Indian vs Brazilian vs Malagsy Rosewood

[Dan025]

well the way i see it, the neck is a resonant structure and influences the string vibration heavily. the fret board shouldn't change the resonant frequency of thew neck significantly or at least i dont imagine that it does but will effect the transfer of energy into the neck. an oily or waxy fretboard might dampen the sound and change timbre while the neck wood can change timbre as well as add or cancel different overtones, neck mass would presumably come into play as well. the body is the biggest radiator of sound and is probably more heard unplugged than plugged in but that is not to say it is insignificant. as far as percentages go i have no idea, as long as the guitar isnt made from cheese im sure it will sound fine.

 

[tubby.twins]

... so more of your finger is touching the board, like baking twine on a pork loin.

Thanks for that colorful comparison.  Now I'll never be able to look at a worn maple neck without thinking about pork.    :laughing7:

 

[jay4321]

As far as fretboards, there's no question to me at all that there's significant difference between the sound of a maple-maple neck and a maple-rosewood neck. There is more treble and bite in the maple for sure. One of my strats in particular has had 4 necks on it.

Now I don't know about whether different rosewoods are that different in sound, and certainly wouldn't get to breaking it down into tone percentages and all that. It could be one of those things like metal humbucker covers, where a lot of people swear it makes little or no difference while others hear it plain as day.

 

[SlingBass]

Now I don't know about whether different rosewoods are that different in sound, and certainly wouldn't get to breaking it down into tone percentages and all that. It could be one of those things like metal humbucker covers, where a lot of people swear it makes little or no difference while others hear it plain as day.

Humbuckers with and without (IMO & IME) DO have a difference of sound/performance in both live and recorded use with exactly the same model (even the same pup).

The differences in rosewoods ARE more difficult to compare, but they definately have their own properties and sounds.  How much this may matter is determined by the player, as they are subtle.  Brazilian (as an example) is a more dense wood compared to Indian, and consequently is brighter.  This is where it gets interesting.  Who can hear the differences, and under what circumstances, and on what instrument?   Acoustically it's decernable by some.  Live and loud - impossible.  This goes for both hollow or solid body instruments, and is universally accepted.  That said...does feel, texture, and aesthetics (looks) influence our thinking?  You tell me...  :dontknow:

 

[jay4321]

Humbuckers with and without (IMO & IME) DO have a difference of sound/performance in both live and recorded use with exactly the same model (even the same pup).

Oh I agree completely, they certainly do, but some people don't seem to hear any difference at all.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Ed Roman suprisingly has some opinions on varieties of Rosewood.

http://www.edroman.com/techarticles/whattowatchfor.htm

 

[jay4321]

I'd agree as far as maple and ebony fretboards being in the same ballpark.

 

[SlingBass]

Ed Roman suprisingly has some opinions on varieties of Rosewood.

http://www.edroman.com/techarticles/whattowatchfor.htm

I agree with him - though short & sweet...it basically states and covers the obvious.  I bought one of the first "New Thin" (what they called it then) Jazz bass necks off the showroom for $180 the last of Oct. or first of Nov '09.  Indian rosewood/maple, no nut, and no upcharge for the "New Thin", so I could try it out and see how I liked it.  I like it, and may at some point replace it for finer woods.  I'm spoiled on Warmoth's more exotic woods - but I've grown attached to this one, as well  :dontknow:

 

[Jeremiah]

I'd say that anything that affects the feel can affect how you play the instrument, which in turn has the potential to change the tone. I don't know if this is as important as the physical properties of the different materials, but it probably has some significance.

 

[SlingBass]

I'd absolutely agree with that statement - point made  :glasses10:

 

[Superlizard]

Since we are getting subjective here, looks don't mean a goddamn thing thing if a neck doesn't feel good.

Yep - some people like to have a pretty piece of wood (guitar) hanging out in their living room to impress visitors... they
might twiddle on it now and then but it's mostly a glorified piece of furniture.

Too add to your statement: feel doesn't mean a thing either if it sounds like @$$.

 

[Superlizard]

 Who can hear the differences, ...

And that's the main thing behind all of it, and the reason why it's all "subjective":  people don't have the same pair of ears, and some people
can hear things others cannot.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Others can the hear the differences too and classify them as neglible or insignificant.