody should have at least one. There's nothing like them.

You might also want to review this thread.

 

[greywolf]

I've made one with an alder body and a padouk/ebony neck .. a wonderful combination and the raw silky feel of the neck is killer.

 

[Skyforger]

Thanks for the input guys.
I think I will do the bloodwood neck with ebony fingerboard.  I haven't decided whether or not i will have dot inlays or just not put them on at all.  I am guessing it will look soo much better without but I am a bit afraid of being dot-less for the first time

 

[Cagey]

Guaranteed you won't be sorry. That's a killer combination. Also, nobody on your block has one.

Don't forget to get stainless steel frets. Or gold... just as good. For what Warmoth charges, it's a no-brainer. Again - guaranteed you'll like them. They're slicker'n snot and wear forever without affecting your tone at all.

 

[Perry Combover]

Guaranteed you won't be sorry. That's a killer combination. Also, nobody on your block has one.

Don't forget to get stainless steel frets. Or gold... just as good. For what Warmoth charges, it's a no-brainer. Again - guaranteed you'll like them. They're slicker'n snot and wear forever without affecting your tone at all.

+1

I have an ebony fretboard on my Strat and a flame maple fretboard on my Tele, neither have inlays.  The side dots provide all the orientation you will ever need.  The only people it hurts are the yahoos that are trying to play what you're playing and keep stopping you to figure out what fret you're on.  :toothy11: